# New Member Here for Field/Agility Training Advice



## NicoleGold (Dec 8, 2015)

I wanted to introduce myself - my name is Nicole, and I am a (sort of) new member. I was on this forum about 4.5 years ago, and I originally came here when I was searching for my first golden. Well, here I am 4.5 years later, back with 3! I decided to rejoin the forum to mainly try and connect with others who train for hunt tests and agility, as I am always looking for new drills to run, training scenarios to try, and just general advice and encouragement. My husband and I have never trained dogs for any venue before our current crew (heck, we'd never even trained a dog to have general pet manners before), and for the life of me I can't remember why we thought it would be a good idea to try and learn the hunt test game and agility at the same time. While my dogs seem to pick things up easily, it is their trainers/handlers that are struggling (I routinely joke that Amos is shopping for a new owner).... Not to mention, now the days are shorter and my husband and I both work full-time, and we're really struggling with how to train for anything when it is dark outside when we start work and dark outside when the work day ends. Anyway, I think the more important introduction here is one for the dogs:

Mosby - At 4 years old, he's our first and oldest. We purchased him as a pet with no idea of the places he'd take us. We started out with dock diving and nosework, which evolved to rally and barn hunt. Then we started training Mosby for hunt tests at the end of August 2014, and started agility training right around the same time. Now, he has two SH passes and is running in Open agility.

Amos - Is the middle child and 2 years old. He's the reason we ended up thinking about the hunt test game, as we had a bit of encouragement to give it a try from his sire's owner. We signed Amos up for a beginner field class at the end of June 2014, and started with agility around August/September 2014. He now has 2 MH passes and is running in Open agility. 

Montee - Our new baby! She joined the family in August of this year, and it's been fun to have a baby dog to start training early.

Oh, and we also have an Australian Shepherd who thinks he's a Golden Retriever. The laziest Aussie you will ever meet (seriously), and he is the resident "pet" of the house. We tried herding and he didn't care for it, and he really only does agility because we ask him to do it. He'd much rather curl up in a ball on someone's lap.


And because I know all that really matters are photos, I tried very hard to figure out how to upload some of the pups! (Please excuse Ms. Montee - she's going through a bit of the uglies, and in addition, it is very hard for her to focus on her "stay" command and look cute at the same time.)


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## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

Welcome to the forum, enjoy.
Great photos by they way.


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## danoon58 (Jul 1, 2015)

Gorgeous photos!! I love the Christmas tree one. Welcome.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Welcome, your dogs are beautiful, great pictures. 

I moved your thread into the Agility section.


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

Gorgeous dogs and great photos! Welcome back.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Welcome. I left a brief comment in the field thread but I'll repeat that it looks like you've got a great group of dogs. You are to be commended for how much you've accomplished with them already.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

your dogs are beautiful. Where are they from?


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## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

Hey Nicole, loved watching your boys run in the hunt tests & can't believe how big Montee is getting (last saw her at the PVGRC puppy stakes).

Are you part of the FB pages Competition Dog Obedience and Canine Conditioning & Body Awareness Exercises--might have some tips/drills/exercises to try once the weather finally decides it's winter.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Nice looking clan. Isn't dog training fun! The more I learn the more I want to learn. We got started in agility (Lab) because of an introverted dog that we wanted to bring her personality out. Now my husband has a lab and I have my Golden Gabby. She's my amazing child. 

I do obedience, working on our UDX and will see beyond that, agility (closing in on our MACH) and hunt tests, started running master this past summer. I am not one to offer drills and training suggestions but I too work full time also I live in the city. I don't belong to a training group. I have a great trainer I go to twice a month or as often as I can. He gives me tools and I try to expand on that when I work at home. I often have to think out of the box. It's just my husband and I we did recently acquire a second winger so that will help. I find most of the drills I do are improving lining and steadiness. 

Have fun!!!


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## NicoleGold (Dec 8, 2015)

Thank you all for the nice welcome! I am sorry I posted and "ran" basically, lol. My work basically shuts down for the holidays, so the first few weeks of December are crazy busy getting things wrapped up before everyone goes on leave for a couple weeks, and then the past two weekends we were entered in agility trials, so there was no free time for internet shenanigans.

I haven't figured out the quote thing, but to address the couple comments:

Loisiana - Mosby is from Fireside in Virginia, Amos is from Watermark in Texas, and Montee is from Redwing (a newer breeder being mentored by Mickey Strandberg) in Wisconsin.

Susan - I didn't know you were on here! Did you make the PVGRC Christmas party? We were sad to miss it, but had already entered an agility trial last weekend. I heard the hotdog relay and tic-tac-toe was a lot of fun! I am not on either of those FB groups, but will be looking them up. Thanks for the suggestions!

Maxs Mom - My husband and I are actually in the market for a winger or two to help us out when we're out training alone. What brand(s) do you have and do you like them?


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## NicoleGold (Dec 8, 2015)

Also, Maxs Mom - I am so impressed that you are closing in on a MACH and running Master with your girl! MACH MH is my goal with Amos and some days the struggle feels very real. I think our plan of attack is going to be to finish his MH this spring/summer (knock on wood!) and then focus on agility. It's weird, but to me, agility feels like the harder of the two venues only because so much of it relies on the handler being good! We watch so many World Team members run their dogs, and they run so smoothly and effortlessly. Then we watch the videos back of myself and my husband running, and we look like frantic lunatics! Did it take you a while to master how to handle a fast dog?


