The agility thread

So today we went indoors. First up Daz in 3/5 jumping which was tricky. She was amazing I was so chuffed with her and me lol. Sadly we had .6 of a tf for a placed agilty. 😒 Next up 3/5 agility. Daz did all the tricky stuff fab once again but for some unknown reason jumped off the side of the seesaw 🤔

Then Pebs in the 3/5 agility she flew was so proud then instead of going right at the end decided to go straight over a other jump tjen flew the dog walk again 🙈 so thst was an E.

Having had haircuts plus it being indoors and cooler they were much faster....and I was in a better headspace too. Done by lunch so then home and a nice walk.
 
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Feeling sorry for myself has mostly morphed into anger at that ridiculous judge so I may be in a slightly better place to look at solutions. 😐

Had a squizz through previous posts and it's clear that I have been talking about the same challenges both in terms of behaviour and performance for the last year. For the sake of clarity, I am not butthurt that she isn't winning anything. Dog doesn't owe me a thing and I accepted early on (before she arrived, even) that hers was not going to be a linear path.

It's more that despite giving my head a wobble this time last year and really leaning into getting our shit sorted out, her training being literally the equivalent of a second job for most of that time, I can't see any gain in consistency at all. I tell my pupils all the time that skills are like whack-a-mole, you land one thing and proof it in competition and then something else crops up, but this is almost no progress at all.

It's entirely possible that my best isn't good enough, or she is fundamentally temperamentally unsuited to the sport, but when and how do you make that call? It's not a situation I ever envisaged being in.

I know, I know, tiny violin and all that. Talk some sense into me. Sam will do it more brutally than you lot this weekend. 😶‍🌫️
 
blackcob said:
Feeling sorry for myself has mostly morphed into anger at that ridiculous judge so I may be in a slightly better place to look at solutions. 😐

Had a squizz through previous posts and it's clear that I have been talking about the same challenges both in terms of behaviour and performance for the last year. For the sake of clarity, I am not butthurt that she isn't winning anything. Dog doesn't owe me a thing and I accepted early on (before she arrived, even) that hers was not going to be a linear path.

It's more that despite giving my head a wobble this time last year and really leaning into getting our shit sorted out, her training being literally the equivalent of a second job for most of that time, I can't see any gain in consistency at all. I tell my pupils all the time that skills are like whack-a-mole, you land one thing and proof it in competition and then something else crops up, but this is almost no progress at all.

It's entirely possible that my best isn't good enough, or she is fundamentally temperamentally unsuited to the sport, but when and how do you make that call? It's not a situation I ever envisaged being in.

I know, I know, tiny violin and all that. Talk some sense into me. Sam will do it more brutally than you lot this weekend. 😶‍🌫️
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Different sport I know, but myself and himself were the novelty act/blooper reel fodder until he was four or five years old and his top level window was very short because he was crazy and I was a noob. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Of course I would do things differently, not knowing then what I know now, so the learnings for me and what I have been able to pass on to others, are as important as the achievements.
Smallzy is not for top competition, because of her temperament, that's just something I have had to accept but I still enjoy the training and seeing what we can get done. Maybe she would do better with another handler. I never gave up with her father because I knew what he was capable of and I was pushed on by a good team, and I know he would have been playing with the best in the world with another handler. The other thing is, I have been Up There and I know what it takes to Get There, and how much harder I would have to train and more exacting it would have to be to get there again, and I can't be arsed, because I don't have the temperament either!! So if I hadn't competed at that level already, I might feel differently, but I have, and it was great, but I don't feel the need to do it again in a hurry.
 
Stop worrying over the stuff you have no control over 😉 just concentrate on what you can control. Training ✅️ I don't know your type of dog but, like horses, would backing off a bit give them time to absorb stuff? One of mine no longer trains at all. She is happier and enjoys agility more. I pick and choose her classes more. You do have control over who you run under so avoid the twat judges maybe?

Personally I think it's easier for us all to get so het up and overcomplicate stuff. I was crap because I was so stressed over the matrix. I am still pissed off with it defo. But it was affecting me as I was running with a negative mindset and was crap before I started. You are a far higher level than I will probably ever get (esp with the f ing matrix and that I run micro small Schnauzers) but I can't change it so have tried to not let it affect me. This weekend was a breakthrough.

