# Agility??



## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Let me preface this by saying I'm NOT an expert, but if nothing else this will act as a bump so others see it! LOL

I'm not sure how old Lucy is, but I'm guessing she's too young for "real" agility yet. There are classes that begin to get pups used to the challenges they will face in agility. For young dogs, they won't include real jumps and probably not full height equipment, but will begin to teach you how to handle the dog and use things like wobble boards or short equipment to build the pup's confidence.... plus tunnels and chutes! As far as jumps, weave poles, and full height equipment go, they can be rough on the joints. You should wait until the dog is at least 14 months before taking on the real stuff. But if you begin the foundations now you'll be FAR ahead of the game!! 

As for my experience, I think I started Jersey at 15 or 16 months with low jumps in a beginner's class. I was lucky that he's a confident boy and took to the obstacles well, but still wish I had known about the puppy classes... I would imagine they're a great experience for relationship building with the dog. Good luck!!

Julie and Jersey


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

My puppies start playing agility young - I think Teller saw his first tunnel at 8 weeks - his first table (table top on the ground) shortly afterwards - if not the same session. I also teach boards on the ground as babies - running through bike tires on the ground, some really low (1-2") ladders. Closed tunnels (chutes), then wobble boards and low teeters. Then really low aframes and dog walks - and by low I mean really low. It's lots of really fun "tricks" that are foundation skills for later on and most puppies gain a lot of confidence (though Teller never really needed MORE confidence). There's a lot of handling things that puppies can learn without ever jumping. I taught front and rear crosses over poles on the ground. I taught flips (changes of direction) on the flat. There's stays, waits, recalls, targeting, lateral distance, etc - lots to do with babies that won't stress their growing frames....

I do not teach weaves until puppies are well over 15 months and even with my adult dogs we don't work a lot of weaves - maybe two sets of twelve once or twice a week - especially once they get speed through the weaves.

If you have a puppy class in the area it'd be worth trying out. If not a puppy class, is there someone in the area willing to do some agility privates geared towards foundation work for puppies?

Erica


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

Riot started foundation agility classes at 5 months old. The place we take classes has three levels of foundation classes that are more foundation skills than actual agility classes. He'll be done with the foundation classes at 11 months old. He won't actually do any jumping or weaving or full height contact obstacles until we've seen that his growth plates are closed. 

If you can find a class geared towards puppies, that's awesome. If there isn't, having a solid foundation in obedience and being accustom to working around other dogs, is going to help out a lot, so taking obedience classes is a good idea too.


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## Heidi965 (Nov 2, 2008)

I started my Maya when she was 6 months old. We learned all of the equipment except she did not do any jumps. We just ran through the poles and calling it jump. When she was 1 we started low jumps and then moved up to regulation size jumps when she was 15 months old. She is awesome and absolutely loves it.


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## LucyD (Nov 20, 2008)

Thanks guys for the great info. I will start my search asap on some agility puppy classes here in Miami, hopefully.


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

Here in australia in victoria they will not start beginner class agility till your dog is 18 months old. They also go by the breed standard of each dog eg normal weight for male golden 75 pounds if your male is over that they will not allow you to do it. They do not go by the bone build or what the dog looks like,all goes by weight. I was going to do agility with Einstein his weight would not go under 88 pounds and if he did you could feel his back bone very easy no fat at all covering them. The vets even gave him the ol to do agility and had written a note for them and still they would not allow him to do it. I even said if your that worried lower the jumps i only wanted to do it for a bit of fun for my dog and I, But still they turned my dog and I down. Einstein is a good jumper when he was younger he could jump over 4ft fences easy. 

I wouldn't mind doing agility with Shelley but i don't think she has what it takes instand of jumping over things she goes under them. She will jump over things only if she sees Einstein do it first.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

There's lots of work you can do on the "flat" to teach the pup to "handle" with you as a team. You also want a STRONG foundation in obedience - especially coming when called since agiligy is an off-leash sport! I'd focus on getting solid obedience skills at this age. The agility obstacle part is the easy part compared to teaching the pup to want to stay with you and follow your direction even when she's off leash.


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