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Agility - Sharing the ups and the downs

85K views 793 replies 46 participants last post by  Quossum 
#1 ·
For those that are training in agility - whether it be in your backyard or competing at the excellent level I thought it would be nice to have a thread to talk about the ups and challenges that we all experience.

As an introduction - I am relatively new to agility - started actual training classes this summer and fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Right now I'm training my toy poodle Bella and are working on foundation skills with two Mini Aussies. I have found a couple really good trainers and can't wait for the seminars to start again - hope to be ready to actually train not just audit.

As someone new to agility we really celebrate the small things - a new skill means a jackpot and today we celebrated two! We've been working on going down the A-frame and the dog walk. Today Bella not only offered but was excited about performing the entire A-frame and the dog walk!!! This might not sound like much but this is huge for tiny Bella!

Our continuing struggle is with what many dogs love - the scary tunnel. Bella has decided this to be avoided at all costs even walking near it is tough. And going inside... not even for cheese :-(

Any suggestions on working through this would be much appreciated!
 
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#268 ·
He is very driven, no matter what you ask him to do he puts 200% enthusiasm into it, even if he's never done it before! we once took him to a dog show doing different have a go activities, one was a long jump. Panda was screaming, stamping his paws trying to have a go and he didn't even know what the rules were yet lol. He managed 8 feet before we stopped him as we didn't want him to push himself too much. He will do anything for a tennis ball and if it's a squeaky one he looses his mind for it hehe.
 
#269 ·
Here is our ups for the week - Teeter progress - slow but steady we are up to an 18" drop in a sequence - woo hoo!!!! Slow and steady as to not to scare her ever again but this was very exciting. Also much progression in rear crosses, moving out ahead with obstacle focus, and the serpantine/threadle are coming along nicely :)

Downs (I'm going to call them learning opportunities)

Her instructor wants us to focus on our weave entries. Onside is good but offside is rough - even with the RFP I'm struggling to get any type of easy to help her find the entrance. I've never used the 2x2 method but I'm wondering if it might help this? My instructor said I'm trying to "help" to much and I'm getting in her way which is also not helping....

I continue to struggle as well with right / left. One instructor does not use these and instead uses turn for both which I'm considering. As I'm new to running with verbals (previous instructor said to run completely quiet unless an off course situation required it) I find this challenging.

And on the awesome side:

As a reminder to myself I looked at her puppy book today and reread some of those early struggles - Bella is happy and her world is opening a bit more each day - she played with one of the dogs after class Saturday during a free play time!!!! Life is good - I get to play this wonderful game with my best friend!
 
#270 ·
Weaves are a challenge for sure. You can work entries on a straight set by removing all but the first 2 poles. Work them from both sides & both ends of the poles. You can add more poles slowly as each step is mastered. I can try to send a video this weekend if you want for clarity. As for direction I work them on the ground with no jumps at first. Using a cone, jump standard, soda bottle or any other object just as a target that they have to turn around. I start very close and then slowly increase the distance so that they get the idea of changing directions. I can try to video this as well ;-).

Running completly silent is a great way to learn trust and to see how your dog is responding to your handling. Of course there are many ways to train these things but this has worked for me .

It sounds like you are making great progress. Congrats!
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#271 ·
Congrats on all those good things! Yes, a training journal is a great thing, as you look back and see how far you've come. I used to be really diligent with mine but I've slacked off. Gotta get back into it.

The 2x2 method does produce great entries--I don't think Sugar knows the difference between offside and onside entries, just entries--but I'm not sure about reteaching using 2x2 when the dog already knows the poles. Has anyone out there done this?

Running with verbals: I do a combo. I try to run silent except for directionals and my contact command, but I'll use an obstacle name as encouragement if needed. No way could I use "left" and "right." I have a bit of spatial difficulty in that way (the kind of kid who always miswrote "d" and "b" and I still have to think about it when told to face left or right). I couldn't keep those straight during an Agility run to save my life. No, the directionals I use are "come" and "out." Those I can keep straight!

Good luck and good growth!

--Q
 
#272 ·
I am very vocal. I use a yes marker as some use a clicker. If Swizzle is going to take a tunnel I tell him several obstacles ahead so he is sure of his line. I do not use left and right as I am sure in the haste of the moment I would make a mistake. I also find out very useful, I mainly use a hand signal for come.
 
#273 ·
Verbals are the only way I can get around a course. Because I don't move well, I MUST have verbals and they MUST override my body.
In order to remember verbals, I walk the course and chant them as I walk where they will go. It is just like remembering the course. If you integrate the verbals into your walk, you will have a much easier time remembering them :)
Here is a video of Pankies getting her Master FAST title. There were only FOUR total Qs on this course in ALL the jump heights ; 1 in 12" - 1 in 20" - 1 in 24" (us) and one in 26" and I was amazed there were not more! I found it a very easy send because of my verbals("go!" AND MY TURN SHARP LEFT AND COME BACK TO ME Q which is "MAHMAHMAHMAHMAH"). I am not sure you can hear my Qs on the run.

