register for free
View our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Bodhi
Dogsey Veteran
Bodhi is offline  
Location: Wales
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,886
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 01:27 PM

What is the best age to start agility?

I would like to give agility a go with Bodhi. Obviously not now, as she is still a puppy. But when can I start and what can I do?

She is no border collie, but I honesty think she would take to it like a duck to water. Just fun stuff, to keep us both occupied and a bit fitter!!

I have never done it before (well - in a club setting - I used to set jumps and courses up for my old collie when I was younger!!!!), and wonder how well clubs take to complete beginners?

Also, are there many clubs around? I will have to look for one in Yorkshire.... I will be attending obedience hopefully, so I guess they will have contacts..?
Reply With Quote
colliecrazy1
Dogsey Senior
colliecrazy1 is offline  
Location: Sheffield
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 442
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 01:30 PM
think Agility is a year Old at least But I know there is a waiting list for this.....But it fun to do have you thought about Flyball if your Dog loves balls....They can do Flyball taking is steady On low jumps from about 6MONTHS.
HAVE FUN.
JULIE
Reply With Quote
Pita
Dogsey Veteran
Pita is offline  
Location: Lincolnshire
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,218
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 01:36 PM
Most club like the dogs to be about 18 months depending on when the dog matures but anyway at least 12 months and the dog needs basic obedience so it will go down and stay, and be attentive to it’s owner when of lead.
Reply With Quote
Kicks
Dogsey Veteran
Kicks is offline  
Location: Somerset, UK
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 5,479
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 01:43 PM
hiya,
Try looking around for a club that does "pre-agility" - Nelson enrolled two weeks ago (same age even if they are or aren't bro and sister) this teaches obedience around the equipment as well as things like recalling through the wings of jumps, tunnels and walking along planks on the ground stopping on the end - no more stress on the bones than standard obedience but gives you a real head start in agility.
Try White Rose agility club - they might be near you, there are also yorkshire bouncers they train flyball and agility. www.agilitynet.co.uk and www.it-barks.co.uk both have club lists and contact details!
Agility is class i'm sure you'll enjoy it.
H xx

Edited to say - for dogs Bodhi's breed and build basic training will start at around a year, they can compete from 18 months onwards. For bigger breeds it's best to wait a bit longer
Reply With Quote
Bodhi
Dogsey Veteran
Bodhi is offline  
Location: Wales
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,886
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 01:53 PM
Brilliant!

Great info.

I feel I'd have to brush up on her obedience to begin with. While she is VERY attentive indoors, and follows a command through before you have even finished saying it, outdoors is so-so. Not bad by any means, but not good enough I don't think. So I'd like to go to some basic, bog-standard classes with her to begin with. Also, to see how she takes to a class environment.

I will begin enquiring around, as I know I will be in Yorks by the end of march!

Thanks
Reply With Quote
Bodhi
Dogsey Veteran
Bodhi is offline  
Location: Wales
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,886
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 01:58 PM
Also!

Something else I was thinking about, but I am not sure of the exact name for it.

Basically I would love to get involved in something similar to search and rescue. But a fun version. Bodhi loves hunting stuff down - we hide her toy, or chuck it somewhere in long grass etc - and she will find it. I would love to work with this, as she really enjoys it, and wonder how you can develop it? Is it scent work??
Reply With Quote
Pita
Dogsey Veteran
Pita is offline  
Location: Lincolnshire
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,218
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 02:27 PM
Originally Posted by Bodhi
Also!

Something else I was thinking about, but I am not sure of the exact name for it.

Basically I would love to get involved in something similar to search and rescue. But a fun version. Bodhi loves hunting stuff down - we hide her toy, or chuck it somewhere in long grass etc - and she will find it. I would love to work with this, as she really enjoys it, and wonder how you can develop it? Is it scent work??
Tracking and search and rescue is usually done by obedience trained dogs, and it can be very rewarding, there is also PAT work that will give you, your dog and your clients great pleasure.
Reply With Quote
Bodhi
Dogsey Veteran
Bodhi is offline  
Location: Wales
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,886
Female 
 
23-02-2006, 02:32 PM
Thanks Thordell.

I was thinking something more along the line of doing something fun, rather than real search and rescue (although, I am sure that would be amazing!).

I wasn't even sure if there was anything structured? We can always just keep it a game!
Reply With Quote
sportsmonki
New Member!
sportsmonki is offline  
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11
Female 
 
24-02-2006, 05:09 PM
I can think of a few doggie sports that encourage this type of behaviour. Working Trials has a search square (finding objects within an area) and a track (following a scent track and finding objects on the track). Schutzhund also has tracking. There is also gundog work, either field trials or gundog working tests and I know some people who have trained 'other breeds' e.g. collies, etc for this type of work...they never went out on a shoot just did fun competitions, etc. Competitive obedience has the scent discrimination test (locating a cloth with a particular scent on from a group of neutral and decoy cloths). There are clubs/trainers that run days specifically focusing on tracking and/or nosework, and these may be something that you would like to look into.

Hope this helps,

sportsmonki
Reply With Quote
need4speed
Dogsey Junior
need4speed is offline  
Location: East Midlands
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 74
Female 
 
03-03-2006, 10:00 AM
I didnt start mine untill they were 18months theres lots of things you can do with them before then, like doing obedience, direction comannds, good waits, recall etc. I did take them to the agility club though for socialisation. Where i did some basic obedience training there while keeping her attention on me rather than very exciting dogs are whizzing around.
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools


© Copyright 2016, Dogsey   Contact Us - Dogsey - Top Contact us | Archive | Privacy | Terms of use | Top