Agility Tips
- Thread starter Mirg8101992
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I don't know how much of this will prove to be useful (as I don't know the age of your puppy, or your experience in training), but I'll see if I can throw in a few tips! 
Seeing as your new agility prospect is still a pup, keep jumps pretty low. You don't want to hurt bones and joints that are still forming. I waited until my boy was about 2 to get him really going on the jumps. While I was probably being overly cautious (he's not a medium/large breed dog), I'd rather be safe than sorry.
The number one thing you should be emphasizing in your training right now (besides having fun!) is contact zones. I can't stress this enough. So many people feel that they need to dash through the course as quickly as possible, but speed is really one of the *last* things you should be teaching. You can always recognize the people who emphasized speed over correct obstacle approach, by the dogs who are jumping willy-nilly off of the A-frame and the dog walk, missing contact zones, and never making a qualifying run. What good is a fast dog if he's penalized so much he never qualifies?
It's extremely important not to let bad habits (like jumping over contact zones) form, because they're *really* hard (if not darn near impossible) to break. With my boy we took each obstacle at a glacial pace. making sure to do a pause at each contact zone. I taught him to "look" and "touch," each zone.
For example: I would run him to the A Frame, allow him to scramble to the apex and then begin to slow him down at the top. As he came down the other side, I would point to the contact zone, say "look" to get his attention, and then "touch" when his feet were squarely in the contact zone. Only after he was really consistant, did we start speeding it up.
In my opinion, there's nothing more important than contact zones because they keep your dog safe. And that is definitely the number one concern in *any* sport.
Seeing as your new agility prospect is still a pup, keep jumps pretty low. You don't want to hurt bones and joints that are still forming. I waited until my boy was about 2 to get him really going on the jumps. While I was probably being overly cautious (he's not a medium/large breed dog), I'd rather be safe than sorry.
The number one thing you should be emphasizing in your training right now (besides having fun!) is contact zones. I can't stress this enough. So many people feel that they need to dash through the course as quickly as possible, but speed is really one of the *last* things you should be teaching. You can always recognize the people who emphasized speed over correct obstacle approach, by the dogs who are jumping willy-nilly off of the A-frame and the dog walk, missing contact zones, and never making a qualifying run. What good is a fast dog if he's penalized so much he never qualifies?
It's extremely important not to let bad habits (like jumping over contact zones) form, because they're *really* hard (if not darn near impossible) to break. With my boy we took each obstacle at a glacial pace. making sure to do a pause at each contact zone. I taught him to "look" and "touch," each zone.
For example: I would run him to the A Frame, allow him to scramble to the apex and then begin to slow him down at the top. As he came down the other side, I would point to the contact zone, say "look" to get his attention, and then "touch" when his feet were squarely in the contact zone. Only after he was really consistant, did we start speeding it up.
In my opinion, there's nothing more important than contact zones because they keep your dog safe. And that is definitely the number one concern in *any* sport.
Excellent advice from Tempura She is absolutely right about the contacts, that is something I would definitely be working on. I made the mistake of taking things a bit too fast with my Papillon, and while he's good about his contacts, he'd leap right off of them if he was just a bit larger. In my Border Collies training, I've been teaching him to lie down or crouch at the very bottom of each contact obstacle. It's now just a conditioned response - when he gets to the bottom of the dogwalk, teeter or a-frame he stops and lies down or crouches. I sometimes make him hold it for several seconds, other times I yell "OK!" the second those feet hit the ground. It's slower than letting him leap off halfway like a madman, but eventually I will be able to fade the "down" response and just get him to run to the very end of the obstacle before taking off again. For a Border Collie, this takes about 1/4 of a second longer than jumping off.
What are you currently working on? There are a lot of moves that you, the handler need to work on as well for agility. Front crosses, back crosses and commands such as "left", "right" can give you a lot of direction and control on the course. I was working with my Border Collie a few days ago and had a very large jumps/tunnels course set up, and I don't think I took but 20 steps throughout the whole run because I could tell him what to do without being right up against the obstacle to guide him through. It makes the run faster, and it's easier on you because you can stick close to the obstacles that you DO need to give physical direction (pointing, hand signals etc.) on.
Another thing that you could be doing with your puppy is teaching rear-leg coordination. I found that my dogs didn't even seem to know they HAD rear legs, much less know how to place their feet when walking so they didn't skid all over a dogwalk.
If you have a ladder, lay it on the ground, put a lead on your pup and slowly walk him through it. His hind feet will most likely bump against the steps, and in doing so he will begin to focus on where he is putting all four feet instead of just the front ones. This will be especially helpful if you have a medium/large dog, as it really helps with balance and keeps them steadier on the dogwalk. A row of cavalettis works just as well, if you have them (you can make them easily with PVC, too)
I was thinking of a couple other things but I got up to let the dogs out and completely forgot. I'll post them if I remember.
