Agility training
- Thread starter Panzerotti
- Start date
Summer is just superb. Like really really amazing. I get such a thrill working with her and she was WILD today. We had missed class for 2 weeks in a row (long story) so when I started gathering my agility stuff, she started bouncing off the walls and when she got in the car was spinning like a top in excitement. Anyways, she was great today. She is not allowed to get older, I want to run her forever.
My trainer's words for Summer was that she was a very brave and fearless dog. I guess that is a way to describe it LOL. She's very... spastic. But I think Summer is just having a blast every single moment in class.
Summer also passed her mock ORT AND her mock nosework trial that was not paired! Woohoo! She is a little hard to read in nosework and cracks me up the way she works. It involves a lot of flailing about and running as fast as she can in circles. It is funny, I always think she is not working at first but sure enough after enough loops around the search area at warp speed, looking totally distracted she pinpoints it and zeros right in. She definitely has her own style. My biggest challenge is not to get dizzy while working her because she's spinning so fast. Oops, got off of the agility topic a bit LOL.
Mia did very well today too, was flying through her jumps and tunnels. Unfortunately we ran into a teeter issue and she's decided no more teeter at all. (See other thread).
My trainer's words for Summer was that she was a very brave and fearless dog. I guess that is a way to describe it LOL. She's very... spastic. But I think Summer is just having a blast every single moment in class.
Summer also passed her mock ORT AND her mock nosework trial that was not paired! Woohoo! She is a little hard to read in nosework and cracks me up the way she works. It involves a lot of flailing about and running as fast as she can in circles. It is funny, I always think she is not working at first but sure enough after enough loops around the search area at warp speed, looking totally distracted she pinpoints it and zeros right in. She definitely has her own style. My biggest challenge is not to get dizzy while working her because she's spinning so fast. Oops, got off of the agility topic a bit LOL.
Mia did very well today too, was flying through her jumps and tunnels. Unfortunately we ran into a teeter issue and she's decided no more teeter at all. (See other thread).
New to the agility thing. Took a couple basic classes at one club, Mimi was painfully bored (it was a sit and wait in line to try an obstacle type deal) but did everything I asked her to. Though in typical sighthound fashion, she gets the 'screw you, I've done this already' attitude with too many repetitions (another reason I think she was a bit bored with the first classes). I kind of questioned if she'd enjoy it in the long run as she'd just kind of trot along when we did sequences, more because I was asking her to than anything else.
I moved, we did nothing over the summer, and started last Monday at a new club. First thing, I'm more than obviously the 'greenest' in the class. Agility 3 at one club does not equal agility 3 at another. Second, it doesn't matter. The instructer is awesome and wants me to stay as opposed to dropping down. Third.. I found out my dog flipping LOVES agility! I went in last Thursday for an informal practice with a couple people in my class and the instructor.. Mimi took off like a bat out of hell off her start line stay and kept it up through our entire course. I really need to practice sending her out and distance work, because there isn't a snowball's chance that I'll be able to keep up with her. She has full height contacts, but tends to hit the teeter the same way she hits the A frame.. thankfully she has 'easy' and 'wait', because I really don't need her launching off the end of it. Need more practice.
We don't have weaves.. at all. We started with the guide rails at club #1, but I kind of feel it was more teaching her to follow the open path as opposed to the weaves as an obstacle. Club #2 trainer is going to bring me the 2x2 DVD to borrow next week... we'll see.
Side note - I'm happy to find agility people! Tried calling my mom to explain the excitement, she doesn't really get it. lol
I moved, we did nothing over the summer, and started last Monday at a new club. First thing, I'm more than obviously the 'greenest' in the class. Agility 3 at one club does not equal agility 3 at another. Second, it doesn't matter. The instructer is awesome and wants me to stay as opposed to dropping down. Third.. I found out my dog flipping LOVES agility! I went in last Thursday for an informal practice with a couple people in my class and the instructor.. Mimi took off like a bat out of hell off her start line stay and kept it up through our entire course. I really need to practice sending her out and distance work, because there isn't a snowball's chance that I'll be able to keep up with her. She has full height contacts, but tends to hit the teeter the same way she hits the A frame.. thankfully she has 'easy' and 'wait', because I really don't need her launching off the end of it. Need more practice.
