Dog owners discussion: Do you do agility? Tips, tricks, and how-tos.

[Lemon-Drop]

This is just a general discussion thread for dog agility!

Try to stay on topic, but it's okay to discuss other (dog) related things.

Questions to contribute:

• Do you do agility with your dogs?
• What breed(s), age(s), and size(s) of dogs do you have, specifically ones that participate in agility?
• Do you compete, or is it just for fun?
• What part(s) of agility do you do with your dog(s)?
• Do you enjoy agility?
• How much time do you spend on agility?
• How did you teach your dog(s) agility?
• How do you reward?
• What tips/tricks do you have for beginners?

This is my answer to the above questions:

• Do you do agility with your dogs?

Yes, a little bit. Only one of them, because the other has back issues.

• What breed(s), age(s), and size(s) of dogs do you have, specifically ones that participate in agility?

Finley, a toy poodle, is 11 years old. He's just started. (Within the last couple of months)

• Do you compete, or is it just for fun?

Just for fun, for now! I would like to compete sometime, though. It would take many years, though.

• What part(s) of agility do you do with your dog(s)?

Only jumping so far.

• Do you enjoy agility?

Yes, I think it's pretty healthy for both me and Finley, plus it's cool to see him flying over those jumps!

• How much time do you spend on agility?

Maybe about half an hour a day.

• How did/do you teach your dog(s) agility?

I started with just walking Finley over a homemade jump, on a leash. I slowly raised the bar, jumping with him (on leash) over it. Right at the start of his jump, I would say 'Jump!' as he hopped over it. I've raised the bar until it's pretty high. Recently, though, I've been (with the bar about a foot off the ground) unclipping his leash and jumping over it with him. Most of the time he follows, so now he's doing it off-leash.

• How do you reward?

He's not a fan of treats (At least the ones I've tried in the past, but I just got some new treats that I need to try out) so right now I've been giving praise and cuddles.







I have a question-which aspect of agility would you start on next?

 

[orchidcrazy]

• Do you do agility with your dogs?

Yes - with one. The other does Rally. Have been training for fun, would like to have him assessed to compete.

• What breed(s), age(s), and size(s) of dogs do you have, specifically ones that participate in agility?

I have 2 shelties. The older one is my agility dog. He is 3 1/2 years old and is 15 1/2" at the shoulders.

• Do you compete, or is it just for fun?

Currently just for fun, but he is fast and intense and just getting to a maturity level where he can concentrate a bit more.

• What part(s) of agility do you do with your dog(s)?

All of it! Our weakest are is the weave poles.

• Do you enjoy agility?

Yes! I feel like I have 2 left feet most of the time, but he's great at it!

• How much time do you spend on agility?

We do a 45 - 50 minute class weekly and practice in our yard the rest of the time. We have a tunnel, jumps, homemade a-frame, homemade teeter, hoop and weave poles.

• How did you teach your dog(s) agility?

In classes.

• How do you reward?

At the start, it was with treats, weaned off treats since in competition you cannot have food on the floor. We finish every run with a high -five and treats once we walk away from the equipment.

• What tips/tricks do you have for beginners?

Communication between handler and dog is key. I recommend starting with obedience so you have a solid base with heeling, sits, stays, and a super solid recall. Move on to Rally where you're a team doing obedience runs. After you're solid in working together, check out an agility class. I see too many in classes where the dog doesn't know basic obedience and you need to have that solid foundation to work together.

 

[igorsMistress]

I love that you’re teaching an old dog new tricks!

I don’t do agility with my dogs, but I love to watch those that do compete.

We only provide praise and love when training for anything, never treats. They get enough of those already.

I would guess that since Finley is jumping a bar, maybe a few more obstacles are in order. Platforms and raised paths come to mind. A hula hoop to jump through?

 

[1chip2chicks3cheeks]

• Do you do agility with your dogs?

Yes! With my one and only dog, Paisley! Have been doing jumping in various forms for some time, now starting on new obstacles.

• What breed(s), age(s), and size(s) of dogs do you have, specifically ones that participate in agility?

Paisley is a tiny Shih Tzu who weighs in at a whopping 8.6lbs last I’d checked. She’s been blind for a little over a year now, she had an enucleation on both eyeballs after many months of eye problems that caused her a lot of pain. She’s now much happier and back to enjoying life. Even without “sight”, she has vision in many other ways! She’s 7 years and 8 months, her birthday is in August and she’s as lively as ever!

