# Excited about agility



## attagirl (Aug 11, 2011)

So Bentley and I have gone to 8 agility classes. We both love it! Although, sometimes I feel completely uncoordinated! I have 3 clip and go jumps that he is just running straight through now. What height is safe for him at 7 months old? At what age do you start to inch it up? 18 months for safety? 

Could someone give me the top 5 most important things to focus on (in your own opinion) with a youngster? At class, we are told to do so much, I am having a hard time sorting what I should be practing in what order! And since I am new to the sport, I feel overwhelmed! (But loving it!)


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Glad you guys are enjoying it! Agility is a lot of fun! I am finally hoping to show in it for the first time this year. My son who is 10 is now also interested in agility, with his golden which is actually father trained than mine(I trained it).

I am a bit anal on jumping heights. I think there are so many other things a person can focus on as a do grows up that there is really no need to jump higher at a young age. I probably only do 12" at a year old, and then I do not jump full height until 2years. That is just me though.

To me the most important things for agility are.
A good stay.
A good recall.
A great working relationship.
Oh snap! It is 4:30, I better get to work. I will have to think on the others. I am sure other people have different dieas.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I too am anal about the jump heights - probably 8 inches until about a year, then 12 inches until 18 months or so. Not only do you have the joints to consider but the abdominal and rear end musculature.

My focus - besides obstacles (contacts, uprights etc) are

1) Working & playing realtionship
2) Recall
3) Send aways (forward and to the sides)
4) Stays
5) Following body motion (shadow handling)


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## toliva (Nov 24, 2011)

Following this thread! We are starting pre-agility next month when our puppy is 6 months old. I am so excited, but I'm absolutely clueless, so this is really helpful!


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## roxanness (May 29, 2009)

Having been competing in Agility for the last six years, I would have to say that the most important thing is..... Have Fun! Keep it light, don't make it a job, make it a reward. Also, I would emphasize building drive in a young dog and teaching them to touch the contacts from the very beginning. I cannot tell you how many near perfect runs have been sacrificed due to popped contacts.


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## attagirl (Aug 11, 2011)

Oh thank you for your input! 

Shadow handling... Is that running around different obstacles like cones and keeping him by my side? When he's learning this is it OK to use food, or should I only be trying to use a toy? 

I've been trying to get him into tug. It's touch and go. He really loves ball, but the last time I used it to motivate "drive" he took the ball, ran into a tunnel and wouldn't come out! (That little stinker:doh: Apparently my recall isn't as good as I thought it was when he has his ball!:no: It was one of those moments where I was trying not to laugh, but he looked so cute in there! he wanted me to chase him!) I've since not used the ball on the course and haven't had problems with the recall, but drive has definitely slowed down. I was told you don't really want a toy that you throw away from you on the course anyway... I need to get a tunnel to help with my recall training! He had been pretty consistent until then. Even other dogs don't pull him from me... at least yet:crossfing

His wait cue is suprisingly good. I do randomly reinforce the wait, but he's also a pretty mellow dog, so he naturally doesn't challenge it very often. I will still continue to work on that!
They keep telling me to square my shoulders on my turns, but honestly, I'm so concerned(and surprised) about him doing what I've asked, that I am not even thinking about my body yet!

I love agility so much, I just want to have a handle on it already so we can start competing! It's so much fun! Two of my sons 9 & 11 both already want to run Bentley! My 9 year old hasn't missed an agility class with me yet! Eventually he will probably be their dog to run after we both know what we are doing! I need to remind myself to enjoy the journey.


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

I would add getting him used to movement on something like a buja board so he is comfortable with motion in preparation for the teeter.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I would keep the jumps 8" or so through 12 months. There is no reason for high jumps!

The number one thing. HAVE FUN! Laugh at your mistakes, I think feeling uncoordinated is part of learning agility. After that teaching your dog to play with you, enjoy training.

Now, if you plan on competing I will tell you the most important things I will be working on with my next puppy. A good start line stay. I have this with Mira and Barley. A good start line to me is a dog who sits eagerly and confidently on the start focused on the course waiting to be released. Next is good contacts! This is still a work in progress for me. Each dog has gotten better, but I am still not where I want to be with Mira. The next time I will be focused on a solid enthusiastic END behavior, really working the end of the contacts in the beginning (not doing the whole thing). I will probably train a sit.


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## IndyBindy (Nov 4, 2011)

sammydog said:


> The next time I will be focused on a solid enthusiastic END behavior, really working the end of the contacts in the beginning (not doing the whole thing). I will probably train a sit.


Don't want to steal the thread, but WHERE will you train the sit? Still in the contact zone or once on the ground right after the obstacle?

I've been thinking about contacts a lot recently. Have a pretty solid 2o2o, but he is SLOW coming down the A-frame because he is worried about stopping. Plus, I hate to stress his front end. His other contact obstacles are fine. Would a sit instead be of benefit?


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

IndyBindy said:


> Don't want to steal the thread, but WHERE will you train the sit? Still in the contact zone or once on the ground right after the obstacle?
> 
> I've been thinking about contacts a lot recently. Have a pretty solid 2o2o, but he is SLOW coming down the A-frame because he is worried about stopping. Plus, I hate to stress his front end. His other contact obstacles are fine. Would a sit instead be of benefit?


Butt on the contact with ideally the front paws off. My big reasoning is I know a trainer who is teaching this and I LOVE the contacts of the dogs who have used it. She also tugs with butt on contact, if they come off, no more tug! I think it also helps the dogs really rock their weight back to their hind end. The dogs I know who learned this way do not sit any longer as experienced dogs, but you still see the rock back motion.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Casey and King were taught this method - I really loved it. They always rock(ed) back, whether I stopped them or not.

Towhee and Faelan were originally taught the 2o2o method but are gravitating to the butt on, feet off which I am encouraging - my instructors are starting to notice and trying to get me back to 2o2o but hey...they all seem to have shelties and/or border collies not goldens :wavey::wavey:




sammydog said:


> Butt on the contact with ideally the front paws off. My big reasoning is I know a trainer who is teaching this and I LOVE the contacts of the dogs who have used it. She also tugs with butt on contact, if they come off, no more tug! I think it also helps the dogs really rock their weight back to their hind end. The dogs I know who learned this way do not sit any longer as experienced dogs, but you still see the rock back motion.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

My Rivet does the butt contact. It helped clean up his contacts a lot since he was initially taught running contacts.


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## attagirl (Aug 11, 2011)

What's a 2o2o? They are having me teach him to nose a target at the end of reaching the contacts. As soon as his nose goes down, one of his feet come off. They tell me to put his foot back on and reward.


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## attagirl (Aug 11, 2011)

Oh wait... two on and two off?? Duh...


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

You got it! 2o2o has just become internet slang for two on two off!


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