We don't have weaves.. at all. We started with the guide rails at club #1, but I kind of feel it was more teaching her to follow the open path as opposed to the weaves as an obstacle. Club #2 trainer is going to bring me the 2x2 DVD to borrow next week... we'll see.
Side note - I'm happy to find agility people! Tried calling my mom to explain the excitement, she doesn't really get it. lol
Gusto has been so wonderful lately, between the work we've been doing with our online class, club practices, and being back in group classes, so I sucked it up and sent in an entry for a trial...and of course he was so bad at practice last night I wanted to turn him loose and drive away. This must be how parents of teenagers feel. He gets distracted by something, and will give me a quick glance of disgust when I try to call his focus back to me, then gives me the finger and wanders off.
I think it has something to do with being The Second Dog. I don't remember ever being THIS frustrated with Meg, and heaven knows we had our training struggles. Maybe it is that I now have hope and expectations, and with her every single tiny success was a victory.
Grr. Ah, well. We did get into a seminar I really wanted, with the trainer we've been doing the online class with, so it gives me something a few months out to really focus on and keep practicing for.
One bad night shouldn't leave me so frustrated, but yeesh. Why doesn't my dog love me?!
I think it has something to do with being The Second Dog. I don't remember ever being THIS frustrated with Meg, and heaven knows we had our training struggles. Maybe it is that I now have hope and expectations, and with her every single tiny success was a victory.
Grr. Ah, well. We did get into a seminar I really wanted, with the trainer we've been doing the online class with, so it gives me something a few months out to really focus on and keep practicing for.
One bad night shouldn't leave me so frustrated, but yeesh. Why doesn't my dog love me?!
She's looking great!!
Here's a video of a short sequence Recon and I worked on with a friend last week. We're both getting better! Couldn't figure out why he dropped that bar...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151631202857705&l=2438319482875023498
We are leaving for BC Nationals in 5 days now... can't wait!! I will have so many stories and pictures to post. XD I'll hopefully be running a friend's dog in FAST one day as well, which should prove educational.
Recon is officially entered into beginners weaves and teeter class with my co-trainer starting the week after BC Nats. This will be perfect to get us through the fall and hopefully we can trial before the year's over in AKC!
Here's a video of a short sequence Recon and I worked on with a friend last week. We're both getting better! Couldn't figure out why he dropped that bar...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151631202857705&l=2438319482875023498
We are leaving for BC Nationals in 5 days now... can't wait!! I will have so many stories and pictures to post. XD I'll hopefully be running a friend's dog in FAST one day as well, which should prove educational.
Recon is officially entered into beginners weaves and teeter class with my co-trainer starting the week after BC Nats. This will be perfect to get us through the fall and hopefully we can trial before the year's over in AKC!
How much is too much for a 2nd and 3rd trial? My club's next trial is in November (first weekend) and I am planning on going. I'm not sure about entering Mia, I am getting her checked out this week by a chiro. She's regressed a bit on the teeter and I'm not sure why. At most we will probably just do gamblers and maybe jumpers on one day.
Summer... I don't want to push too hard but she's doing fantastic. I was thinking of entering her in 3 runs (snookers, gamblers, jumpers) Saturday and 3 runs Sunday. I think we'll skip standard because of weaves. I really need to work on those but the heat.... We did some 6 pole weaves today but it's so dang humid, even early. She was still running but panting hard and I decided to hang it up.
then the weekend after that is another USDAA trial in Dallas. I was considering that one too. But that would be two back to back travel trials with my inexperienced and old dog. Too much?
Our club's trial is about 2 hours away... would you just drive in both days or try to stay overnight there one day? It's right on the verge of being too far to drive that early in the morning...
