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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    First agility class!

    Finally got into a class for agility last night (I've been on a waiting list for almost a year!). Didn't really know what to expect. Linus' mind was BLOWN! I took an agility class with my first Lab, gosh, almost 20 years ago? This is pretty new to me, too.

    He absolutely loves the tunnel. We did weaves with "training wheels" and he did well. And, shockingly, he did the dog walk (not the super high one, but the three foot one) without any issues and was running across it after getting his footing, which took about three times across.

    By the end of class he could do a tunnel and go right into the weaves.

    We worked on general exercises, too, foundation stuff.

    He was VERY excited when the teeter-totter hit the ground and when the little dogs were scampering through the tunnel.

    So, this will be fun!

  2. #2
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    Fun! Wish I had the time to do more than one dog sport. Chloe has tried the tunnel at dog-training parties and LOVED it too.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
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  3. #3
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Annette47 View Post
    Fun! Wish I had the time to do more than one dog sport. Chloe has tried the tunnel at dog-training parties and LOVED it too.
    I so do not have the time, to be honest... this brings us up to three sports, but just for one dog. I stopped working with Sam about a year ago. I

    'm not planning on trialing in agility and we're going to do preferred (20" versus 24"). I'm trying to help him continue to build on his confidence and drive for the obedience ring. We have one class per week on group training (usually proofing) per week, one agility, a private obedience lesson about twice month and a field training lesson about twice a month. Plus matches and picnic trials also on the weekends.

    It's crazy, isn't it???

  4. #4
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    How fun, it is very addicting once you get the handling down and the dog is driven by it. I have 2 in agility, one old enough to compete, and it gets very expensive. Of course agility is my number one and I really want to get more involved in obedience and hunt training ........ and we dabble in nose-work as well. ;-) and I have to fit time in for my husband as well.

  5. #5
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    i love agility! so fun to see the dogs go! but wow that's a fast moving class LOL! we didn't to weaves for awhile, first classes were jumps and some other stuff. we did baby steps :P

    ETA: never mind cost of trialing - at some point you need more practice time so either make your own at home or start paying for time at a club (which even if you buy memberships to reduce rentals, adds up fast!). plus private/semi private training classes and so on...

  6. #6
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanya View Post
    i love agility! so fun to see the dogs go! but wow that's a fast moving class LOL! we didn't to weaves for awhile, first classes were jumps and some other stuff. we did baby steps :P

    ETA: never mind cost of trialing - at some point you need more practice time so either make your own at home or start paying for time at a club (which even if you buy memberships to reduce rentals, adds up fast!). plus private/semi private training classes and so on...
    Yes, build your own equipment for home!!! Dog Toys, Dog Treats, Dog Agility Supplies, Dog Training Supplies ... go to agility gear->build your own equipment. I bought single jump cups and the pvc 4 way connectors and the rest of the pvc I just bought at home depot. Clean Run also has all the training DVD and books for training outside of the agility class. I did buy a heavy duty tunnel and tunnel bags as well. I am probably going to buy the Clip and Go Pedastal jumps as I can be more lightweight than before when hauling gear to places to practice.

  7. #7
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tanya View Post
    i love agility! so fun to see the dogs go! but wow that's a fast moving class LOL! we didn't to weaves for awhile, first classes were jumps and some other stuff. we did baby steps :P

    ETA: never mind cost of trialing - at some point you need more practice time so either make your own at home or start paying for time at a club (which even if you buy memberships to reduce rentals, adds up fast!). plus private/semi private training classes and so on...
    We had an evaluation and because he already has foundations, we were moved up from the beginner class. He already has a jump on command and send over the jump - bar, high and broad (24" and then 48" on the broad) from obedience and rally, touch with his nose, solid recall, platform work, drop, etc.

    The weaves were training weaves that are kind split apart with a guide wire (I'm sure there is a name, but I don't know what it is!). So, basically when other people are walking the course or changing jump heights, we do a few minutes of training, take a break and watch, etc. Probably got about five mini-sessions in.

    He picks things up so fast, it's not even funny. He just has performance anxiety. Sigh... We'll just go to class weekly; I'm not concerned with how fast or slow he picks things up. That said, I'm really hoping I don't get too into it, because I don't have the time (or the money!), but from the sounds of things, I might not be able to help myself!

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  9. #8
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fidgetyknees View Post
    Yes, build your own equipment for home!!! Dog Toys, Dog Treats, Dog Agility Supplies, Dog Training Supplies ... go to agility gear->build your own equipment. I bought single jump cups and the pvc 4 way connectors and the rest of the pvc I just bought at home depot. Clean Run also has all the training DVD and books for training outside of the agility class. I did buy a heavy duty tunnel and tunnel bags as well. I am probably going to buy the Clip and Go Pedastal jumps as I can be more lightweight than before when hauling gear to places to practice.
    Can you use cones for weaves? The tall cones? I have some of those already.

  10. #9
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    Can you use cones for weaves? The tall cones? I have some of those already.
    Not in my opinion .... a good weaving performance is something you always want to have and very frustrating if you don't (aka my first agility dog) and it is not hard to get if you train it right. There are really 2 methods, channel weave training and 2 by 2 weave training. I picked 2 by 2's. You can buy a DVD on that training as well as the equipment for that from Max 200 or Clean Run. If you train with 2 by 2's and follow the steps you dog should get it very fast.

  11. #10
    Real Retriever fidgetyknees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Labradorks View Post
    We had an evaluation and because he already has foundations, we were moved up from the beginner class. He already has a jump on command and send over the jump - bar, high and broad (24" and then 48" on the broad) from obedience and rally, touch with his nose, solid recall, platform work, drop, etc.

    The weaves were training weaves that are kind split apart with a guide wire (I'm sure there is a name, but I don't know what it is!). So, basically when other people are walking the course or changing jump heights, we do a few minutes of training, take a break and watch, etc. Probably got about five mini-sessions in.

    He picks things up so fast, it's not even funny. He just has performance anxiety. Sigh... We'll just go to class weekly; I'm not concerned with how fast or slow he picks things up. That said, I'm really hoping I don't get too into it, because I don't have the time (or the money!), but from the sounds of things, I might not be able to help myself!
    Yip, you sound like you will be addicted very fast :-)!!!! And I guess it only get expensive if you trial and train a lot ... and want to go to a seminar here and there.

    He does sound like a quick learner. There is a lot of foundation work which can be done with no jumping and so on. But with your first dog in agility you want to dig right in, which is what I did with dog one, and she was very successful, but not the speediest dog on the planet. My new pup is not done growing yet, so jumps are super low and we have a lot to work on as he is extremely fast .... so handling is going to be a whole lot different than I have ever had to deal with - my current trialing dog is the perfect fast speed but I must say I am excited about having a Ferrari to drive in the future.

 



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