I've learnt a lot over the last few months, hypno etc, that's a whole different story, but the principal is the same x

You'll be OK just don't over analyse and maybe try to relax more which is easier said than done xx
 
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blackcob said:
Feeling sorry for myself has mostly morphed into anger at that ridiculous judge so I may be in a slightly better place to look at solutions. 😐

Had a squizz through previous posts and it's clear that I have been talking about the same challenges both in terms of behaviour and performance for the last year. For the sake of clarity, I am not butthurt that she isn't winning anything. Dog doesn't owe me a thing and I accepted early on (before she arrived, even) that hers was not going to be a linear path.

It's more that despite giving my head a wobble this time last year and really leaning into getting our shit sorted out, her training being literally the equivalent of a second job for most of that time, I can't see any gain in consistency at all. I tell my pupils all the time that skills are like whack-a-mole, you land one thing and proof it in competition and then something else crops up, but this is almost no progress at all.

It's entirely possible that my best isn't good enough, or she is fundamentally temperamentally unsuited to the sport, but when and how do you make that call? It's not a situation I ever envisaged being in.

I know, I know, tiny violin and all that. Talk some sense into me. Sam will do it more brutally than you lot this weekend. 😶‍🌫️
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I'm not really sure if I can offer any useful input, other than to agree judge sounds like a tosser . Sharp turns to contact equipment and unsolicited advice, no thank you.
I feel for you because I know how much work you have put into her, and have seen how talented she is. I even feel a little guilty because I was like "yeh go for it, you'll be fine with a high drive working line", but she does seem to be exceptionally high drive.
I suspect she works better at training days as there is not quite the same excitement, has Sam seen her at her worst at shows, cos that seems to be where she really loses it ?
So as to calling it , I can't tell you , not sure if anyone can but you. If competing her is draining all the fun out for you then maybe consider it, but with her ability on a good day its not going to be an easy decision.
 
blackcob said:
Well, things didn't get any better. Please bear in mind I am wallowing and venting and not yet in a solution-orientated frame of mind. 💀 Last outdoor show of the season, 3 x Es, 1 x 25f.

In fairness some of this was due to poor course design; one jumping course had lines that many large fast dogs would find difficult and one agility course was not only grade inappropriate on several counts but also completely batshit.

Even more batshit, the judge for the latter approached me at the finish to say that he didn't mean to contradict my training methods but could he give some advice, as he'd intended for the tight turns on to the contacts (yes, identical tight turns on all three) to be 'check checks' and not whatever command I'd been giving my dog... I had, in fact, been giving my dog her tight wrap command, it just isn't 'check check', and the reason she went off piste is because his course design was completely unsuitable. For those not familiar, it is absolutely not normal and also against code of best practice for judges to comment like this in any way and I was left open-mouthed and had to just walk off without saying anything because it was so unexpected. He had two clears of 58 dogs which I think bears out my point.

Anyway... the remaining two courses were perfectly nice and appropriate and should have been right up her alley but instead she just threw herself at whatever obstacle she decided was appropriate, scattering poles in her wake. Then comes the screaming. 🫥

I am so very tired.
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I've not followed your journey so feel free to completely ignore this idea but what about a complete break for a few months? Go and do some other fun things and just relax for a bit, no training, no competition, the time will let you know if you miss agility or it's more stress than it's worth.
 
Sam might actually have never seen her lose her shit. She can be screamy and need some management but it's rare for her to kick off in a training scenario, and in short format exercises doesn't often end up in the wild state where she can't take directional cues.

I have no-one to blame but myself, I got her for a reason, but there's high drive and there's *gestures at dog* whatever this is. 🙃 Granted I mostly only see her siblings and half siblings through a social media lens but to the best of my knowledge she is the only one like this.

Judge is going on the nope list.

I have an entry paid for in October but it'd be a very easy and natural end to the season to call it after that and continue training - I really don't think she's the sort of dog that can do nothing - but with no expectation of anything else.

Hilariously she was literally blessed by a priest last week (I swear there is a logical explanation for this...) so if that hasn't exorcised her demons I don't know what will. 😅
 
I am reminded of when I thought it might be fun to do agility with a couple of mine. Fit ,active, high drive but well trained, having competed in most types of dog sport and shown I figured I could manage it. Ha! Ha!
Well off I went,thankfully minus dogs to check out a club. OMG from the dog fight in the car park as I arrived,to the hysterical noise and chaos indoors,( not just the dogs either)punctuated by escapees leaving the building mid course to start their own dog fight,I was rapidly retreating. Then as a final goodbye a collie type leapt out of its open car and had a munch of my leg,the owner didn't even notice it jump out!
To this day I hope I perhaps just picked a bad 'un but crumbs it wasn't my idea of a fun dog sport so you all have my respect for taking part!! Anyone who can keep a dog calm and concentrating in that atmosphere deserves a medal! I couldn't!
 
