The agility thread

I can finally add something to this thread. Moss my young lurcher was attacked at 11 months old at a beginners agility class, he damaged a hind leg and it has been a long road to get to the bottom of what had happened to his hind leg, the rehab and getting his confidence back in an agility situation. We went to the new FAB agility venue in Dorset yesterday, all the rings are stock fenced and there is a 2 meter exclusion zone for those outside the rings, so it was never going to get any better for giving Moss a chance at running a KC class. We ran him last, it was only a steeplechase, but not only did he stay with me, he only went and won the blummin class :D:oops::D:oops::D:oops: so proud of my boy, agility is not his favourite occupation for obvious reasons, but once we got going he really enjoyed it - very happy dog Mum right now :D
 
MurphysMinder said:
That’s a hell of a way to join the thread , congratulations! The FAB venue looks brilliant, but far for me though .
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Yes it's quite far for me, but I wanted to check it out because of the fencing. It's a real shame that it's so far into Dorset, a little further east/north and it would have been more accessible for a lot of people. The drive there takes you right through the main holiday routes for the south coast, which were busy yesterday and will be a nightmare during the summer.
 
Teaselmeg said:
Yes it's quite far for me, but I wanted to check it out because of the fencing. It's a real shame that it's so far into Dorset, a little further east/north and it would have been more accessible for a lot of people. The drive there takes you right through the main holiday routes for the south coast, which were busy yesterday and will be a nightmare during the summer.
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It’s too far north and east for me 🙂
 
Huge congratulations Tm! I am seriously considering a road trip for the FAB shows next year, didn’t quite fit in the calendar this time but I may prioritise them if the beast is out next season.
 
Anyone going to the new show that Country Shows Agility is holding near Baginton on Bank Holiday Monday? Sounds a nice little show, only two rings and only large and intermediate but their next show in June will be two days with small and medium as well. I am giving it a try as very close to me.
 
Teaselmeg said:
Its not worth that sort of drive. The footing outside the rings is not great, as its obviously just been a crop field before Dawn got it. But if you need a win or two to move up, it's a small show ....
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I tend to travel a maximum of an hour , although the idea of small classes is tempting 😏. I’ve got an A4A this weekend and an independent next weekend, both about 45 minutes away and Zig can jump 250 , so ideal .
 
Teaselmeg said:
Its not worth that sort of drive. The footing outside the rings is not great, as its obviously just been a crop field before Dawn got it. But if you need a win or two to move up, it's a small show ....
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For me it's more that I can reward the large dog, get her on a lead and exit the ring in relatively safe and dignified fashion with a bit of an exclusion zone - unlike last weekend where I had to handbag my dog at the finish because there were two people with dogs standing literally over the lead bucket, in line with the finish jump, in the middle of the exit. 😬 The small one is a good lad these days and not particularly reactive but he still doesn't want to take a strange dog to the face as he leaves the ring, and I shouldn't have to sharpen my elbows just to get my lead back. I did think what a good job I've never taught mine to drive to a toy in the bucket.

Saying that I've Vision this weekend and the entries are in single figures, not intentional but it's local and I had a free day! 😳
 
blackcob said:
For me it's more that I can reward the large dog, get her on a lead and exit the ring in relatively safe and dignified fashion with a bit of an exclusion zone - unlike last weekend where I had to handbag my dog at the finish because there were two people with dogs standing literally over the lead bucket, in line with the finish jump, in the middle of the exit. 😬 The small one is a good lad these days and not particularly reactive but he still doesn't want to take a strange dog to the face as he leaves the ring, and I shouldn't have to sharpen my elbows just to get my lead back. I did think what a good job I've never taught mine to drive to a toy in the bucket.

Saying that I've Vision this weekend and the entries are in single figures, not intentional but it's local and I had a free day!
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I hide Ziggy’s toy behind the scrimes tent if I can . When I came out of one ring at the weekend there was a dog about to pick it up . Luckily I saw it before he did and scooped him up 😝
 
Quick question - what sort of frequency is it ok to train at?! Complete muppet beginner that tries to translate horse training concepts 🙈

He does club training once a week (group, 50 mins). There is a local secure dog area for hire with basic agility stuff I’ve just started hiring to work on his start line, general forwards drive etc.

Is 30 mins an additional 3 times a week too much? 22 months old btw
 
ihatework said:
Quick question - what sort of frequency is it ok to train at?! Complete muppet beginner that tries to translate horse training concepts 🙈

He does club training once a week (group, 50 mins). There is a local secure dog area for hire with basic agility stuff I’ve just started hiring to work on his start line, general forwards drive etc.