She is absolutely right about the contacts, that is something I would definitely be working on. I made the mistake of taking things a bit too fast with my Papillon, and while he's good about his contacts, he'd leap right off of them if he was just a bit larger. In my Border Collies training, I've been teaching him to lie down or crouch at the very bottom of each contact obstacle. It's now just a conditioned response - when he gets to the bottom of the dogwalk, teeter or a-frame he stops and lies down or crouches. I sometimes make him hold it for several seconds, other times I yell "OK!" the second those feet hit the ground. It's slower than letting him leap off halfway like a madman, but eventually I will be able to fade the "down" response and just get him to run to the very end of the obstacle before taking off again. For a Border Collie, this takes about 1/4 of a second longer than jumping off. What are you currently working on? There are a lot of moves that you, the handler need to work on as well for agility. Front crosses, back crosses and commands such as "left", "right" can give you a lot of direction and control on the course. I was working with my Border Collie a few days ago and had a very large jumps/tunnels course set up, and I don't think I took but 20 steps throughout the whole run because I could tell him what to do without being right up against the obstacle to guide him through. It makes the run faster, and it's easier on you because you can stick close to the obstacles that you DO need to give physical direction (pointing, hand signals etc.) on.
Another thing that you could be doing with your puppy is teaching rear-leg coordination. I found that my dogs didn't even seem to know they HAD rear legs, much less know how to place their feet when walking so they didn't skid all over a dogwalk.
If you have a ladder, lay it on the ground, put a lead on your pup and slowly walk him through it. His hind feet will most likely bump against the steps, and in doing so he will begin to focus on where he is putting all four feet instead of just the front ones. This will be especially helpful if you have a medium/large dog, as it really helps with balance and keeps them steadier on the dogwalk. A row of cavalettis works just as well, if you have them (you can make them easily with PVC, too)
I was thinking of a couple other things but I got up to let the dogs out and completely forgot.
I'll post them if I remember.Uh, what Ive been working on lately is once he got used to the obsticals, i started to teach him voice commands for each obstical (Up, through, touch, down, jump, ect.) while pointing at it. Ok, thats another thing ill do in his next lesson, I did that with Sophie once, just for a small substatute for weave poles while i was finding something to make them.
Lol, ok, i have that same problem when my dogs have to go outside.
Lol, ok, i have that same problem when my dogs have to go outside.
T
Great advice from tempura, though I am one to say you CAN teach *both* speed AND accuracy, but it takes time and consistancy. First, your dog should NOT be doing full height obstacles until it knows how to approach a contact even before it is ever put onto it. Some people teach the target, some people teach a "wait" command instead. Either way, the dog should ahve full understanding even *before* ever put onto full height, or even lower height, equipment. Though, I always do say it is wonderful to get puppies just walking across raised planks and such to build their confidence.
Buja boards(or wobbly boards) are also awesome for pre-teeter work.
Buja boards(or wobbly boards) are also awesome for pre-teeter work.
T
Also, puppies should NOT be weaving or jumping too high. I'm not sure of the size of your dog, but I think your best option is just to wait to train the jumps. Once the pup is about 7-9 months, I start letting them jump 8-12 inches, if they are a medium to large dog. But NO MORE than that.
Remember, agility is fun!
Remember, agility is fun!
Oh- I completely agree Tessa, you *can* teach speed and accuracy. My boy (in his youth), was an absolute rocket. Shibas are known to be lightening-quick (sigh...try chasing one down the street when someone leaves a door open!!) However, I chose to teach accuracy *first.* Training this way, I've found that my dogs have never come close to having accuracy problems, while still running like bats out of hell. I knew if I began working on speed before Tai had contact zones down solid, it would be a lost cause, and I would have a dog flying from the top of the A-frame in his best Superman impression. Shibas are fearless little dogs, and don't seem to think a little thing like gravity could affect them.
RD- I like your method for training contacts! Might have to see if I can try that on my next agility prospect. I saw many a BC owner in my class do the same, and thought it was a fabulous way to keep dogs "honest" on contact zones without losing precious time.
RD- I like your method for training contacts! Might have to see if I can try that on my next agility prospect. I saw many a BC owner in my class do the same, and thought it was a fabulous way to keep dogs "honest" on contact zones without losing precious time.
