# How will I cope with out agility?!



## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Aww, I'm sorry  I feel your pain, I don't get to do agility until next summer either, other than a few scattered weekends when I have time off from college. And I don't even get to see my dogs ...


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Sorry about the agility classes ending. Maybe you can find a place that you can practice with them during daylight hours. At one of our doggy parks they have one that you can practice with. If it wasnt on the other side of town, I would take bama to it.


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

Are there any indoor agility facilities in your area? April seems so far away!


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

There is a lot of foundation work you can do inside while you're waiting for classes to start again. Even proofing sits, downs and stays can be made fun and beneficial. I ended up teaching weave poles in the winter because it was the only equipment I had and my dog was driving me crazy without classes so I can relate.


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

We will still be going to obedience classes all year round and I have a few agility bits at home but I will miss the big equipment and the people.

Sadly no indoor classes around here.


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## MyHoneybunny (Apr 30, 2007)

Ahhh what a shame Lisa - Honey & I go to classes all year round. We would miss it terribly if there was no classes during the winter so I can understand how sad you are!!! 

It's a shame that some clubs take it all soooooo seriously and don't allow those who want to have fun and enjoy agility at whatever level they are. In my club there are those who take it very seriously but the trainers are equally welcoming to those who don't have a collie and want to enjoy agility with their dog whatever the breed. My class is nicknamed the 'new WI' class - it's all women and we do chat alot and get distracted sometimes. We think agility should be the new WI! 

Honey & I entered our first Kennel Club agility competition with some of our fellow classmates recently and found the courses really easy and we suddenly realised that even though we have a laugh at our training nights and try not to take it that sersiously, in fact our trainer does push us really hard and we do some complicated stuff! 

Honey is learning the see-saw at the moment - she hates it! In fact she won't go near it voluntary - she won't even go near the area it is on the course! We will get there though. When we started she would NOT go near a weave pole but we have cracked that now!


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

MyHoneybunny said:


> Honey is learning the see-saw at the moment - she hates it! In fact she won't go near it voluntary - she won't even go near the area it is on the course! We will get there though. When we started she would NOT go near a weave pole but we have cracked that now!


I know that feeling! Diesel HATES the see-saw with a passion! Willow loves it!

It is mostly woman my my agility class too. I got to know everyone because I did two lessons one after another. The first a puppy class, the with the big dogs. Not sure what I will do next April when Willow is a big girl!


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

I think you should go and see for yourself about the other local agility class. You don't want to miss an opportunity due to someone else's impressions. I bet your two cutie pies can win them over.


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

I echo what Augie's mom said - border collies have their own issues  There are some instructors who don't "get" dogs other than border collies - but even within BCs there is a HUGE range of "normal" styles/working style (and problems). Go watch a class and see how the instructors deal with the various training issues that come up - I'd bet that you see a lot of the bugs you're trying to work out with your dog (s)...

Now if you don't agree with their training methods or style of teaching that's a different tennis ball and maybe you should consider holding off until your other classes start up again...

Another option is to rent their facility and bring your instructors over for a lesson or get a bunch of people together to split a rental and help each other out - lots of options!!!

Erica


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I am glad my agility goes all year around. They do stop fun matches in the spring and summer because the workers are all at trials running their dogs. Our facility has open floor time on Tuesdays $10 an hour you can come and run, you can not change the course but come work. You can also rent the facility when not being used for $10 an hour. I am going to take some privates this winter with both my dogs. Improve MY handling.

My dogs don't have issues with the teeter totter, but we have one in our back yard and Teddi was on it from 3 months of age. We can put it LOW and we put bricks under both ends so it only moved about 3 inches. She got used to the movement HOWEVER the problem is she is NOT afraid to go running across it. At class the teeter drops with a bang (our grass does not) I think that startled her. She does it but gets cautious at the apex. She has a great teeter contact though!


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Lisa_and_Willow. said:


> I only have one more agility class left until next April! How will I cope? The evenings are starting to get darker early this year and my class is outdoors.
> 
> There is only one other agility class near me and several people have said that if you don't have a collie then don't bother to go. They take it very seriously and that isn't what I am after anyway. I have a puppy and a shepherd who is scared of the weave poles! I don't think they would be impressed! My currant trainers are so good with Diesel and it is all about fun for the dogs.
> 
> ...


You will manage. I manage!
If you don't have a Collie, don't bother?
Your dog is afraid of Weave Poles? There are other things to do in Agility.
Take it easy!


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