The agility thread

Whether micro will help us time wise who knows but it definitely feels that it's becoming more elitist. My dogs have always generally been consistent but to keep getting time faults when otherwise clear is demoralising.
 
Short course times suck.

Especially in the lower grades.

Not everyone wants to train with a Border Collie or a Cocker Spaniel.

A slow but safe and accurate clear is not to be sniffed at. We should not always be pushing our dogs for ridiculous speeds across equipment.

I only compete in A4A and independents so I have not come across it myself.

My dog and I were late to the agility game, she is rising 7 and we only went to our first few shows last year. She is a 600 dog, who I jump at 500. I have no inclination to push her for speed. I keep her slow on her seesaw. I slow her right down to a trot on the dog walk most of the time. I just want us both to have fun and to get around the course safely.

Not to say I dont love it when we get a ribbon 😅 but I am more than content in knowing we got a ribbon only because we were accurate and others were not. Not because we were the fastest.
 
My lurcher is insanely fast out and about, beach, field etc, but after a few years competing has only just stopped getting time faults - I would rather get our contacts, whereas he is more than capable (and much prefers) to leap from the top of the AF or DW, as he knows he can land it. So I slow him down, and I guess from January will be back in time fault land. 🙄
 
blackcob said:
New course time matrix released.

Small champ agility 200m
2019 - 57s
2025 - 56s

Large G1-3 agility 200m
2019 - 73s
2025 - 61s

I’ve only looked up combos relating to my own dogs’ current grades but it looks so far to disproportionately affect the lower grades.
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Are you able to post a link please, or is it listed in those insanely long minutes in which case I’ll re-read them.
 
Jenko109 said:
Short course times suck.

Especially in the lower grades.

Not everyone wants to train with a Border Collie or a Cocker Spaniel.

A slow but safe and accurate clear is not to be sniffed at. We should not always be pushing our dogs for ridiculous speeds across equipment.

I only compete in A4A and independents so I have not come across it myself.

My dog and I were late to the agility game, she is rising 7 and we only went to our first few shows last year. She is a 600 dog, who I jump at 500. I have no inclination to push her for speed. I keep her slow on her seesaw. I slow her right down to a trot on the dog walk most of the time. I just want us both to have fun and to get around the course safely.

Not to say I dont love it when we get a ribbon 😅 but I am more than content in knowing we got a ribbon only because we were accurate and others were not. Not because we were the fastest.
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My now retired Lancashire heeler got to Grade 6 on steady accurate clears, when other people were moaning about tricky courses he was in his element. But once we got to Grade 6 he had 6 or 7 wins but never in the course time. After being a bit downhearted at first I gave myself a talking to and just enjoyed running my dog.
 
Has anyone had any issues running on artificial grass ? A new venue has opened quite local to me which is running a steeplechase show next month and has an artificial grass surface. Given Zig's bionic limb I am always cautious about new surfaces , going to see what his physio thinks but actual experience would be good.
 
Do you know what brand it is? I’ve run on Juta at DSD and at Statfold and it’s great, even V rarely slips on it unless she’s doing something really batshit. Grippy enough to wear normal flat trainers even.

One note of caution is that the underlay at Statfold seemed to be quite bouncy and they also make quite a pitter-patter noise as they run, small dog found this very exciting and went unexpectedly like a rocket the first time I took him there.
 
blackcob said:
Friend from club has just had someone be really arsey with her in the queue questioning the veracity of her dog's measures and stating they will be going to the show sec to contest it. Can only imagine these sort of incidences will increase with the introduction of micro.
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There feels a lot of general unrest atm with the changes and especially the new times! I see a lot of large smalls but tbh would never challenge. As when measuring horses, there are ways and means to help your dog achieve the required measure, and people definitely go to their preferred measurer and I doubt it will ever change. People say my 2 should defo be micro but we will see, I really hope so.
 