Summer... I don't want to push too hard but she's doing fantastic. I was thinking of entering her in 3 runs (snookers, gamblers, jumpers) Saturday and 3 runs Sunday. I think we'll skip standard because of weaves. I really need to work on those but the heat.... We did some 6 pole weaves today but it's so dang humid, even early. She was still running but panting hard and I decided to hang it up.
then the weekend after that is another USDAA trial in Dallas. I was considering that one too. But that would be two back to back travel trials with my inexperienced and old dog. Too much?
Our club's trial is about 2 hours away... would you just drive in both days or try to stay overnight there one day? It's right on the verge of being too far to drive that early in the morning...
Completely depends on you and your dogs. How's that for unhelpful?
Gusto ran "full days" except for Pairs right from the start. Since most of our local trials are one day of Masters/one day of Starters/Advanced, that generally means 4 runs a day. (Pairs I only enter when I know someone whose dog I'm comfortable with, and only when I need the Q). Standard/Jumpers/Gamblers/Snooker would be a normal day. He holds up well, as long as it isn't hot and sunny, in which case I might skip a class or two if there are some I care more about than others.
If she doesn't seem stressed, I wouldn't worry about it. It also sounds like trials are pretty limited where you are, so you may just have to take them as they come. I like to not do back to back trials, so that if I find a big training hole, I have a chance to work on it - but I'm in an area where I can find a trial pretty much every weekend.
I'd get a room. By the time you pay for gas and accept the fact that you are going to lose out on sleep, it would be worth it to me. I'll drive back and forth if the trial is under an hour. I'll drive down in the morning if the trial is under 2.5 hours (in the summer; in the winter weather may affect that plan). More than 2.5 hours, I drive down the night before. More than 1 hour, I stay overnight if I'm doing 2 days.
Gusto ran "full days" except for Pairs right from the start. Since most of our local trials are one day of Masters/one day of Starters/Advanced, that generally means 4 runs a day. (Pairs I only enter when I know someone whose dog I'm comfortable with, and only when I need the Q). Standard/Jumpers/Gamblers/Snooker would be a normal day. He holds up well, as long as it isn't hot and sunny, in which case I might skip a class or two if there are some I care more about than others.
If she doesn't seem stressed, I wouldn't worry about it. It also sounds like trials are pretty limited where you are, so you may just have to take them as they come. I like to not do back to back trials, so that if I find a big training hole, I have a chance to work on it - but I'm in an area where I can find a trial pretty much every weekend.
I'd get a room. By the time you pay for gas and accept the fact that you are going to lose out on sleep, it would be worth it to me. I'll drive back and forth if the trial is under an hour. I'll drive down in the morning if the trial is under 2.5 hours (in the summer; in the winter weather may affect that plan). More than 2.5 hours, I drive down the night before. More than 1 hour, I stay overnight if I'm doing 2 days.
USDAA is a long time between trials right now. I think we are the only club in the state for USDAA and our last was in July. So July to November are no trials. And then there have to be two in 2 weeks. Bah.
I think I may drive down the night before too. I like my sleep and my dogs like their sleep. Seems less stressful that way and if it's like the last trial, we are up very first since there's not many P8" dogs.
Summer held up well last trial but by Sunday evening (day 2) she ran a bit slow on her last run. If she would crate nicer, that wouldn't be an issue. Hmph. She went practically 24 hours the entire weekend without relaxing.
I think I may drive down the night before too. I like my sleep and my dogs like their sleep.
Seems less stressful that way and if it's like the last trial, we are up very first since there's not many P8" dogs.Summer held up well last trial but by Sunday evening (day 2) she ran a bit slow on her last run. If she would crate nicer, that wouldn't be an issue. Hmph. She went practically 24 hours the entire weekend without relaxing.
I have a bit of agility news Check out the 16" division.
