# Just getting started



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Ranger just started his first "organized" classes a few weeks ago and we are both loving agility! I am still a newbie to the world of doggie sports, but I will say that most agility classes I looked at (even beginner agility) required a previous level of obedience beyond puppy classes. The dogs in Ranger's class all did basic obedience training classes before going to the agility class. Some classes I looked at required "good off-leash behaviour" as well.

My own personal recommendation would be to do one more level of obedience before doing agility or rally-o. It seems like the agility/rally-o classes are more of a "next level" or "fine-tuning" situation. Even in the beginning agility level, the dogs are expected to "down" while in motion, know their recalls, and stays - all in a disruptive environment. I think you would have more fun if her training was a little more solid before venturing into either agility or rally-o, but that's my own "perfectionist" side talking. Ranger's commands/cues were all pretty solid but that certainly isn't always apparent in class when he's distracted. I can't imagine doing this a year ago when he was just learning how to sit/down/come/stay - it would have been much more frustrating for me and not nearly as much as fun!


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## DianaM (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanks for your input! I was wondering what age was appropriate. I thought she might still be too young. I think a silly part of me feels that if I don't get her somewhat into it now, she will lose interest. I'm sure that's not true. I want to make sure she is great before we move on so I don't set her up to fail (or embarass myself lol). 

How old is Ranger?

Maybe that's another question... how old were everyones dogs when you started?

This is the progression flow chart at our training club. I don't want to skip the next class but we can't do CGC on the day its offered there. She has taken STAR and then Advanced Puppy twice (August to now). We want to keep her doing something. 
http://www.sportsmens.net/pdf/Progression.pdf


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

I agree with what Ranger said. I'm also a newbie to this doggie stuff and we're just into our second session of agility with Austin and Lincoln. I definitely think that obedience classes are beneficial to the dog in agility and, I would think, moreso in rally-o. Rally-O is essentially following a structured set of commands. I did a couple of fun sessions with Austin and he did fine until he decided he'd had enough and shut down on me. Lincoln, on the other hand, was way too hyper for that (at this time), hence the agility classes!!! Both of my guys have been through 2 levels of obedience classes and know their basic commands, which we use regularly throughout our classes. Like Ranger, Lincoln tends to forget that he has actually done obedience!!!

In our last session, there was a 7 month old Golden puppy who clearly did not have any obedience training and it showed. There was no way you could let her off her leash (she always took off) and she was disruptive. Cute as a button, but definitely needed more training before taking agility classes. Hence, her absence from our current session.

I can assure you though, once you get Gracie started in either sport...you're liable to become addicted!!!!

ETA: Austin was around 20 months and Lincoln 18 months when we started agility.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

More than the activity, it depends on the class and instructors. 

With an experienced instructor and a good class set up, dogs without a lot of previous training and those with more training should do equally as well. Brand new beginner dogs typically do better in my agility classes than those with a lot of training. No sloppy training I have to do help undo!

That said... I've been to a lot of classes that are not well run for beginners and have different foundation skills than we use.... Maybe go watch and see a class?

Rally or agility would be good choices, both have different skill sets.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

BOTH!!!! Just kidding.

For agility - good clubs (and you train at a good one) have "puppy agility" that is an intro to obstacles class. You get familiar with the obstacles, nothing at full height and usually it is not about 'training' as it is familiarization, but you have to do it with distraction. They allow pups in our puppy class as early as 4 months. Where I train, we have a focus & control class next BUT... you can not advance to regular agility until the dog is at least a year. That is the recommended age for starting, you still would not want to jump full height, and starting the weaves then is fine. A dog is competition age according to the AKC at 18 months. 

Rally I would think you can start a whole lot sooner. Novice does not involve any jumping. Just good basic leash manners and learning to follow direction... both of you. 

Teddi did puppy agility at 6 months, then graduated to focus. So she was about 10 months and needed something to do, we put her in an obedience "maneuvers" class. It was fun. However she really started hurting during that class. She was diagnosed with bad hips before she got out of her puppy class, but my vet said let her keep going, see what she wants to do. It was in maneuvers, that she started saying 'I can't it hurts', no fault of the maneuvers... just Teddi's bad hips.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

The program I went through with Jacks worked out the same way... 

Going off memory, it was something like this:

Puppy K (really beginner stuff) (this was a 3 week class elsewhere)
Obedience 1 (bootcamp) (spring)
Obedience 2 (CGC prep) (summer)

So he was about 8 months after we got all of the basic obedience stuff done. At this point, most people decided to go into agility or competition obedience (or both), and others decided to repeat OB2 for more practice for the CGC. I knew my guy was not a CGC (he wiggled and went into happy fits when people came up to visit him), and I didn't want to fuss with that, so I continued into competition obedience with him.

Then we did something like -

Competition Basics 1 (fall)
Competition Basics 2 (spring)
Pre-Novice (summer)
Novice (fall)

So when we were getting into the prenovice classes, my guy was a year and a half. 

I kinda think that worked out well, even though I hated the gaps between class sessions. We had the same instructor from Competition Basics through Novice, and she was very meticulous and careful about teaching the groundwork for show obedience. The leashes literally did not come off until Novice (even though I did mostly offleash at home, shhh!). 

I definitely would keep going with the obedience work. Especially since goldens OWN the obedience floor. We all must keep it up.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Laurie said:


> In our last session, there was a 7 month old Golden puppy who clearly did not have any obedience training and it showed. There was no way you could let her off her leash (she always took off) and she was disruptive...


Did I tell you about ranger's last class? :uhoh: haha!