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## Panama Rob (Nov 26, 2015)

I love the photos and I enjoyed reading your post. I've never done any formal training either but I am about to be a dog owner again and plan on jumping in with both feet.


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## NicoleGold (Dec 8, 2015)

Panama Rob said:


> I love the photos and I enjoyed reading your post. I've never done any formal training either but I am about to be a dog owner again and plan on jumping in with both feet.


Congrats on your soon-to-be new addition. Are you getting a golden puppy?


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

WELCOME!!!

I just peaked at your pups pedigrees, I love them all! I have a Bart daughter as well, so my Mira would be a half sister to Amos! I remember and loved the Bart x Torch breeding! I hope you reach your goal of MACH/MH with him!

We mostly do agility, but dabble in other venues. Looking forward to hearing more about your crew! I love the pictures.

PS, glad someone moved your thread over here, since I really only check the Golden Retriever Agility & Obedience page.


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## NicoleGold (Dec 8, 2015)

sammydog said:


> WELCOME!!!
> 
> I just peaked at your pups pedigrees, I love them all! I have a Bart daughter as well, so my Mira would be a half sister to Amos! I remember and loved the Bart x Torch breeding! I hope you reach your goal of MACH/MH with him!
> 
> ...


 It's so nice to "meet" you! I love all my Bart ancestors (Amos being a Bart son, Mosby being a Bart grandson, and Montee being a Bart great-granddaughter), so it's cool that Amos has such an accomplished half-sister on the forum. Some days I still can't believe Mary was willing to sell us a puppy from the Bart x Torch litter. I truly believe Amos has MACH/MH in him if my husband and I can get our act together. As someone who knows what it takes to put a MACH on a dog, I would appreciate any advice, book or DVD recommendations, or tips that you have to offer. I see your Lindy is only 2 months older than Amos and is already kicking butt in the agility ring!


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

NicoleGold said:


> It's so nice to "meet" you! I love all my Bart ancestors (Amos being a Bart son, Mosby being a Bart grandson, and Montee being a Bart great-granddaughter), so it's cool that Amos has such an accomplished half-sister on the forum. Some days I still can't believe Mary was willing to sell us a puppy from the Bart x Torch litter. I truly believe Amos has MACH/MH in him if my husband and I can get our act together. As someone who knows what it takes to put a MACH on a dog, I would appreciate any advice, book or DVD recommendations, or tips that you have to offer. I see your Lindy is only 2 months older than Amos and is already kicking butt in the agility ring!


It looks like she picked a good home for Amos! I love my Bart girl. He passes on lots of natural talent! Lindy is a very fun girl as well! We are planning on some more field training this year, but probably only JH level. I keep busy most weekends with agility. If you have any agility questions just ask! :wavey:


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## Panama Rob (Nov 26, 2015)

NicoleGold said:


> Congrats on your soon-to-be new addition. Are you getting a golden puppy?


Absolutely.... . For me there is no other choice. I have had two goldens. I have never been involved in any formal training before but this time around I am anticipating getting involved in as many activities as I can find. Right now I have puppy on the brain...I think all my coworkers are getting tired of me talking dogs and puppies to them. I am spending a lot of time here on the forums reading as much as I can. I am also reading books and watching videos on dog training.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Hey Nicole! Welcome back  I don't know if you remember meeting me and Ellie, we were at the Sandlapper WC in South Carolina in the spring and I met you all then. So glad to see you're doing well and of course I love the photos. Merry Christmas


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

NicoleGold said:


> Also, Maxs Mom - I am so impressed that you are closing in on a MACH and running Master with your girl! MACH MH is my goal with Amos and some days the struggle feels very real. I think our plan of attack is going to be to finish his MH this spring/summer (knock on wood!) and then focus on agility. It's weird, but to me, agility feels like the harder of the two venues only because so much of it relies on the handler being good! We watch so many World Team members run their dogs, and they run so smoothly and effortlessly. Then we watch the videos back of myself and my husband running, and we look like frantic lunatics! Did it take you a while to master how to handle a fast dog?



It's been a long road and yes it has taken me a while to learn to run a fast dog. Still learning as my skills improve she gets faster. It always looks easy when someone else does it. I credit my successes to a fantastic instructor. She has taught me how to handle not try to out run her. 

I kind of agree agility is harder only because the field instinct is so strong in my dog. She blood tells her what to do, I just try to control it. Again I have a great trainer who guides me. I like agility better, I understand it and know what to expect and what can go wrong. My Gabby LOVES field work the best. She has been known to ignore me from time to time. Silly naughty girl. 

I live in MI so field work can get stopped in winter months. We try to continue doing something but agility is indoors we don't have to worry about the weather. I find Gabby enjoys her multiple venues. They compliment each other and they keep her fit and sound without pounding out any one venue. However Gabby has the most incredible work ethic of any dog I know. Don't know my next dog will be as willing as this one I have right now. I tell people I'm her leash candy. She makes me look good.


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## NicoleGold (Dec 8, 2015)

nolefan said:


> Hey Nicole! Welcome back  I don't know if you remember meeting me and Ellie, we were at the Sandlapper WC in South Carolina in the spring and I met you all then. So glad to see you're doing well and of course I love the photos. Merry Christmas


I do remember Ellie! I think of her every time I see her half-brother (he ran Senior with Amos this fall). I had been hoping to see you guys again at the National this year, but a family emergency caused us to have to withdraw our entries and miss out on the fun. 

I hope your training with her has been going well


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