Ditchjumper2 said:
There feels a lot of general unrest atm with the changes and especially the new times! I see a lot of large smalls but tbh would never challenge. As when measuring horses, there are ways and means to help your dog achieve the required measure, and people definitely go to their preferred measurer and I doubt it will ever change. People say my 2 should defo be micro but we will see, I really hope so.
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I too have seen some smalls that definitely look borderline to me but I’d never do anything about it.
 
This wasn’t even the dog I mentioned earlier who measured small > medium > small, this one has two uncontested measures at their height (although absolutely at the top end).

I think Dj is right about a general feeling of unrest, it’ll probably spill over into things like this for a while as people feel challenged by the changes that are IMO clearly now aimed at reducing progression.

Ignoring it all for today as I’ve been invited to do an agility demo with my second club, so this afternoon small dog gets to either showboat or embarrass me in public. 😏
 
I totally agree BC it's another way to slow progression. They only seem to want the collies/spanners/fast dogs. The joy of smalls used to be seeing the variety of breeds. Much more fun. Am sure some of the dubious wcs will measure in as Micro and if they don't, well we all know someone who will breed some micro wcs.
 
Ditchjumper2 said:
I totally agree BC it's another way to slow progression. They only seem to want the collies/spanners/fast dogs. The joy of smalls used to be seeing the variety of breeds. Much more fun. Am sure some of the dubious wcs will measure in as Micro and if they don't, well we all know someone who will breed some micro wcs.
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As a non agility person I love watching the different breeds. It’s a shame the KC are so utterly useless with dog sport as with all else.
 
Oh god I've broken the large one. Not even doing agility, training in the field on the flat. Vet tomorrow.

Fast dogs ain't all that, they are on a knife edge of batshittery and injury at all times.

MurphysMinder said:
Well done to GB, small team gold and individual gold at the EO championships. Just watched Liz's individual run in agility and I would have got lost after first 3 jumps !
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I thought Liz's FB post today was lovely, very humble. We'll be scraping the EO courses for our Monday night sessions, god help us.
 
blackcob said:
Goodness, how many more cans of worms would the KC like to open this week?

Management dogs at Kennel Club events | The Kennel Club

Read our advisory document relating to management dogs at Kennel Club events
www.thekennelclub.org.uk www.thekennelclub.org.uk
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Oh very interesting. I’ve seen various issues over the last few years, dogs exiting the rings and biting another, people queueing their dogs too close together, and recently I entered a ring as directed by the steward and was holding my dog at the start when the previous competitor did not catch up her dog (which I subsequently discovered had a bite history) and it came barrelling over, shoving and shouldering Rew whilst I screamed blue murder at it and people ran into the ring from all directions. The owner grabbed it by the back end and dragged it away. No physical harm done but at a show this Saturday the same dog walked through the line (we were queueing) and Rew evidently remembered the dog and went absolutely crazy at it - just great.
 
This one stood out:

(and where the awareness and attention of other dogs, handlers and other parties might not always be focused sufficiently to acknowledge or respond to such dog).

It should be, though. We should all have our wits about us when handling our own and being approached by other's dogs/around dogs in general, IMO.

This is not bashing anyone in the UK scene, as it doesn't pertain to them, but I've had to share space with agility teams at big events a couple of times and they quite often have no consideration of other peoples'/their dogs' space. Not to say the dogs competing in other sports are monsters, but things like walking with a large group of dogs towards/through another group of strangers, not looking at theirs or anyone else's, having a great chat, not noticing EVERYONE'S dogs including their own, starting to look very uncomfortable, is a bit daft, IMO.
Get a big group of ANY animal, including humans, in a relatively small space for a prolonged amount of time and there will be incidents of 'Wot u looking at, m8?'

Agility lines are often cortisol city. But often the thing that makes dogs look so fast and flashy and stylish (in any sport) is thin nerve and that bleeds out in other ways.

My own sport has cracked down massively in the last few years as regards social/environmental behaviour.
You get hammered for signs of stress points wise, there's multiple microchip checks and at big competitions a health check on a table where the vet is incredibly thorough and one can't use a ball or food to distract the dog any more. The dog cannot vent on a ball or toy until the critique is over, you've shaken hands with the judge and left the field.

