JE-UK

Anyone have these?

Mine's in training for both, I do obedience and my S.O. does agility with him. There are times when he's unavailable for agility classes, so I take Vasco, and I think I'm confusing him!

There seems a basic conflict between the attention behaviour that I train for in obedience, and the ability to work ahead that he needs for agility. When I work him in agility, he is constantly looking back to me, which interrupts the flow.

I don't want to discourage him from focusing on me, but at the same time need a way to make it clear that in one scenario, attention is fantastic, good, desirable, but in the other, not so much.

I think he's made the connection in terms of who is handling him, but I'd like for both of us to be able to work him in agility. (S.O. has no interest in obedience, so no conflict there.)

Anyone do both? Have tips?

debjen

I have trained for both at the same time although now due to the number of dogs and teaching, time etc I am mainly doing agility. I think the biggest thing I did was different collar and leash for each activity. A different warmup for each activity. For obedience it might be some one step turns or heeling close figure eights something that would require close attention. In agility it would be warming up over a jump following hand signals working at a distance. The dog doing circles at my side again following my hands.

Beach girl

Sounds like a good idea. I've got Casey in classes for obedience and agility. Never thought about using different leashes but might give that a try. Your idea about different warm-up exercises is brilliant.

AgilityIG

I am wondering if the problem is not confusing obedience with agility, but rather that you and your SO handle differently in agility and Vasco is more confident with your SO in agility. I would suggest that you video the two of you handling him on the same course or sequence and see how your handling styles differ or are the same. Make sure you are using the same cues (verbal and physical cues). Also, if Vasco is just learing, it does make things more difficult if two people are giving him different cues. You may think you are doing things the same, but people move and do things differently. Videoing would help a lot.

ETA: I have participated in multiple sports at one time with a single dog and there never seemed to be any confusion as to what we were doing, but I was his only handler for all things (Robin was competing in rally, agility, obedience, coursing and conformation at the same time - sometimes at the same show).

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Beach girl

In my tiny bit of experience (classes only, have not competed yet), it seems like obedience helps set him up for success in agility. Because he has a very good "wait," I can move out 3 obstacles ahead of the start line, and then call out the commands for his first jumps. That helps a lot as he runs much faster than I do.

Both disciplines help sharpen his focus and ability to pay attention.

JE-UK

I'm sure that's a huge part of it. We debrief all the time so we are consistent with verbal cues, but I'm sure we are hugely different with postural cues. Plus, I'm a klutz and Vasco isn't sure what "owner falls over a jump wing" means .

We've started with very specific warmups for each, as suggested; cross your fingers!

creativeparti

Was great to meet you today Vasco is lovely

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Panda

Does Vasco now go to your agility class Emily?

creativeparti

He came to where I train today for the morning he's lovely natured

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Panda

Awww Vasco does look very handsome

I didn't know you trained on a Sunday.