Ranger's about 2 yrs and we just started beginner's agility. There's a dog as young as 8 months in the class and the oldest is 5.5 years so there's quite a gap! Nothing is full height and everything's pretty low-key, so I think so long as a dog had a basic obedience under it's belt, age wouldn't be a problem. The dog with the most difficulty in the class is one who'd just been to puppy obedience and is still learning the basic cues/commands - so when we do tables, while the other dogs are trying to figure out how to lie down without falling off (Ranger), she's trying to get her dog to just lie down. It seems to be fine for her but I know personally, I wouldn't like it. Like I said though, I'm a bit of a perfectionist! 

I was honestly contemplating putting Ranger in an obedience class before starting agility since he'd never been in a class situation before, but then decided against it. The info for the agility class seemed to be more about focus and concentration then the obstacles themselves. Since Ranger's obedience was good (even in fairly distractive areas) I opted for the agility so he'd learn how to listen even with dogs running around (his downfall) instead of going to an obedience class and working on stuff he already knows. 

I think once you do the obedience class, then you'll be ready to choose either rally-o or agility! I want to do rally-o as well, but my choice for agility was so Ranger had something "different" to do and to keep his mind on things while he learned to concentrate with other dogs around. The times he decides to stare at other dogs or act the fool is when we're waiting in between exercises or when he's finished an exercise. So I thought we'd spend time doing agility for focus and then test the waters with a rally-o class and see how he likes it. 

In the meantime, I am LOVING agility! I can't say enough good things about the class, the instructor, or how much Ranger's enjoying it. He goes to class Saturday morning and then is wiped for the rest of the weekend. I wish I had enough money (and time) to be entered in a few classes a week!

ETA: This is the class description - it's the beginner's beginner agility class!

Agility Foundation training will teach your dog to focus and be attentive while other dogs are moving, playing or running. You will work with your dog to perfect the stay and recall work that is required for the Beginner Agility class. You will learn basic groundwork such as how to cue your dog to move and turn with you. Clicker training will be introduced and explained.

Dogs in this class will not be working on all the pieces of equipment but will become familiar with obstacles designed to promote balance and coordination skills. The Foundation Class will create an even stronger working relationship between dog and handler and will incorporate fun "training games" to promote learning through play. Have fun with your dog while teaching the basics of the sport of Agility.
Prerequisites: Dogs must have basic obedience skills in place


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

Ranger said:


> In the meantime, I am LOVING agility! I can't say enough good things about the class, the instructor, or how much Ranger's enjoying it. He goes to class Saturday morning and then is wiped for the rest of the weekend. I wish I had enough money (and time) to be entered in a few classes a week!


Ditto.....I love Wednesday evenings!!! I just enjoy doing something constructive with the dogs and I actually think they enjoy it....Lincoln, sometimes too much. 

I would love to do more with them but there aren't any other facilities here where we live that offers anything but basic obedience and agility.


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## DianaM (Feb 18, 2010)

Our club offers this class. I actually think Gracie would be fine. We just need to fine tune her commands before the class starts but she meets the requirements.

Sportsmen's Dog Training


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

That sounds much like our class......

I can see why they say both dogs and humans must be in good physical shape...we seem to be the ones huffing and puffing at the end of the class and the dogs are still raring to go!!!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

If it were me I would see about getting into the intermediate obedience class. Cherie Berger is an advanced instructor at your club, lucky you!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

I'm glad the class I'm in didn't say anything about off-leash behaviour...Ranger got out of the tunnel last class, took a hard left (right past me) and went to "say hi" to the dogs running on the other side of the class. Unfortunately the dog he "said hi" to didn't appreciate a big dog all of a sudden almost flattening her so she turned around and gave him what-for. Oops. Next week we're working on concentrating while other dogs run around...we definitely need to be there for that class!


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Agility and Rally are both a blast! I am sure you will have fun doing either (or both!) I do agree with everyone else that another obedience class may be a good idea.

I think training and background are more important than age. A young puppy that has been training and in classes consistently may be ready for advanced classes, where a older dog with no experience may not be. Barley started formal agility classes at over 2 years old, while Mira started in formal agility classes at 6 months old. They took the same class, Mira just had the experience required at a younger age. The class I took my dogs to is the same no matter what age, the dogs do not jump or get on full sized contacts until the basics are solid. This training is good for all new dogs no matter what age. 

I think the basics you should know before starting an agility class is a solid: sit, down, recall and stay.

There is a great class in my area called "Foundation for Dog Sports", which is a GREAT start for any dog sport. I went through it with Mira and plan on doing it with all my dogs going forward.

Have fun!!!!


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## DianaM (Feb 18, 2010)

We have been working on her downs all week and she has improved so much lately! She is starting to respond much quicker without actually moving a treat down to the ground. Just a point to the ground is working. Now we have to work on it with distractions! 

Thanks for all the input everyone (and keep it coming). I think what I will do is ask our trainers what they think we should do next. I really want to get her CGC when she's ready but need to find another place to do it. We need to continue working on those skills. I'm thinking either intermediate obediance or the intro to obstacles class (maybe both haha).


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

I would recommend beginning with basic obedience for anything else you want to do with your dog. Once they "learn how to learn", teaching rally or agility becomes much easier. A great first goal is the Canine good neighbour/good citizen test. This is an AKC/CKC title and really shows that the dog is responsive to you and under your control, which are basic requirements to go any further in any performance activity. Plus, play, play, play with your dog. If your dog won't play with you, it won't really want to do anything else with you!


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