Is 30 mins an additional 3 times a week too much? 22 months old btw
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I think it depends on the dog.
Arthur currently has a one hour group lesson on a Tuesday, and we are also doing a 2 hour group skills workshop on a Wednesday.
We often jump a lower height than in competition though.
On Thursday and Friday evenings I teach my beginners groups so I sometimes get him out and do some dogwalks with him and maybe a couple of short sequences.
Then we are competing at the weekends too.
Tbh with Arthur the more he does the better he is. I did a lot less with both previous agility dogs.
 
I think it depends on the dog. My lurcher (mainly whippet) doesn’t need long sessions, he has that ridiculously laid back attitude of his breeding. He does an hour on Wednesday nights, which is an hours drive either way, group session of about 6 dogs, and two hours in a Thursday night group session of 8 dogs. He will not improve any quicker for me doing loads with him (I have tried, he gets bored despite me trying special cheese, over excited human etc etc).
 
I agree it depends on your dog. Pebs gets bored and unlike collies and spanners you can't keep doing same old stuff or she switches off. We train once a week at club but sometimes I will chose to only run her a couple of times. I am still working on rekindling her enthusiasm so I don't want to push her to the point where she gets fed up.

Pup also goes weekly and does more. I have some stuff at home and will put them through the weaves most days but just a couple of times.

I never used to do much jumping at home with my horses and sort of take same approach with the dogs.
 
sarah.oxford said:
Is anyone going to agility vision either of the next 2 weekends?
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There this Sunday :)

ihatework said:
Quick question - what sort of frequency is it ok to train at?! Complete muppet beginner that tries to translate horse training concepts 🙈

He does club training once a week (group, 50 mins). There is a local secure dog area for hire with basic agility stuff I’ve just started hiring to work on his start line, general forwards drive etc.

Is 30 mins an additional 3 times a week too much? 22 months old btw
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Agree it depends on the dog. My 17 month old does two group classes a week (1hr each) plus one other session - this could be a workshop, one to one lesson, DIY hire etc. Also regular 10 minute sessions at home on stays, one jump skills etc. She would go until she drops, actively enjoys repetition and has to be moderated carefully so she doesn't overdo it.

My 5 year old does one group DIY session a week (1hr) and then once a month we hold a 2hr course running evening where we put up a big cool European/champ/finals type course. In the summer he's usually competing more weekends than not so it's plenty enough for him. He does precisely as much as he wants to and not a fraction more.
 
Thanks all - I think I will try a concentrated period of more frequent shortish sessions to see if I can get on top of our two or three big limitations at the moment.

These aren’t really improving on what we have been doing (just a weekly group session) as he is just way too excitable. If/when I start to get on top of the start and he is working better away from me I might ease frequency back a bit. Don’t want to break him - but equally at the moment I think he needs more

🤞🤞🤞
 
ihatework said:
Thanks all - I think I will try a concentrated period of more frequent shortish sessions to see if I can get on top of our two or three big limitations at the moment.

These aren’t really improving on what we have been doing (just a weekly group session) as he is just way too excitable. If/when I start to get on top of the start and he is working better away from me I might ease frequency back a bit. Don’t want to break him - but equally at the moment I think he needs more

🤞🤞🤞
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Good idea. My girl is very over excited in our weekly group lesson, just so happy to be there. I am lucky in that our club has a training field just over a mile from where I live so I can use that. I have definitely found that if I do some work there in between lessons she does settle much better.
 
blackcob said:
There this Sunday :)



Agree it depends on the dog. My 17 month old does two group classes a week (1hr each) plus one other session - this could be a workshop, one to one lesson, DIY hire etc. Also regular 10 minute sessions at home on stays, one jump skills etc. She would go until she drops, actively enjoys repetition and has to be moderated carefully so she doesn't overdo it.

My 5 year old does one group DIY session a week (1hr) and then once a month we hold a 2hr course running evening where we put up a big cool European/champ/finals type course. In the summer he's usually competing more weekends than not so it's plenty enough for him. He does precisely as much as he wants to and not a fraction more.
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How did you get on today?
 
Well done that's awesome.
We were clear in the first agility till my legs couldn't keep up and he ran past the last jump.
Still had the fastest time which was frustrating.
Next agility he broke his wait so I put him back, so Ed him so predictably he went clear.
Also clear in both jumping classes. Just outspeeded by some very rapid spaniels.
Lyl did a beautiful clear in anysize.
 
I’ve had a lovely day… at home! OH was out, I’ve spent loads of time on the OMD website and finally found the 30% discount code I was looking for, and have signed up for a year. It’s still over £220 but I won’t do all the special trainer sessions which I have been booking as I’ve decided that OMD works for me and Rew.

In between showers we had a few little practices in the garden, and this evening me and a friend have been making our Plaza bookings together and as I received my full SWAT refund straight away I still have over £50 in Plaza for late summer and autumn bookings. Our dogs are both large, I am G1, she is G2, so we have a great time together even though Rew seems incapable of running in sunshine 🙄
 
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