Agility Association of Canada
IFCS 2014 World Team Roster / L'équipe canadienne au championnat mondial 2014 de l'IFCS
10"
Quaismodo & Christina Sanders
ZipR & France Beckner
Pint & Annelie Hilton
Vegas & Barb Flowers
16"
Dice & Jess Martin
Jazz & Anne Crrington
P2 & Debbie Decosta
Ado Desmond & Megan Rice
Favor & Lynda Orton-Hill
22"
Tylt & Teri O'neill
Keeper & Tammy Gallacher
Fizz & Adrian Rooyackers
Chilli & Wendy Alexander
Grand Slam & Kayl McCann
26"
Tackle & Sue Charlton
Feature & Susan Garrett
Crash & Andre Landry
Bullit & Stephan Henry
Jeter & Tracy Henebury
Félicitations / Congratulations
Check out the 16" division.Agility Association of Canada
IFCS 2014 World Team Roster / L'équipe canadienne au championnat mondial 2014 de l'IFCS
10"
Quaismodo & Christina Sanders
ZipR & France Beckner
Pint & Annelie Hilton
Vegas & Barb Flowers
16"
Dice & Jess Martin
Jazz & Anne Crrington
P2 & Debbie Decosta
Ado Desmond & Megan Rice
Favor & Lynda Orton-Hill
22"
Tylt & Teri O'neill
Keeper & Tammy Gallacher
Fizz & Adrian Rooyackers
Chilli & Wendy Alexander
Grand Slam & Kayl McCann
26"
Tackle & Sue Charlton
Feature & Susan Garrett
Crash & Andre Landry
Bullit & Stephan Henry
Jeter & Tracy Henebury
Félicitations / Congratulations
I think it's a good idea to have an instructor if you can find a good one. Find one who is competing or at least competed recently (maybe they are between dogs right now or something) so they know the current state of agility. Find one who is SUCCESSFUL at competing. And IMO this is the most important part, find one who has students who are also successful at competing.
Also make sure they train, um, nicely. No dragging dogs across equipment. No shock collars to "reinforce" contacts. No beating dogs or jerking them around or kicking them... that sort of thing.
Agility Right From the Start is a MASSIVE book but it's mostly a collection of other people's ideas, it's good for people who've never done agility before (they literally mean "from the start") but not so much for experienced people IMO. I do own it though figuring I would use it for reference at some point, but it's been ages since I opened it...
Here's some similar threads on books and DVDs:
http://chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252294
http://chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260130
Also make sure they train, um, nicely. No dragging dogs across equipment. No shock collars to "reinforce" contacts. No beating dogs or jerking them around or kicking them... that sort of thing.
Agility Right From the Start is a MASSIVE book but it's mostly a collection of other people's ideas, it's good for people who've never done agility before (they literally mean "from the start") but not so much for experienced people IMO. I do own it though figuring I would use it for reference at some point, but it's been ages since I opened it...
Here's some similar threads on books and DVDs:
http://chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252294
http://chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260130
Dallas trial seems to be on the same weekend as akc lure coursing nationals, which my facility is hosting.
Why is everything on the same weekend?
I also heard a rumor that a really neat national may happen here in 2015!. So excite!
And 2016 we have AKC agility nationals again in Tulsa.... I want all the shows all the time.
Why is everything on the same weekend?
I also heard a rumor that a really neat national may happen here in 2015!
. So excite! And 2016 we have AKC agility nationals again in Tulsa.... I want all the shows all the time.
Spill!
I seriously hope not Cynosport. I'm so bummed that it's completely not an option for us next year (3+ day drive). They still haven't brought it "east" yet as far as I'm concerned - Tennessee this year is the furthest it has come. I did Kentucky; I'd be able to do Tennessee if Gusto were ready. I have been really keeping my fingers crossed that it will be somewhere 'east' in 2015.
I seriously hope not Cynosport. I'm so bummed that it's completely not an option for us next year (3+ day drive). They still haven't brought it "east" yet as far as I'm concerned - Tennessee this year is the furthest it has come. I did Kentucky; I'd be able to do Tennessee if Gusto were ready. I have been really keeping my fingers crossed that it will be somewhere 'east' in 2015.