Agility!

I don't see topic with this sport, so I make it.
Do You like agility?
It is my favourite dog-sport. I'm training agility with my dog, 3,5 years old shorthaired dachshund, size standard.
He is very happ and activity dog, with many energy.
He loves this sport!
What do You think about this sport?
Maybe there is somebdoy, who also training agility with his dog?
I'm very interesting about it

I train in agility. I compete in NADAC, CPE, and UKC agility for seven years now. I can honestly say taht I am addicted to agility!

Love it! My Dobe and I do agility together.

I'm going to move this thread to the sports forum. You may get more responses that way.

I was involved in amateur agility, but then work got in the way and Sawyer needed some time to get over a couple bad experiences, so we haven't been in a while.

Here comes some agility pics!

And because I don't have any agility pics of Dega yet:

I love your pics Tessa, especailly the Cockers
What's the buff one's name?
and
How did you get started in agility?

That is Brownie. He is 8 and will be 9 in June. He was the first dog that I ever trained. I started training in 4-H, agility, obedience, and jr showmanship at age 8. Brownie has a bit of an attitude, and doesn't get along with large dogs... he had to retire from dog training That is when I got Cocoa, at age 10.

I heard about 4-H through school and saw that they had a dog training thing. I had dogs, so I decided I wanted to do that. Since then, I've become addicted

tessa nice photos!
In the future (very nearly ) I think of dogdancing and obedience with my shothaired dachshund.
If You want to see my dog in agility, click this adress: www.kozacy.boo.pl/teddy/
This photos and films are old, at this day we are better sportsmen.
A the next training I'll do many photos Photos with snow are very fantastic.

I can't open the link

tessa those are great photos ..... i tried agility with my girl last year. she loves it soooo much. she loves all the obstacles but the A frame and see saw are her favorite. i have one problem with her though that i am trying to work on her with so that we could go further in it and maybe eventually compete. she listens pretty well for the most part but sometimes she decides midway that she wants to make up her own course. and there isnt anything we have come up with yet that will make her come to me while she has this thought in her head. so now i have enrolled her in a semi private agility class, only one other dog in the class, so we can work more one on one with this problem.

have any suggestions ?

1. It is SO much easier to get a dog that is already enjoying agility to start listening, than one that is fearful. You are lucky!

First, you need to do some attention training. Just walk around with a treat in your hand. Whenever she looks at you, treat(or click and treat)! For the first few sessions just continue to treat any moment she looks at you, even if it doesn't last long. As she starts looking to you more often in hopes of getting a treat, make her hold her attention on you for 5 seconds instead of just 2 or 3! It takes time, but soon you will have a dog taht pays much better attention to you.

Don't sequence with her yet. Start with just one obstacle. Keep her attention on you while she is completing that obstacle. As soon as she is completed, she will look for your for guidance(or cookes) and that is how you will tell if she is paying attention. Once you and/or your trainer believes that she is focusing on your, you can start adding obstacles; but only one at a time. So, instead of just a jump, you can have a jump, then tunnel sequence!

I know... this seems like it will take forever, but it will fly by in a breeze!

Also, when she does start running around crazy enjoying herself, I would try ignoring her. Walk away, and if there is another dog around..start petting it! Give it some cookies... and when she comes back, act alll surprised and happy that she has come back! At this time, I would suggest going back to the course, but only completing the last obstacle and CELEBRATE! You need to show her that YOU are more fun than the equipment!

I am so glad that you are sticking with it! Yay! Goodluck!

thanks tessa ........ i have a clicker and she does respond well with that so i will try your focusing techniques and see how it goes. she loves it so much , i have to give it a good try with her.

thanks so much for your help, i will surely be asking for more help as we progress. and i am sure i will have a few funny stories as we go along

Tessa-Did you get your dog at 10 years old then start agility then? Isn't that a bit old to start? Or did you mean 10 months?

Noo.. I started agility training when I was eight. I got a new dog when *I* was ten. I started training that new dog as soon as I got her. She was competing only a few months after her 18 months birthday(NADAC)

I have just started finally taking agility classes at this indoor place in the city next to mine with Pixie. She is older 7 but she is really enjoying it so far but we are both just getting into our classes.

Sam, that is Great!! Older dogs certainly can be good agilty dogs. I am competing in agility with a 7 year old border collie right now, and besides her little training issues(that we must work out together) she does great!

Keep us posted on how she is doing! And if you can, get some agility pictures! I'm an agility pic addict! Lol

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Will do