So what does the course at the show have to do with anything?? And how does that produce a burnt out or confused dog??

Surely a confused dog would be one which has not been clearly taught commands and is not clearly understanding what is being asked of him. Where have i said that he doesnt understand what is being asked or seems confused??

And how exactly does 5 minutes training at a show equal a burnt out dog??
A "burnt out" dog would surely be more likely to happen if i were training him several times a week and working him into the ground...neither of which i do.

Too fast in what way?
Do you mean because i took him in a practice ring at a competition and did 5 minutes of work with him?

Just thought I would update this. After mavs latest training session, i have decided to get full bloods and a check up done at the vets.

He lasted 10 minutes before he was knackered and we had to stop.

I'm hoping he is just VERY babyish, my trainer has an entire male a week younger than him, and although i know every dog matures differently, we ran our hands over them both and mav has hardly any muscle coverage on him, especially compared to my trainers dog(they get a similar amount of exercise) he's also gone REALLY skinny this last few weeks (he is having a growing spurt tho).

So, if the vets and results are ok, then i will probably change him to a higher protein diet and may start steady biking with him (not too much as he is still young) 3-4 times a week, aswell as daily lead walking.

I will continue with his agility training just for 10-15 mins a few times a week, just so he continues to learn, but this isnt my priority with him now.

Sorry --missed this.

I don't think a year old dog should be at the stage of doing a course--at a show or anywhere else. It doesn't take 6 mths to train a dog to do agility. A year is too young.

If there is something physically wrong I would have thought it would show up when he is free running.

Is he the brown? One of the earlier flyballing people used to say thet the brown dogs don't have the stamina of the black and white---but that was just their experience. I did wonder at the time if that was why they didn't ever become widely popular among the farming community.

Be interesing to see the test results---hopefully they will be clear for him. Is he treated for lung worm?

rune

a collie is a collie no matter bout coat colour...i have had three different coloured collies..all nutters with stamina(including a red)

i disagree about doing a full training round,dont see why not if the dog in question(and handler) are READY.

i do agree about lungworm tho,and i do find it very odd he is tired after only 10 mins of training(that said if this is the case he obviously isnt ready for a full course)

i think u defo need to wait for those bloods and take it from there.

A course takes about 30-40 seconds to run, as i have said earlier, his training is usually broken down, but at some point in his training session we will put it all together and do the full course.
No, a dog doesnt take 6 months to train for agility, it takes a lot longer to be at a good competition standard. Why do you think a year is too young?

Yeh, he is the red & white, both his damn and sire are high drive, high stamina working dogs...and are both r&w so dont agree with this.
Yep, he's been treated for lung worm.

Yeh, if anything in general his stamina is getting worse. Gonna make a vets appointment for tomorrow

LOL---I KNOW how long a course takes to run, I competed for 20 years. I stopped after rediscovering weekends during foot and mouth.

Having had several different coloured collies I tend to agree with the colour thing---certainly Celt (who is lilac) has very little stamina.

It doesn't take longer than 6 months to train to competition standard. I did it and many of my friends still do.

We will have to agree to disagree, years ago I would have agreed with you---we competed at a year to begin with. I have seen the damage it can do and watched dogs lose enthusiasm.

I hope there is nothing wrong with him.

rune

I guess it depends on standards, a dog that is able to complete a course isnt necessarily competition standard, especially when they automatically go in at grade 3 and start their competition career in many Graded 3-5 classes. I know many a dog that has not been ready after 6 months of training...its down to the individual dogs (and handlers obviously)

Out of interest, how old do you think a dog should be to start agility training?

Id start at a year knowing what I know now. Plenty of time to teach everything and be able to run courses. You don't want to progress too quickly to more difficult twisty courses. I have a friend who holds her contacts for the first year just so she doesn't progress too fast.

During that year (assuming the dog isn't a rescue) I'd get rock solid basics going as well as a few bits of fun stuff just to teach the dog to concentrate and tune in to me. I'd do directional commands on the flat using a ball and teach a good sendaway.I'd had Merlin 4 mths before his first competition and I got him at just over a year. That was competing at novice as it was then and getting good places.

Agility isn't that difficult to teach---the fingertip control is!

rune

And the fingertip control is a huge part of agility...it goes together!
Its taken me a while to get that control with ripley as she has lightening quick reactions...and i dont! haha.

All the work i do with mav is pretty straightforward and flowing, stuff to build his confidence etc. He's almost 14 months now...

.......such as?