Littlest Hobo said:
I am reminded of when I thought it might be fun to do agility with a couple of mine. Fit ,active, high drive but well trained, having competed in most types of dog sport and shown I figured I could manage it. Ha! Ha!
Well off I went,thankfully minus dogs to check out a club. OMG from the dog fight in the car park as I arrived,to the hysterical noise and chaos indoors,( not just the dogs either)punctuated by escapees leaving the building mid course to start their own dog fight,I was rapidly retreating. Then as a final goodbye a collie type leapt out of its open car and had a munch of my leg,the owner didn't even notice it jump out!
To this day I hope I perhaps just picked a bad 'un but crumbs it wasn't my idea of a fun dog sport so you all have my respect for taking part!! Anyone who can keep a dog calm and concentrating in that atmosphere deserves a medal! I couldn't!
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I think you definitely ran into a bad club! 😳
 
Littlest Hobo said:
I am reminded of when I thought it might be fun to do agility with a couple of mine. Fit ,active, high drive but well trained, having competed in most types of dog sport and shown I figured I could manage it. Ha! Ha!
Well off I went,thankfully minus dogs to check out a club. OMG from the dog fight in the car park as I arrived,to the hysterical noise and chaos indoors,( not just the dogs either)punctuated by escapees leaving the building mid course to start their own dog fight,I was rapidly retreating. Then as a final goodbye a collie type leapt out of its open car and had a munch of my leg,the owner didn't even notice it jump out!
To this day I hope I perhaps just picked a bad 'un but crumbs it wasn't my idea of a fun dog sport so you all have my respect for taking part!! Anyone who can keep a dog calm and concentrating in that atmosphere deserves a medal! I couldn't!
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That was a very bad club. Never, ever anything like that at mine and I have been a member over 25 years now. Shows aren't like that either.
 
Someone once told me, (the) sport is hard enough without having to battle social/environmental issues as well. Buuut if the dog has enough talent, I'd try a bit more crying in the toilets and cracking on.
I did a lot of crying in the toilets.

Littlest Hobo said:
I am reminded of when I thought it might be fun to do agility with a couple of mine. Fit ,active, high drive but well trained, having competed in most types of dog sport and shown I figured I could manage it. Ha! Ha!
Well off I went,thankfully minus dogs to check out a club. OMG from the dog fight in the car park as I arrived,to the hysterical noise and chaos indoors,( not just the dogs either)punctuated by escapees leaving the building mid course to start their own dog fight,I was rapidly retreating. Then as a final goodbye a collie type leapt out of its open car and had a munch of my leg,the owner didn't even notice it jump out!
To this day I hope I perhaps just picked a bad 'un but crumbs it wasn't my idea of a fun dog sport so you all have my respect for taking part!! Anyone who can keep a dog calm and concentrating in that atmosphere deserves a medal! I couldn't!
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So I am not throwing shade at agility people or clubs, but when they started combining the two big closing ceremonies at the breed world championships, it was a bit, er, chaotic compared to what we were used to 🤣
Having said that I used to show and our breed ring can be a bit shouty and runny 🤣
 
blackcob said:
Nah I believe it, I've seen similar. Some environments are utter chaos (oh look, we're coming into indoor winter season...) and last time I got bitten by a strange dog was walking through the door of a training venue.
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For me it was definitely a spatial awareness thing? If there is a group of three or four people with their dogs standing in a small circle, chatting to each other, why would you walk your pack of dogs straight through the middle of them? Also a lot of the handlers seemed to have up to four dogs each. (Again, this is a breed-specific situation, on mainland Europe, don't @ me, lol).
Entry points being a flashpoint is a no brainer, for me.
 
But see, their dogs (gasping and honking on the end of the lead, spread out and taking up the whole walkway, collie-eyeballing everything in a 100m radius) are FRIENDLY and if the group of dogs and/or people in the chatting circle objects then it's because they are nasty and aggressive and have failed to train their dogs to be FRIENDLY like theirs.
 
blackcob said:
But see, their dogs (gasping and honking on the end of the lead, spread out and taking up the whole walkway, collie-eyeballing everything in a 100m radius) are FRIENDLY and if the group of dogs and/or people in the chatting circle objects then it's because they are nasty and aggressive and have failed to train their dogs to be FRIENDLY like theirs.
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You've been to that club lol!