T
Boy do I know what you mean! Lol. I trialed and handled a Shiba once, and my brother handles the same Shiba for my trainers. When you actually get her running, she is a FAST thing.. though, the incredible speed usually isn't directed in the area my brother woudl like it to be! She sure doesn't seem to think listening to what my brother wants is very important! Lol
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1/tessa_s212/Other Dogs/mitzu2.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1/tessa_s212/Other Dogs/mitzu2.jpg
Awww, she's got a sweet face doesn't she? I love her eyes, such an honest looking little dog.
Tessa, you have definitely experienced a typical Shiba! They ARE wicked fast, but seldom do they ever believe that YOU are going in the right direction. Unfortunately, it's pretty much genetically coded into their DNA, LOL. 6000 years of being bred to think exclusively for themselves makes them some of the world's most annoying (AKA entertaining, agility dogs. I enjoy the challenge of training a nordic breed- and it is a *thrill* when things go right!
That being said, check out a dog named Kirinji Kashushibaso, handled by Ken Fairchild. I believe he is the first MACH Shiba (he may be MACH 2 by now). He's a bit older by now, but Ken's done a great job with him.
The dog in my sig (Jessee) I believe would make a fabulous agility prospect. I'm hoping that after he's specialed in the US, whoever takes him on would think about putting an agility title on him. He's a lot more biddable than most Shibas, and has FAR better off-lead capabilities than any Shiba I've met to date. My bitch is pretty much the typical Shiba poster child. She's *horrid* off lead, and for this reason, I'm not sure I'll ever try to put a title on her.
Tessa, you have definitely experienced a typical Shiba! They ARE wicked fast, but seldom do they ever believe that YOU are going in the right direction. Unfortunately, it's pretty much genetically coded into their DNA, LOL. 6000 years of being bred to think exclusively for themselves makes them some of the world's most annoying (AKA entertaining
, agility dogs. I enjoy the challenge of training a nordic breed- and it is a *thrill* when things go right!That being said, check out a dog named Kirinji Kashushibaso, handled by Ken Fairchild. I believe he is the first MACH Shiba (he may be MACH 2 by now). He's a bit older by now, but Ken's done a great job with him.
The dog in my sig (Jessee) I believe would make a fabulous agility prospect. I'm hoping that after he's specialed in the US, whoever takes him on would think about putting an agility title on him. He's a lot more biddable than most Shibas, and has FAR better off-lead capabilities than any Shiba I've met to date. My bitch is pretty much the typical Shiba poster child. She's *horrid* off lead, and for this reason, I'm not sure I'll ever try to put a title on her.
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There's a balance between speed and accuracy. If you talk to people who have goals of advanced (excellent) titles, they never skimp on speed. Yes, they teach control and contacts are a MUST, but they often start low and run their dogs through everything to get the concept of speed set too. The dogs race until they hit a target (usually a lid on the ground with a treat) and that's where they learn the control and the "stop".
Too much control on the dogs too young, and you get dogs that are inhibited and may never run out well. Of course, this WILL depend on the dog and the breed. Some dogs need more control, some need more urging in speed.
For a puppy, I'd put the emphasis on happy and fun sessions. There's no "wrong" way for the puppy to do things at this point. Do it right, get a treat and praise - do it some other way, and get nothing. The pup soon learns to do it the way that earns the treat!
VERY low obstacles until your pup is considerably older. The wobbly board idea is great - get your dog used to something moving under him. I lure the pups up with a treat and reward (click or reward word first) as soon as the front feet are on it. Then you work from there, encouraging all four feet on. This helps set the puppy up for teeter work.
I also like the ladder, but another thing you can do is put a bunch of poles down on the ground at a variety of angles, some on top of others in places, and walk your pup through this mixed up group of poles. You want him to start getting an idea of how to place his hind legs. This is important as he gets bigger so that he keeps his hind legs on the dog walk and teeter.
I'd also do a lot of playful, fun recalls with tons of reward. And I'd teach him to go to a target (plastic lid) and touch it with a foot or the nose. This is a valuable training tool. You can also teach him "hand" - to come and touch his nose to the palm of your hand when you hold it out This allows you to lead him around (with him following your hand). Another great agility tool.
Above all, have fun with your pup and I'd really encourage you to get into a puppy class if you haven't already.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
Too much control on the dogs too young, and you get dogs that are inhibited and may never run out well. Of course, this WILL depend on the dog and the breed. Some dogs need more control, some need more urging in speed.
For a puppy, I'd put the emphasis on happy and fun sessions. There's no "wrong" way for the puppy to do things at this point. Do it right, get a treat and praise - do it some other way, and get nothing. The pup soon learns to do it the way that earns the treat!