ETA: Your dog can be disqualified at any point for dog or human aggression until you get your work book signed and given back to you at the end.
 
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CorvusCorax said:
This one stood out:

(and where the awareness and attention of other dogs, handlers and other parties might not always be focused sufficiently to acknowledge or respond to such dog).

It should be, though. We should all have our wits about us when handling our own and being approached by other's dogs/around dogs in general, IMO.

This is not bashing anyone in the UK scene, as it doesn't pertain to them, but I've had to share space with agility teams at big events a couple of times and they quite often have no consideration of other peoples'/their dogs' space. Not to say the dogs competing in other sports are monsters, but things like walking with a large group of dogs towards/through another group of strangers, not looking at theirs or anyone else's, having a great chat, not noticing EVERYONE'S dogs including their own, starting to look very uncomfortable, is a bit daft, IMO.
Get a big group of ANY animal, including humans, in a relatively small space for a prolonged amount of time and there will be incidents of 'Wot u looking at, m8?'

Agility lines are often cortisol city. But often the thing that makes dogs look so fast and flashy and stylish (in any sport) is thin nerve and that bleeds out in other ways.

My own sport has cracked down massively in the last few years as regards social/environmental behaviour.
You get hammered for signgs of stress points wise, there's multiple microchip checks and at big competitions a health check on a table where the vet is incredibly thorough and one can't use a ball or food to distract the dog any more. The dog cannot vent on a ball or toy until the critique is over, you've shaken hands with the judge and left the field.
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I've seen this sort of thing at agility shows over here. I hate queuing because so many people are winding up their dogs with toys etc and not bothering about anyone else who might be near. The other one that gets me is the way some people attach an "I need space" or similar to their lead, and then proceed to come into MY space!
 
Icky.

We went to a show this weekend. It was our first proper show since last summer.

My dog wears a yellow 'I need space' lead.

She had a bark while still in the boot at a dog passing the car when we first got there, but that was it.

She showed no reactivity throughout the rest of the day. She lined up nicely alongside other dogs. She got five faults in her first class for missing a contact. She was a little distracted and back jumped in her second class, getting an elimination. Both classes she nailed her weaves though and tried hard to listen and get it right. Given we haven't been anywhere other than our local league event since last year, she was a good girl.

Anyone looking at her would not think she was a reactive dog.

But she is.

She is not a danger to other dogs. She would not leave the ring and start a fight.

She would probably get a bit 'barky, lungey' if another dog barked at her first. She would be uncomfortable and would most likely air snap, if someone allowed another dog to get in her face.

Her yellow lead shouldn't really be needed. People should instinctively give other dogs space. We don't live in a perfect world.
 
Jenko109 said:
Icky.

We went to a show this weekend. It was our first proper show since last summer.

My dog wears a yellow 'I need space' lead.

She had a bark while still in the boot at a dog passing the car when we first got there, but that was it.

She showed no reactivity throughout the rest of the day. She lined up nicely alongside other dogs. She got five faults in her first class for missing a contact. She was a little distracted and back jumped in her second class, getting an elimination. Both classes she nailed her weaves though and tried hard to listen and get it right. Given we haven't been anywhere other than our local league event since last year, she was a good girl.

Anyone looking at her would not think she was a reactive dog.

But she is.

She is not a danger to other dogs. She would not leave the ring and start a fight.

She would probably get a bit 'barky, lungey' if another dog barked at her first. She would be uncomfortable and would most likely air snap, if someone allowed another dog to get in her face.

Her yellow lead shouldn't really be needed. People should instinctively give other dogs space. We don't live in a perfect world.
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This. Last winter I told a woman with an overly friendly labrador that if she gets too close my dog may snap - he was showing all the signs of her being too close. I said that to her so she had the chance to hold back - she just said ‘oh good she needs to learn’. I was so gobsmacked I had to wait until the next show where she did the same to say ‘but I don’t want to teach my dog that it’s okay to snap’!
 
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