Jumping style

[Laurelin]

Is the class separation/numbers the same in AKC generally? We're going to be playing AKC for the most part. I live in the middle of nowhere and most trials are AKC or... AKC. lol

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by Shai

...what was so frustrating was any time she would go to an agility seminar, the instructor(s) (usually BC folks) would hone in on this and all the advice she would get was about getting him to flex over the bar...and after a while she'd just be like...I KNOW and yes I am working the whole list of everything to get him flexing can we please move on and critique my handling or anything other than this??? After a few times of this happening other folks would start to chime in to back her up so she would get something out of the seminar other than yet another lecture about how her dog isn't flexing over bars...

Haha, so true! BC people so take for granted their dogs' ability to turn 90 degrees mid air.

I'm actually at a seminar this weekend, and luckily the presenter has been really good. He only asked once about her weird jumping.

Here is an example of weird Belgian jumping from today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31Ykqgm-PeA

[Shai]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

Is the class separation/numbers the same in AKC generally? We're going to be playing AKC for the most part. I live in the middle of nowhere and most trials are AKC or... AKC. lol

Same boat here. Let's see if I can get this to turn out correctly...there are probably easier ways of doing this but w/e lol

Height ---- AKC ---- USDAA
8" ------- <=11" ----- X
12" ------ <=14" ---- <=12"
16" ------ <=18" ---- <=16"
20" ------ <=22" ----- X
22" -------- X ------ <=21"
24" ------ All Else ---- X
26" -------- X ------ All Else

Then FCI/worlds just has 14/18/26 and that's it.

Originally Posted by Panzerotti

Haha, so true! BC people so take for granted their dogs' ability to turn 90 degrees mid air.

I'm actually at a seminar this weekend, and luckily the presenter has been really good. He only asked once about her weird jumping.

Here is an example of weird Belgian jumping from today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31Ykqgm-PeA

Poor Pan! That is a tough jump distance though...to bounce or force a stride...she's a good girl What will be her competition jump height, do you know?

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by Shai

Poor Pan! That is a tough jump distance though...to bounce or force a stride...she's a good girl What will be her competition jump height, do you know?

26"! I have her at 16" for the seminar since she's still learning a lot of the handling moves.

I've run very few sequences at 26" a few months ago, and am just starting to introduce 22" and 26" in jump grids.

ETA: That line was very awkward. Some of the BCs put in a stride and ended up knocking the second bar.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Originally Posted by Panzerotti

Haha, so true! BC people so take for granted their dogs' ability to turn 90 degrees mid air.

SO STINKING TRUE!


/whinewhinewhine

[AdrianneIsabel]

Oh and Pan looks fantastic, eating dirt and all.

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Oh and Pan looks fantastic, eating dirt and all.

The poor girl had dirt crammed in her face. I have to give her credit for continuing to run with eyes, nose, and mouth full of dirt.

[Dekka]

Dog size advantages also depend on venue. If you do a venue that places value on gamblers.. that is MUCH easier with a bigger dog. A big dog might only have to take a couple strides to be out 20 feet away from you. A little dog has quite a few to get confused, change their mind lol.

Though I don't notice a huge difference running Dekka than I did Bounce in some ways. Bounce was a bigger dog with a bigger stride but she was so focused on me.

Dekka typically runs like a bat out of hell and we often have issues with her not collecting. A small dog running flat out does not make weaves. Well she makes the entries but skips poles as she is going so fast. We also have been known not to wait for the teeter but use it like a launch ramp. She has to stop and WAIT for it to come down. Something a big dog never has to do. And who ever said about little dogs and contacts. My just over 11 inch dog has missed ALL of the 9 feet of the down side of the A frame when she was new and excited at a trial.

Yes typically a big dog will make courses more technical. But that doesn't make small dogs easier. At least not in AAC (similar to USDAA) its pretty balanced as to Qs. Must be how its weighted.

LOL and jumping style is often very individualistic Exibit A:

[Beanie]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

If I do end up with a sheltie (which is looking very likely right now) I'd want a bigger one.

=D =D =D =D =D =D


As far as "real" agility dogs go, I've never heard negative things about shelties specifically, but there is definitely a BORDER COLLIES ARE THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS around. I sadly know many people who started agility with their pet of whatever breed, got The Bug, and decided they HAD to have a border collie for their next dog in order to be competitive. Trouble is they apparently forget how much time of your lives together you spend NOT competing with your dog, and often they end up waaaaay over their heads with a dog that is not the right match for them. I don't seem to see this happen with shelties... it seems usually the singular "real" agility breed is the BC.

In AKC, most shelties do run either 12" or 16". The smaller BCs run 16" in AKC, and that is why people like smaller shelties who can run 12"; it takes the BCs out of the competition. A few VERY small shelties are in the 8" and I know of some people who are purposely breeding for teeny tiny shelties (ugh) to get into the 8" where your competition is fairly limited, just based on the numbers game. 8" is typically a relatively small class entries-wise. It's kinda gross.

That said Pay is going to be a 16" and so will Pepper should she ever trial, and I'm not worried about it. Placings don't matter anymore since the multipliers for points went away, so I don't care. Besides, Auggie's brother has knocked out many firsts in 16", even down in Louisville with a bajillion BCs and many other fast shelties present. Have a good dog, train well, run well, and you will do well.

[Laurelin]

FCI's shortest height is 14?! That's crazy.

Going through the other posts. I'm glad I started this thread. It's been fun.