Agility(kinda long)
|
|
This is fantastic!  When I first started agility with Lumpi, my mutt and even though he was obedient that time, our agility teacher told us to first attend "obility", which is the mix of obedience and agility. We are doing some obedience training and also introducing the dogs to the objects. I loved it and it actually made me realize that I did do a pretty good job with him. 
When we started agility we were both working as a team, he payed attention to me all the time and I was amazed! Doing something like this with your dog, when the two of you have to work together as a team strengthen your bond and relationship. It is a very smart idea to go and do this now. You will love it!  |
 What a good dog mom you are Pam. Here's a  from Chewie!
That should be so much fun. I am still trying to figure out how to get agility to fit into my work schedule. I thought I had a good plan - some private classes with someone in my therapy dog chapter. Unfortunately her health is not good, and I feel bad trying to fit it in her life now.  It is a sad situation.
Sorry for the sad note - we really are plenty busy doing lots of fun stuff - and that really is the important part. Simon will love it - I just know it!!! Go ahead and play hookie! That's what sick time is really for. He is just your 4 legged kid.
I hope Randy can go with and get some pictures for you to share with us. I bet Simon really can move when he starts learning the obstacles. |
| How fun!!!!!
I am going to take Heart to an agility workshop this weekend. I know she is too young to jump...but I think she will enjoy going through all the hoops and the tunnel --kinda scared of the platform, though...she is such a little oinker...and not very coordinated at this age...  
I am very excited that my baby is going to try some BIG DOG activities!!!!! |
| Bella LOVES agility!!!! Every Saturday morning she just knows we're getting ready to go and she is just so excited. She is not afraid of anything. I am cautious with the jumps as she is only 17 months old and won't let her jump too high or too much, but she loves the tunnel, chute and even the teeter. They just introduced the tire last Saturday and seemed to just love it as well. My problem is she is so enthusiastic I have to slow her down! It's fun for both of us, so good luck on your adventure.
Mary |
| Pam!!! How exciting!!!
We haven't had any new OES agility dogs in this area in quite some time. Keep us posted and maybe later we can go to some run-thrus together as we start getting ready for competition (I have three young ones) and then we'll run into each other at trials and...and then meet up with Kathi McBride in IL and... OK, maybe getting a little ahead myself here But I think this is such a great thing for both you and Simon. You'll both love it.
Oh, and the dog park thing is still on. I found a fabulous one down here near Sturtevant and I know you guys have some great ones up your way. Maybe we should try to have a once a month OES dog park gathering - we can alternate parks and spread the word to local OES owners. Kristine |
Bellalover wrote: Bella LOVES agility!!!! Every Saturday morning she just knows we're getting ready to go and she is just so excited. She is not afraid of anything. My problem is she is so enthusiastic I have to slow her down! It's fun for both of us, so good luck on your adventure.
Mary No, no, no!!! Don't slow her down! You'll need that speed and enthusiasm. Don't do anything to quelch it! Tell your instructor you'll need to learn how to handle smarter (good independant obstacle performance on her part and teach her to work at a distance if she's too fast for you), but don't ever force her to work virtually in heel position because you can't keep up (who can, with a fast dog?) or because it feels "out of control" (you learn, over time, instead to channel that enthusiasm at speed - yes, it's harder, but worth it). My motto: Embrace the Madness!
Nothing more exciting than a truly high drive OES. Kristine |
got sheep wrote: :I am still trying to figure out how to get agility to fit into my work schedule.
Dawn - we need to get together and I'll show you a bunch of foundation work you can do on your own this winter - a few minutes here and there - much of it with out much of any kind of equipment, so that when you do find time & a class, you'll zip through it. You can start by lighting a fire on whatever play drive he has and teaching him to tug if he doesn't do it already. And work on his play retrieves. (Toss things that he can tug - that is is reward when he returns to you). Much of this can be used to cultivate better attention in obedience as well for that "up and drivey" style dog - nothing prettier. Sybil gets a little too revved up. When I restrain her for a retrieve (another good thing to teach - a restrained send - have them chomping at the imaginary bit) she gets a little "rude"...Think flyball dog. I'm working on toning it down without taking the edge off of her. She is her mother's daughter. Thank dog.
Kristine |
| I don't know if Chewie got ANY of the agility genes!!
We had class last night (obedience) and for a little change we played around with a jump. Chewie can jump if sufficiently motivated - sometimes. If given the choice, he rooted between the bars with his nose and went through the jump. He wasn't crashing into it, he was actively going through the middle by using his nose. 
Maybe I should check into earth dog trials instead.......  |
got sheep wrote: I don't know if Chewie got ANY of the agility genes!!
We had class last night (obedience) and for a little change we played around with a jump. Chewie can jump if sufficiently motivated - sometimes. If given the choice, he rooted between the bars with his nose and went through the jump. He wasn't crashing into it, he was actively going through the middle by using his nose. Maybe I should check into earth dog trials instead....... Well, he's always kinda...mellow...for a Mad child.
What he lacks is motivation and an understanding that jumping in and of itself is fun. Agility is a game. It has to be tought that way and the obstacles need to become self-rewarding. Lend him to me for 10 minutes and I'll show you what I mean. It's easier than trying to explain. Failing that, well, how big are the earth dog tunnels???? |
| I'm afraid the earth dog tunnels would be a tight fit - even with a haircut.
He is funny though. For example, he plays with Gabby out in their yard. They always have several wing jumps and other jumps set up in the yard. Gabby and he play tag - and they are really into it! Gabby hops over every jump, Chewie goes around them. It seriously never naturally occurs to him to jump - even when he is literally on Gabby's tail. At home, he and Maggie race around in the livingroom at least once every day. They get really wild. Maggie jumps on the couch and flies over the back. Chewie jumps on the couch, but then jumps down and runs around it!  He is super excited, just seems to prefer not to jump.
Evidently, jumping will need to be a learned behavior.
He does so much else so easily and naturally, I guess there was bound to be something that wasn't . |
| Now that is interesting. Jumping was never his mother's favorite thing. Tunnels, yes. Teeter, yes. Weaves, yes. Jumping? Not a the top of the list.
I mean, she'd take whatever was in front of her, but, thinking back, I think it was more a matter of whatever was the fastest path from point A to B. Find out what does excite him, put a jump in a hallway or something so he can't go around it, and then let him race back and forth between two fun things till he gets the picture.... His relatives fall roughly into three categories: Jumpers Tunnelers Climbers Belle was always a jumper - that's self-rewarding to her (that and this almost obscenely unnatural love she has of the chute...  ) She never much cared for tunnels.
Mad (and Luca) were born tunnelers (so maybe that earth dog thing isn't so far off? I )
Sybil's more of a jumper, I think. She's a tough read. Liz...is a lot like her mom, Belle, so I guess more of a jumper. Che and Macy are climbers. Sister Suzy has reportedly just learned how to weave. No word on where she fits in the scheme of things..I believe hellion was the word most used in the last report I got about her
Secret is, though, whatever their natural proclivity, you can teach them to love anything armed with the almighty clicker. And whatever you most heavily rewarded last is their favorite thing in the whole wide world...
KB |
| Congrats! I'm so happy for you! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|