I spend a ton of time teaching verbals and they must be great for my dogs.
My husband is 76 years old. He runs a very fast BC. He won USDAA Steeplechase last weekend and without his great verbals, it would not have happened!

He also won Mast Standard using mostly verbals, although he is much faster than I.

If we old folks can remember verbals, ANYONE can! :beauty:
 
#274 ·
I'm a little discouraged this evening. The positive is that Racer's weaves are looking good. His footwork has improved tremendously. The downside is that he is having trouble sequencing jumps. So many other things to do like tunnels & contacts lol. Also he did not even attempt to hold a contact. Apparently his father had the same issue when he first started & to be honest Racer is a cookie cutter of his daddy. Same attitude (which is what I wanted) and they look very much alike. So, we are back to targeting contacts & I have some homework for the sequencing that includes the clicker. We get occasional flashes of brilliance though & I know eventually everything will come together. It has been a long time since I have worked a baby dog. Just like with puppies I think the trials & tribulations fade in the memory with time ;)
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#275 ·
Dogs do what they find rewarding! If it is more rewarding to run by jumps than take them or blow off contacts, that is what they do. It is our job as their trainers to teach them those things are more rewarding to do. It doesn't matter what his father did. It is up to you as his trainer to get this :). You can do it with great instruction and hard work.
 
#276 ·
Yes I have not been working agility like I should at home. I think marking with the clicker will help since he will get the instant feedback. I've gone back to work so I'm ready for the longer days so we can work outside in the evenings. I have been concentrating on rally which is great but my passion is agility so we need to get back to it.

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#277 ·
I feel ya'! His first few shows Sugarfoot's contacts were great and I thought we were golden. Last couple of shows he seemingly forgot what they were! Oh, well, a young dog has to experiment. Like Helen says, back to working on making contacts really rewarding. I've had to work at really getting his stimulation level up at home to recreate that arousal of a show. We'll see how things go this weekend!
 
#279 ·
Jilty, fantastic videos, I have watched them several times. I have noticed a lot of people's criteria is different for a show. They act differently and the dog responds differently. I think with agility it is important to keep revisiting the skills we have and as Jilty says make what we want rewarding for our dogs. Best of luck Quossom, I bet all your hard work will pay off!
 
#280 ·
Thanks :).
We train our dogs to the highest level before we ever enter them in a trial. All behaviors must trained to fluency or close to really be great!
 
#284 ·
:whoo:Huge CONGRATULATIONS
to you and your outstanding little birthday girl athlete!! :adore: You two make such a wonderful, winning team!! CELEBRATE BIG!!:present::cake::cheers:
 
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#286 ·
Minnie that is just the most awesome thing you could have done together with the birthday girl!!!!!!!!:birthday::birthday::birthday::congrats:

Good luck today. Keep us posted.
 
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#288 ·
You and Bella are sensational, Minnie!!:whoo: Delighted to celebrate your success and happiness!! :cheers:Congratulations again and again!!:first::second: You two really are the best, and fastest, of friends!!:vroam:
 
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#289 ·
What Chagall's Mom said, couldn't offer anything better as congrats. The move to Florida has been good for you, hasn't it?
 
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#290 ·
Wow, congrats! What a great birthday present!

Sugarfoot Jones had a much more varied weekend: Phenomenal in Jumpers (finished out his title with two perfect scores, blistering times), but then couldn't hit a contact in Standard for love or money. Well, he got the seesaw consistently, but insisted on jumping off the frame and the dogwalk. Back to the drawing board--or should I say training field!

--Q
 
#292 ·
There were two beautiful standards at the trial this weekend - the older was pure deep black and the other a 10 mo puppy clearing to silver along for the ride - gorgeous dogs. I had the best time watching them and they made me think of of you guys :)
 
#293 ·
Q, I hear you on the fly offs. Lily used to think it was funny. I am very glad I was able to fix that problem it was the biggest obstacle for novice standard Qs. Now I actually have to work on getting her faster again on the A frame. She is sight seeing on the top. We do lots of motivation to get her to the bottom and then only reward big time if she holds the two on. If she comes all the way off we ignore and repeat. It is coming along, but is sort of like "simon says" with two steps forward, one step back.
 
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#294 ·
At his first couple of trials his contacts were good. I'm thinking he got a little *too* comfortable / exuberant in the ring and will settle down with experience. One can't expect a Poodle to act like a BC, right?

But in the meantime we're really trying to up the arousal in practice to insane / show-like levels. Yep, we're bringing out the big guns: my husband playing with his corgi *right* in front of him! lol

--Q
 
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