VERY low obstacles until your pup is considerably older. The wobbly board idea is great - get your dog used to something moving under him. I lure the pups up with a treat and reward (click or reward word first) as soon as the front feet are on it. Then you work from there, encouraging all four feet on. This helps set the puppy up for teeter work.
I also like the ladder, but another thing you can do is put a bunch of poles down on the ground at a variety of angles, some on top of others in places, and walk your pup through this mixed up group of poles. You want him to start getting an idea of how to place his hind legs. This is important as he gets bigger so that he keeps his hind legs on the dog walk and teeter.
I'd also do a lot of playful, fun recalls with tons of reward. And I'd teach him to go to a target (plastic lid) and touch it with a foot or the nose. This is a valuable training tool. You can also teach him "hand" - to come and touch his nose to the palm of your hand when you hold it out This allows you to lead him around (with him following your hand). Another great agility tool.
Above all, have fun with your pup and I'd really encourage you to get into a puppy class if you haven't already.
Melanie and the gang in Alaska
Hello,
With contacts your honestly better to teach full running people who are still stopping there dogs in 06 are totaly out of touch you had mac loch leod doing full running in 99!!!! and 2000 at world level then you have Sivia Trkman doing them at all the recent and not so recent world level events.
In my honest opinion you should not start agility at all until the dogs 10 months old, Besides the medical reasons why would you want to train a dog to do agility when its not ready to???
I dont know how old your dog is by the way.
Forget accuracy, Accuracy takes all of 5 minuites to teach just speed speed and more speed!
This like ladder training and stuff are utter rubbish in my opinion they dont teach a thing its just something for americans to do while there dogs young no other country does this kinda thing
With contacts your honestly better to teach full running people who are still stopping there dogs in 06 are totaly out of touch you had mac loch leod doing full running in 99!!!! and 2000 at world level then you have Sivia Trkman doing them at all the recent and not so recent world level events.
In my honest opinion you should not start agility at all until the dogs 10 months old, Besides the medical reasons why would you want to train a dog to do agility when its not ready to???
I dont know how old your dog is by the way.
Forget accuracy, Accuracy takes all of 5 minuites to teach just speed speed and more speed!
This like ladder training and stuff are utter rubbish in my opinion they dont teach a thing its just something for americans to do while there dogs young no other country does this kinda thing
Agility23, couldn't possibly disagree more! Accuracy is incredibly important. What good is speed if your dog misses contacts, knocks bars and just has sloppy runs? It is easier to teach an excited dog to speed up than to teach it how to slow down and watch what it's doing.
On the other hand I have a "speed demon" and focus so closely on accuracy for a reason. If I don't, he will run through everything as fast as he can without paying the slightest bit of attention to precision. He's got massive potential but if I just let him run like mad he would be ruined.
Obviousy, with a mellower, slower dog it is important to teach speed because chances are they will be more prone to watch where they're going and have more accurate runs. But teaching a Border Collie how to do things quickly is like preaching to the choir
On the other hand I have a "speed demon" and focus so closely on accuracy for a reason. If I don't, he will run through everything as fast as he can without paying the slightest bit of attention to precision. He's got massive potential but if I just let him run like mad he would be ruined.
Obviousy, with a mellower, slower dog it is important to teach speed because chances are they will be more prone to watch where they're going and have more accurate runs. But teaching a Border Collie how to do things quickly is like preaching to the choir
lol
Good luck competing! Maybe agility dogs in the UK just bulldoze the course but here the competition is pretty stiff, and both speed AND accuracy is important if you ever want to earn a title. And I envy you being able to teach your dog how to have a clean run in two minutes!! It's taken me a year and a half to get reliably clean runs with my Papillon and even then, he'll never be very competitive.
Good luck competing! Maybe agility dogs in the UK just bulldoze the course but here the competition is pretty stiff, and both speed AND accuracy is important if you ever want to earn a title. And I envy you being able to teach your dog how to have a clean run in two minutes!! It's taken me a year and a half to get reliably clean runs with my Papillon and even then, he'll never be very competitive.
Interesting about not having titles, I didn't know that.
As far as how many dogs are in a competition, it really varies. Sometimes there are very few, only a couple hundred, and other times there are thousands. A lot depends on the venue (most common in my area are AKC, UKC and NADAC) and the area it is being held in - trials in Idaho, where I used to live, are a lot smaller than the ones here in Phoenix.
As far as how many dogs are in a competition, it really varies. Sometimes there are very few, only a couple hundred, and other times there are thousands. A lot depends on the venue (most common in my area are AKC, UKC and NADAC) and the area it is being held in - trials in Idaho, where I used to live, are a lot smaller than the ones here in Phoenix.