Sounds good to me, there aren't any other Shep's at our agility class but Esmes Mum and sister live only about twenty minutes away so we're constantly comparing notes!

I was going to do obedience with Esme but we're not doing any training for it at the moment. She is making PAT dog visits though and is really well behaved considering she's only six months old.

Which lines is Zena from again? I know she's from some obedience lines and so is Esme, who knows they might be related! Esme is Foxfold and Winters lines x

There are some great agility sheps out there
Heres my friends dog


Although I love collies I get bord fed up watching them run, I like to see the different way different breeds run

Her mum is Joevaness Wicked Witch, and dad is a Foxfold just like your Esme then, he's The Fox of Foxfold!

Oh what fantastic pics and what a handsome boy he's like our Bailey on here isn't he! Thanks for posting those!

Yes, it's usually the mad collies who go hurfing round isn't it, and this lady has a lot of collies, although she said the owners sometimes leave a lot to be desired, coz they just "expect", they sometimes forget they need to give commands, train the dog, and praise it! I'm always praising Zena for doing something well, so that'll come quite naturally, but don't know about the commands, I'll be using my silly voices and silly phrases, but at least Zena will cotton on even if the trainer doesn't!

Now, a quick question before I go please, do I need to run her a bit before I go considering we are doing everything slooooowly to start off with, or should I just walk her up the road for 10 mins??? Never done this before ya see and I don't want her too hyper what with her excitement (I hope!) Oh I really hope she loves it as much as I will!

Yup I was talking with the people in class last week about motivating are rewarding and one guy said 'Oh for my collie his reward is just getting to work some more' Thing is when we make mistakes we go back and do it again and if they get it right we stop - so the dog gets rewarded for doing it wrong
Praise and rewarding is always important I think so they know when they have done something correct

There is no right and wrong rule for what to do exercise wise
We have some dogs in class who can only get little walks before the class else they just have no oomph. I found best to give mine a long run in the morning and chill the rest of the day - they are a bit hyper if I give them a run later or if I dont exercise them much

if the training is positive and fun then she will love it - running and playing with you - whats not to love
Just take it slow to start with, they pick up the obsticles pretty quick then its all down to you learning to handle your dog

OH WOW, WOW, WOW How much fun was that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't believe how quietly and calmly Zena sat in front of each jump for me, she waited, whilst I climbed over myself holding her onlead, then said her name and "over" and she just jumped, each and every one like that!!!

The weaving was brilliant the trainer said, she had never seen a dog do it so beautifully for a first time EVER! She said that was not only down to Zena, but down to ME, because if the dog does it right, then that meant the handler was doing it right and she never looks at the handler, only the dogs! Oh Zena, my little STAR!!!

The tunnel caused a problem, it was too plastic, too long and too dark in there, so the lady kindly got out the smaller one, which we got her through, then she attached the smaller one to the bigger one, and I told her if I went the other end with her ball, she would go through it if she held her onlead the other end, and she DID!!! We did it a few times, but everytime I had to be at the other end for her to go through it, and the trainer was amazed she latched on to it so quickly

The ring thingy was a complete doddle! She sat in front of it (no, I didn't climb through that one!!!) and sat and waited soooooo beautifully whilst I got myself the other side, pulling the lead through the hoop, and said "through" (I think?!) and she just jumped through it! Oh Zena my little Star!

The A-frame was a different kettle of fish and I'm sorry to say she didn't lower it, it was high and very wide, but she made me stand and wait for strict instructions before we attempted it. We both held a lead either side, and we took her to it, and I started my up, up, ups as we kept close to the sides, and Zena got to the top and panicked and thought she had to jump off the side so that gave me a bit of a fright, but we did it again, and again and again, and it was ME who was the problem NOT Zena I'm afraid, and I'm happy to admit it!

She then said I had to do a little course, still onlead, so we set off on the weaves, brill, then we went to the jumps, but I made Zena sit and wait each time and quite honestly, she anticipated and would have been far better off if I had just let her jump them, so I just jumped the last one with her! Lol!

As I ran to the tunnel, I thought, hmmm, how am I gonna do this one then coz I don't have the trainer holding her one end, whilst I lie at the other end with her ball, so I got to it, Zena had her ball in her mouth, so I just bent down with a bit of cheese, we were still moving nicely forward by this time, Zena bent her head down, she never got that cheese, she just zooooooomed in, so I legged it to the other end, only to have her leap out and flatten me, but she was soooooo excited and so was I!!!!

We even crossed the big main road twice, there and back without a problem with big lorries thundering past! Oh I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am of my little girlie, and we're sooooo excited that we've found this outlet that I've booked us in again for this Sunday!!! Hang the expense, we like baked beans around here!!!!

I'll tell you something else too! When I arrived, the two ladies leaving were in fact two of my old trainers, and my trainer told me at the end of my lesson that Zena had been so outstanding, that she had done more today than they had got their dogs to do in 2 months!!!! She was very, very impressed with BOTH of us, she said we had a real partnership going me and Zena, and you can't get better than that can ya!!!

I'm a bit excited can yer tell! Lol! Why didn't you tell me how exciting this was before then!!!!!

Sounds like you both had a fab time

Oh we did, a brilliant time in fact! Both of us are taking this like ducks to water There's more equipment coming out later on, the big a-frame with the long, narrow bit in the middle (sorry I don't know the technical terms for this equipment yet!!!) that'll scare me and the tunnel made out of material (that'll scare Zena!!! )

I honestly can't believe how quickly she got the hang of it all, it's her first time even seeing any of this, let alone finding her way around it all, bless her heart, she certainly trusts me as that trainer said, if the dog doesn't trust you, you stand no chance! I'd better calm down now and have some lunch I think!!!

She said Zena would sleep a lot today, she's wrong there, I've got the football plonked at my feet!

I think you mean the dog walk.

I think its a shepherd thing! Sadie took to it like a duck to water, I compete her, though she is having a little break due to poor health but hoping to get back out there soon. She even won british agility association dog of the year award last year.
Agility is definately addictive!! Hence why I have 3 dogs and counting

OMG YOU won Dog of the Year at Agility with Sadie!!! That's a massive achievement, well done!

I could feel how I was going to get addicted to it half way through the lesson, when Zena was so pleased with herself (especially going through that tunnel when she flattened me!)

Any tips for me for when I get her to the top of that A-frame, coz I get a bit windy if she hesitates to go down the other side, I'm so worried she thinks she's got to jump from up there! Maybe after all those goes over it now though, she won't think like that It's ME isn't it, I'm the one with the vibes on that A-frame!!!!!

Zena didn't even mind this trainer taking the lead, she seems to have taken to her (but then she has shepherds), unlike what happened to me at dog training when that trainer took her off me! It's all looking good, we're going to have a ball with this!

Sounds fantastic Helen and well done to you and Zena! I wish I'd been able to come along and take photos (blooming work!) and I'd love to see Zena in action!

I saw your pm and hopefully I can get my little piggy along too. Although the jumps may have to be a little lower for her!