Lucky you

I have seen far too many people buy a Collie thinking this is a given

lol is it lucky?

funny thing is my b/w was from part show part working lines..we went to the same club as his sister,Buzz was a 'pocket rocket' and his sister was so laid back with hardly any drive at all... maybe its the handler

That you don't need to start early---that dogs do burn out and get fed up, that too much jumping can and does make arthritis more likely in front legs/feet.

How old do you think a dog should be before starting agility? Most clubs I know of now start at 10/12 mths although they run puppy sessions going through wings etc.

I'd put a pup over the dog walk and see saw just holding it on carefully----I have always done that just to get them used to the idea. Never on their own though.

Weaves never till they are at least a year.

rune

I think that can have a lot to do with it - but I think it has to be something in the dog as well.

When I purchased Siren, I had watched several people with dogs form that line, struggling to get them motivated in the ring, so I was expecting it to be an issue. I do not think I actively tried to build up her enthusiasm, but I certainly avoided any exercises that might in any way dampen her. I did not start 'properly' training her till she was about 8 months (obedience not agility) at which point discovered I had a lunatic on my hands!!

Her mother is nicknamed Nutty, but watching one of her sisters work, Siren seems to be the one who is up for anything and everything. Maybe it was her training, maybe I was just lucky in the one I was offered.

It would be fascinating to do it all again with the same dog and a different person and see how much difference there was.

Yup I thought it was pretty standard to wait till at least a year before really training for agility
If you are aiming for agility there is plenty of tricks and exercises you can teach before they even see any equipment - but no point rushing them into agility

With Ben actualy we have had 6 months of because I couldnt find a club, we have just been playing and doing loads of tricks and stuff - and he is MUCH better now he is back at it -naturaly all the work I have been doing on the flat - racing round trees, circles away from me, jogging with me - all has helped loads

......... Your previous posts indicate that you think a year is too young..."it does not take 6 months to train to competition standard" ...so i dont understand what your issue is with me training my dog who is over a year now, in short bursts... and a straight forward up and down course is just that....

This is going to sound contraversial but I started my last pups training at 12 weeks. I spent the 4 weeks before bonding and focusing him on me. At 12 weeks I started training waits before jump wings rewarding without going through the wings, recalls through wings and send aways. I also started contact training at 12 weeks, I taught him to walk backwards and then really rewarded him when he touched the equipment with a back foot. I slowly raised the criteria to get him to hold them. I did this until he was 12 months old and only then was he allowed up and over. He thinks contacts are the most amazing place to be and even now i train my agility runs at shows unless it's a qualifier or champ. I started jumping him at 12 months on low height and he was put to full height at 16 months. I would have done that slightly quicker but he had 2 months out due to castration and removal of rear dew claws. No weaves though until he was a year. I think personally it's all about the balance and sure certain things now I'd do differently with a new pup but I'd keep the time lines the same as I'm over the moon with him.

Not controversial at all, i taught both my collies contacts from when they were 12 weeks too (my first agility dog has very inconsistent contacts so i wanted to get it right!) and they both have fantastic contacts now. I have also trained them both through jump wings since around the same age too.
I think the only thing you cant do when young is anything that puts pressure on the joints- hence waiting to around a year.
My boy is still training on medium and will continue to for the forseeable future.

Good post---I agree totally.

CC you said you ran a course at a show when he was a year old.

Thats what I thought was wrong---if he can do a course at a yearI think it is too much too soon.

I meant it doesn't take AS LONG as 6 mths---not it takes longer!

rune

I know, but you said "it does not take 6 months to train to competition standard" (indicating you think that i have started too soon) and then you say that clubs you know start at 10/12 months.

I started training mav properly at 10 months, previous to that he had done all the the A frame/dog walk and see saw on low on lead to get him confident over them. I dont see what me running him in a training course at a show has to do with things? Does it become more strenuous because he is at a competition? I dont think so, seeing (as i have said previously, several times) it was a practice ring full of equipment, i took him around a SHORT EASY course that i chose...the only difference between that and training is that it was in the grounds of a competition...and like i said, he enjoyed it alot more than he does at training and was very motivated and found it very easy.