• Do you compete, or is it just for fun?

Just for fun! Competing may be something we do in the future when she is more familiar with it.

• What part(s) of agility do you do with your dog(s)?

She’s good at jumping over raised bars/through hoops. Currently teaching her how to do that outside, as she’s used to doing it inside. After that I’m teaching her weaving and going through tunnels.

• Do you enjoy agility?

I enjoy anything involving spending quality time with my dog! I love teaching her new things and seeing her use her brain to figure things out. I love to see her happy.

• How much time do you spend on agility?

Not much. Trying to find more time but she is a smart girl! Even when we take breaks from learning something for a period of time, when we come back to it she always seems to remember where we left off.

• How did you teach your dog(s) agility?

The same way I teach her new tricks. Lots of patience, encouragement, showing her what I’m asking for, a keyword and treats!

• How do you reward?

Treats, positive language such as “good girl!” and love!

• What tips/tricks do you have for beginners?

Always show your dog what you’re asking for when teaching any new trick/skill rather than just saying words and hoping they’ll get what they’re supposed to do. Sounds simple, but I see a lot of people just shouting commands at a confused dog! By pairing action with a keyword, plus a reward, it should be smooth sailing. For example, if you want your dog to roll over, get them into a laying position and roll them like a sushi while saying roll over (if they’re not too heavy of course)! If you want your dog to jump through a hoop, start with it on the ground and walk them right through it. Works every time for my dog and she catches on quick.

Lots of patience as well. Especially with a dog who is blind, always allow them to sniff the obstacle and feel around it. Let them get a mental map of what they’re working with. Showing them the noises the obstacles make is helpful as well, such as tapping on the hoop or weaving poles, or the crinkling of a tunnel.

Here is my sweetheart, Paisley:

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I love that you’re teaching an old dog new tricks!

I don’t do agility with my dogs, but I love to watch those that do compete.

We only provide praise and love when training for anything, never treats. They get enough of those already.

I would guess that since Finley is jumping a bar, maybe a few more obstacles are in order. Platforms and raised paths come to mind. A hula hoop to jump through?

Thank you! Those are some good ideas! I'll have plenty of time on my hands (covid.....) that I can spend training him with.

 

[Prop toe]

Yes hard to believe with google and search and all .Some still need help and education of how to care for pups dogs etc.However it was in a know poverty part of the town.I didn't mind helping save the pups and dogs the pups parents didn't look so great at the time.Now they look amazing also.The man thanked me.I didn't act like a smarty pants.I entroduced told him I raised dogs for years and cared for them and ask him could I help the pups .He replied sure.Then the rest I done told.The man And I ate friends now.No I'm not a rich man but I do like helping animals out in need.Cheers

 

[townchicks]

I used to do agility, I've competed with 3 different dogs. My first was a sheltie, then my mcnab, and then my mutt (the one in my avatar.). They are all gone now, and maybe someday I'll get back to it. My current dog, a mutt, has some issues that have to be worked on, and may not be a candidate for competing. I do re command taking classes, even if you don't think you want to compete. The main thing about agility to know is that it should always be about having fun with your dog. You don't have to be perfect to compete, there is always something good to take out of every run, even if you didn't get a qualifying score.

 

[Prop toe]

What do I know .I gave my 10 month old poodle a hair cut and now it looks like this.However I have a feeling he catch wild hogs soonLOL

 

[Lemon-Drop]

What do I know .I gave my 10 month old poodle a hair cut and now it looks like this.However I have a feeling he catch wild hogs soonLOL

Is that actually a poodle?

 

[Prop toe]

No I was going down a road last summer heard pups hollering terribly.A feller had pups and they were in poor shape.They had worms fleas and were about to die.I went got dewormer got fleas off them and got a couple bags of premium feed and milk replacer for them. I have no clue how strong of blood they supposed to be.APBT but I notice the lips are looser than the high merit game dogs I bred for years.The pup I got was so weak he was giving up and would have died soon.I put him on a heat pad he was 3 moths old at 6 pounds.I nursed him back to life.I didn't have any plans for a dog . However that's the way it happened.He does listen well and very protective about his territory already at 10 months old.Hes my horse if he never wins a race however.Cheers