My mom noticed that ever saturday morning, there seemed to be agility classes going on at my school field. So this morning, i went to check it out. Mom and I both thought that they probably started around 10am, so i was there at about 10:15, and class was over. So i sat outside the gate with Nickie and Teemu, and a lady walked out of the class to put her dogs in her car, and began to talk to me...she was very nice. So i got a newsletter, and I shall be taking the puppies(maybe only one at a time) every saturday, at 8am, to begin class. I asked if there was a certain age they had to be, but the trainers said, the earlier, the better(in most cases) and we would just make things easy, and low! Im very excited!!! :3dance:
I'm not sure if my mom made a post about this, but for the first time, we took Nickie and Teemu to obedience class with Beau. My best friend, Laura came as my dad was going away for a few days...fishing... :throwup: :tdown: (my mom was NOT happy about that :whip: ) So anyways, i had Nickie, and mom had Beau. Beau acted like it was his first class, all over again, Nickie HOWLED the whole time!! Walt, our trained(a very nice man) said Nickie is going to be a singer when he gets older!hehe. And Teemu was almost perfect with Laura!! But basically, it was a disaster...and mom put me up for sale!! how rude!!

That's great that you found a class. It definately is important that you start as early as possible. I started Grace in obedience at 11.5 weeks and I can walk her on a loose leash already with no probems. My trainer believes that if you get them BEFORE they learn the bad behavior, you'll save yourself alot of headaches.

If you are talking about starting agility, dogs have to be at least 18 months to 2 yrs old - NOT puppies! Are you sure its agility and not regular obedience training they are talking about?

Im pretty sure that they are agility clases. And the people there said that it was fine to start them at their age. We wont do the whole course, jut little things, i guess, like tunnels and stuff. And i thought that you only had to be a certain age if i were going to compete..... :hmm:

No competing has nothing to do with it. Agility involves jumping over or thru things and with large dogs (especially) the growth plates can be damaged. That is why there is a minimum age for agility training.

You might introduce your pup to tunnels or chutes or maybe a very low dog walk, but personally I don't see how puppies would enjoy or really learn and have the attention span for agility training. I feel you would be wasting your time enrolling a puppy in agility.

Keno's been training since February 05. She's old enough for a longer attnetion span (she was 2 1/2 YEARS old). In agility your dog has to be good with the sit, stay, come commands and to work off leash. There are many many distractions - especially for a little puppy. I think the trainer is wrong to say "start young, the younger the better".

I agree...the jumps and constant high-impact activity and strenuous turns, etc. in agility can really be very bad on a growing puppy/dog! There shouldn't be a problem with learning some of the stuff, but you should probably be working on the obedience stuff now, as well as some confidence-boosters (tunnel should be okay I would think, and obstacles like that), but absolutely no jumping or really quick turns, etc. at this age!

I didnt want to do the jumps or anything, and I dont think the trainer would either. I dont want to endanger my dogs, that's why I would never push them to do anything like that at this age. I think Nickie and Teemu will enjoy it. They love to run under and through things at home, so they should get a kick out of it. If not, then we can just take a break.
I DO appriciate everyone's comments. We will just have to see how things go for now, i suppose.
Thanks again!!

If you are talking about starting agility, dogs have to be at least 18 months to 2 yrs old - NOT puppies! Are you sure its agility and not regular obedience training they are talking about?

I'm sorry, but if the trainier said, never to young and it is agility, DON'T bring your puppy there! The trainer doesn't have a clue! If she meant it's never to early to start them on obiendience then that is a different matter. In order for you puppy to do agility he has to understand commands, so starting him in Obiendience and doing off leash work if fine but don't start practing jumps till after 12months and by 18months to 24 months start competing.

I cannot imagine any puppy having the attention span (especially a lab) to even consider introducting them to agility as a puppy. I agree, earlier the better in OBEDIENCE - not agility. Save your money for obedience training.

We're already in obidience. And Nickie and Teemu do know certain commands. I'm not going to do anything with them that puppies shouldnt. And i didnt mean that the trainer said that. It was one of the other ladies, and she may have meant obidience. i wasnt there for long..
I still appriciate them comments.

I just taught our club's PUPPY agility class this past spring and I would tell anyone that it's never too early to start a pup in agility (or anything your interested) as long as you keep it simple and fun! You don't want to jump a large breed pup over their elbows until theyre full grown or do weaves, but you can get a solid foundation while their quite young. My Piper (5 months) has been through tunnels, on contact trainers, over poles, on a wobble board, on the table (set low), ect... She has a solid stay, wait, here, go, ect... Labs (even puppies) love to learn....let them :)

IMO there is more reasons to wait then to push to start early in agility. Most good agillity training centers will not teach puppies. Why do people insist on pushing earlier and earlier? Agility is full of excitment and lots of distractions. Its hard on a puppy with all that going on. Even older dogs have a hard time concentrating at times.

Teach your puppies good obedience and wait till older to work in agility. IMO if you start too young, your dog just may get bored and not want to do it when he/she really can.

IMO there is more reasons to wait then to push to start early in agility. Most good agillity training centers will not teach puppies. Why do people insist on pushing earlier and earlier? Agility is full of excitment and lots of distractions. Its hard on a puppy with all that going on. Even older dogs have a hard time concentrating at times.

Teach your puppies good obedience and wait till older to work in agility. IMO if you start too young, your dog just may get bored and not want to do it when he/she really can.

I don't think it is pushing them, and i completely agree with everything Darwin'sMom said. As long as they have fun, then i think it's great!! But that's my opinion. This isnt supposed to sound mean, or like i think i know it all, but i know my puppies limits. And I think we are going to have a blast!! Thank you everyone for your opinions and comments!!
<3 Sophie

Agility, just be careful. I wouldn't start a puppy in agility but if you feel its right for you, then just be careful. :)

Thank you. I can asure you that i will take great caution with my pups.