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firefox
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firefox is offline  
Location: Somerset, UK
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 252
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17-03-2010, 08:06 AM

How old to start agility?

Someone where I work has a veyr young pup (just got his second shots this week) and has been recommended an agility training place and she reckons her pup can start straight away.
I thought I'd read that they have to be a certain age (9months?).

Is that right or can you start youner.

also, whats the basic training a pup should have before they go to classes?

Thanks
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Hali
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Location: Scottish Borders
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17-03-2010, 08:24 AM
12 months mininum -depending on the size of dog, it may be a bit later - i.e. you want them to have finished growing and for the bones and muscles to be well formed before starting any impact or twisting (e.g. weaves).

There are certain things you can do before 12 months.

learning to walk round a course through jump wings with poles on the ground
going through the tunnel
walking on a flat plank on the ground

I really, really hope that the person at work is not right - i.e. that they will not be allowed to start straight away. If they are, I dread to think what this club is going to be like.

Even without any impact/twisting, starting a pup so young at agility is likely to cause more harm than good. The pup has so much more important things to learn and get involved in.

As for basic training, it depends. Some clubs will insist on a solid recall and a stay as a minimum. Other clubs may let you join with less (as if the dogs are enjoying agility they will often learn these skills through agility).
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rune
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17-03-2010, 09:47 AM
Lots of clubs run puppy classes for agility, walking them through fence poles etc. I expect that is what they wioll be doing.

Not recommended but I used to put pups over the dog walk and see saw when they were in the garden---drew the line at the A frame. I did put Etta on the see saw at a friends when she was tiny. Doesn't hurt if you have them held in two hands.

rune
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Tillymint
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17-03-2010, 05:25 PM
I did pre agilty with mine at 8 months (no jumps, poles etc..) & was told to wait until she was 18 months to start properly so am starting soon.
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Sarah88
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Location: East Lothian
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17-03-2010, 06:54 PM
I'm keen to get Kia into agility as she has so much energy but was going to wait till she was at least 12months so I'm glad this came up! Just confirms what I thought already . As a bit of a side... Anyone know a good place to do it in London? Mike and I are moving there (the 'Acton' area I think...) and even though he's lived there before, I'm a bit clueless myself!

Sorry if I'm bringing this up in the wrong area but it just popped into my head as I was typing!!!

Thanks,
Sarah
xoxox
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Moon's Mum
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19-03-2010, 07:50 PM
Originally Posted by Sarah & Mike View Post
I'm keen to get Kia into agility as she has so much energy but was going to wait till she was at least 12months so I'm glad this came up! Just confirms what I thought already . As a bit of a side... Anyone know a good place to do it in London? Mike and I are moving there (the 'Acton' area I think...) and even though he's lived there before, I'm a bit clueless myself!

Sorry if I'm bringing this up in the wrong area but it just popped into my head as I was typing!!!

Thanks,
Sarah
xoxox
I can highly recommend Capable Canines (www.capablecanines2002.com/) with Dave and Cherylyn Bayliss - although the classes are in Ham which may be a bit far for you ? They are a fantastic happy relaxed couple, truely excellent dog trainers and run completely positive sessions for both their dog training and agility classes. It's £80 for the initial 6 week course then £8 per class that you can drop in as and when you are avaliable. I can't recommend them highly enough, they are truely natural with dogs and their genuine loveis obvious. If you can get over to Ham you won't regret. we will be taking Cain to agilty with them when he's old enough - but he's only 9 monht now so I have nearly a year to wait as he's large breed, I'm so impatient
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