It was so odd,the biggest problem was a vast herd of collie folk who rocked up to the venue and seemingly as a regular behaviour opened tailgates and let their dogs run riot in the car park. Hence the first dog fight I arrived in the middle of. The terrier that was leaving the course and exiting the building then of course started his own. After he had been caught for the second time I unwisely made a comment about needing work on his recall. One of the collie folk turned to me with a look of horror and said "why,this isn't obedience you know!!" , now yes ok this is 90 per cent of pet owners,but I had sort of thought agility dogs needed to be under control!!
That club is still going so not everyone ran away at first sight!
 
We’ve been at a workshop with Liz Naylor and Jo Tristam today . Walking Liz’s course I had a slight panic as there were turns he’s never attempted , then Liz checked everyone’s grades. I think most were grade 6, and is Zig grade 5 now asks Liz . Err no , grade 3 , oh he’ll be fine she says . And he did really well - entering weaves at a right angle from a tunnel , with a very inviting jump to ignore , took a few attempts but he got it . Grid work in the afternoon , which is always interesting given his shape and jumping style (bc can verify he’s not your classic agility dog 😝) but he did really well .
 
Re problem dogs(okay, owners), our only KC indoor venue in the county sometimes has two rings, sometimes three. I’ve resolved never to do a three run show there again - the queueing gauntlet is a challenge too far! It’s not that the corridors are too narrow, but by god people are as thick as mince sometimes.
 
Last course running evening of the season, everyone’s dropping like flies with the new Covid variant and we were thin on the ground so couldn’t be arsed to get contacts out. 😅

This ran beautifully, nailed it first time and didn’t lose him to the final tunnel once.

The judge who set this is holding an instructors seminar at our venue soon and I’ve volunteered mine as stooge dogs for the day, I fully intend to pick his brains in return (he runs a cracking GSD in champ).

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Well we finished our outdoor season with some lovely nearly runs at Vision.
Still needing one more win to go G7, but he's got the 3 agility wins already so it can be anything.
Only started running G6 at the start of July, and then I was away in Australia for 3 weeks so I'm amazed we've got to this point.
Next show is Octoberfest, giving us a couple of weekends break.
 
Fab training today with Barrie James. I’ve felt a bit eek! recently as I dropped my local indoor training club and now do not have a regular slot anywhere. I train with a mate at home, and hire a small centre locally where I can set up jumps, tunnel and weaves. I enjoy working on our skills. Anyway back to Barrie… ah he is great, I do love a positive trainer! And today, for the first time ever (not that I told Barrie this, I just did it), I distance handled the seesaw, and it worked! Top tips on positioning, words, actions, acceleration and deceleration, it was great!
 
Pssst - spin your seesaw base round :) If a dog slips as it's tipping they can get their paw trapped between the plank and the base, the other way round puts the gap on the tipping side.
 
This thread is so inspiring; you all seem to be having a great time with your dogs, although the tough courses look very challenging!
I fancy having a go at agility but I'm struggling to get started. I've made enquiries with local clubs but they only accept experienced dogs/owners. How does one get into agility as a beginner? My dog is a grand basset griffon vendeen, so we aren't going to be super fast or contending crufts but we have equipment at home which he enjoys so I thought he might enjoy having a go at some proper training. I'm in Cheshire if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks :)
 
DressageCob said:
This thread is so inspiring; you all seem to be having a great time with your dogs, although the tough courses look very challenging!
I fancy having a go at agility but I'm struggling to get started. I've made enquiries with local clubs but they only accept experienced dogs/owners. How does one get into agility as a beginner? My dog is a grand basset griffon vendeen, so we aren't going to be super fast or contending crufts but we have equipment at home which he enjoys so I thought he might enjoy having a go at some proper training. I'm in Cheshire if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks :)
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There is Dig it dogs at Sandbach, they take everyone from beginners. I train on the Cheshire/Shropshire border but we aren't running any beginner courses at the moment.
 
DressageCob said:
This thread is so inspiring; you all seem to be having a great time with your dogs, although the tough courses look very challenging!
I fancy having a go at agility but I'm struggling to get started. I've made enquiries with local clubs but they only accept experienced dogs/owners. How does one get into agility as a beginner? My dog is a grand basset griffon vendeen, so we aren't going to be super fast or contending crufts but we have equipment at home which he enjoys so I thought he might enjoy having a go at some proper training. I'm in Cheshire if anyone has any recommendations. Thanks :)
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I found someone who did 1:1 lessons and got in that way as opposed to group courses but it did take some asking around before finding someone who had space for us.
 
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