Hello from Ontario!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to introduce myself to everyone.

My name is Kristie and I live in Ontario with my furry hoard. I share my home with my 3 rabbits (Caspian, Adrienne, and Sebastian) and my 2 greyhounds.

Summit is our first greyhound (and our first dog) who we adopted 3 years ago from an adoption program. He was perfect for our lifestyle as I was still in school and quite busy. I had always wanted to try agility but when I got a greyhound decided that was out of the cards. Until I stumbled across a really inspiring blog about agility greyhounds. So I started training Summit and we both really enjoyed it. We've trained on and off ever since just for fun and for my learning.

Last fall I acquired a show bred greyhound puppy. My very first puppy. What was I thinking!? It has been a crazy year and she's still a pup so I still have my work cut out for me, but we're getting there. I got her with agility in mind and so have been doing my best to be a great trainer for her. We've got our struggles but I am amazed at how far Kili has come. I'm impressed with how far I've gotten her!

Both dogs are in agility training now. 8.5 year old Summit just for fun and for me to learn handling that I can transfer to Kili.

Anyway, if this forum is anything like the other dog forums I'm on... I know the rules....

Summit

Kili

They play a little rough....

A rare picture of both dogs together being somewhat photogenic.

(Whoa! Need to learn how to resize photos for my next post!)

Welcome! They're so pretty

Welcome to the forum! Gorgeous, GORGEOUS dogs!! Can't wait to here about your training with them!

I'm hoping to get a greyhound puppy next year so you're fanning the fire on my greyhound want!

Welcome to Chaz! Awwww....your dogs are adorable!

Thanks guys! I think they're rather pretty too, but I might be biased.

Linds: You should definitely join the greyhound cult. Greyhound puppies are NOT as bad as everyone says they are. This is my first official puppy but I did have a foster for a couple of weeks a few years ago. Actually, I have to say he was pretty good too. That said I'm not sure when the next time, if ever, I will have another puppy! So much easier in so many ways to get a retired racer. I just couldn't find what I needed (rabbit safe) with what I wanted (higher drive for agility) through the avenues available to me in Canada (limited compared to the States). But for folks who have had more challenging puppies or really like the puppy experience, greyhound puppies are pretty fun!

That's kinda what I've been thinking, I figure most people saying the horror of greyhound puppies are more used to retired racers! And since I've raised two crazy herding breed puppies, one Kaylee who was a league of her own and ADORE raising puppies I'm looking forward to it!

I'm hoping to play disc with my greyhound! Not going to make or break anything but I think it could be fun and challenging! That's why I'm looking forward to hearing of your agility training adventures!

I always thought it would be fun to have a disc dog, being an Ultimate Frisbee player myself, however the neurotic dogs on the sideline barking their faces off and lunging on their leashes are really annoying when you're playing. As far as my dogs are concerned the only thing a disc is good for is food and water. But if I didn't take them to my games I'd have a blast playing disc with them.

We do have a blog so you can catch up on their agility adventures on there. It's mostly foundation stuff that I can do in my own yard with my limited equipment. i try not to post too many videos from class because I'm not sure if that's kosher. Http://apexagilitygreyhounds.blogspot.ca

I don't know if lineage makes a difference when starting with a greyhound puppy, but my breeder does all sorts of dog sport with her dogs and chose Kili for me.

So far all the disc comps I've been to everyone has been pretty respectful! Most keep their dogs crated or behaved. Did have a little trouble with some spectators last time but not bad! Then again, I'm totally desensitized to barking dogs :rofl1:

The breeder I'm hoping to go with has sent me video's of her dogs chasing the disc. I mean, it's nothing trained and no real drive building has happened for it but the dogs were having fun! So that means everything to me and I think shows the potential if I get the right puppy and build it.

I've actually stalked your blog before! Really enjoy reading it. Love seeing Kili tugging! How much work did you put in to get her to enjoy tugging? And does she find it rewarding in of itself?

You mean disc dog competitions? I've never been to one. I was talking about Ultimate Frisbee where the people are playing with the disc and running around on the field. There's almost always someone who brings a dog or two (I always bring my dogs) and at tournaments there's inevitably always that one border collie (love them, not trying to discriminate but come on... it's always a border collie, lol!) tripping out on the sideline while we're playing, barking its head off because it's tethered and can't get to the disc. *I* don't mind, but a lot of people do so I don't want my dogs to be THAT dog. Summit never could, but I could see Kili being a pain.

Tugging has been a bit of a learned behaviour for her. She tugs my arm off in the backyard and that's pretty consistent. It took some work to get her to start really tugging at the agility field and she's still kind of hit or miss. There are days when she tugs as well as she does at home and there are other days where she's not as enthusiastic. And if a lot of treats come out she loses interest in the tug. So generally during the first half of class she's really toy crazy. Then we work on contacts and the treats come out and she loses interest in the toy (I try to use a toy when I release her to teach her to drive off the contact, however this hasn't worked so well because she's still looking for food) and I have to really work to get her back onto the toy.

But all in all I'm quite pleased with her tugging. Summit is not the type to tug and I haven't pushed the issue or tried to develop it with him. He has other motivators. He feels any pressure on the toy and he releases it.

What breeder are you looking at, out of curiosity?

Sorry! I misunderstood what you were saying. Yeah, that makes sense about the dogs on the side lines of the Ultimate Frisbee. I know my dogs would be going nuts if I did that.

Thanks for the info about tugging! That's kinda what I was hoping for honestly. Does she like a flirt pole? Did that help build any tugging drive if you used one?

I'll pm you about breeder!

That's alright. Most people are like "you do what? You play with a frisbee? Like a dog?".

Kili loved her lure whip. I'm sure she still would but I haven't brought it out in quite awhile. I used it to exercise her a lot when she was a puppy and I couldn't do as much with her. I never used it for tugging specifically but when trying to get her on the toy I typically drag it along the ground like a lure. I would also sometimes use the lure whip to get her really excited first and then break out the tug toy instead. It's all creativity and finding what works. If she lays down she loves if I rub her belly and make funny noises. She gets super pumped and I can usually get her right onto her tug toy.