What age for agility?

I understand that dogs are ready for agility training at 12 months. However, I feel that my Belgie, which is coming up to 14 months, is still too excitable to take this kind of training seriously. I do think she would enjoy it though, because shes got so much energy. Anybody got any thoughts on the right age for training a belgie for agility? (Although I have done obedience training quite successfully in the past, I have no experience of agility)

Not sure I can help Ray. I believe the minumum age for comepetive agility in the UK is 18 months. I started training mine from a very young age (3-4 months) with easy, low impact, equipment. Maybe you would be best to contact an agility club who would have good people to evaluate you, your dog and her level of competence & her prospects.

I tend to the view that agility must be fun and not taken too seriously, by dog or handler - but we just do it for fun, not in competition. I would rather have an 'up' dog than a plodder

There are several agility people here who will be able and willing to help once they spot your post

I don't think you would have any trouble training her now. Be warned though that most dogs are excitable at agility and I know of 10 year olds that are still competing that have to be dragged away from the ring to stop them going around again. I started my youngster at 8 months doing simple exercises, poles on the floor and lots of straight lines. He is now 17 months old and is entered into his first show in a months time. He is very keen and in the last month he has started to settle down to it quite noticeabley. My criteria for entering him in his first show was that he must be able to complete all of the equipment safely and I know that he can do that. When he first started he used to scream and bark at the other dogs and try to chase them but he no longer does that although he does get excited watching them run but not silly like before. They soon settle down once they start training. You do need a good recall though and left and right commands are not a bad thing to have either. If you have already done all the obedience stuff with her then you probably won't have any trouble getting her attention on you. I would try and find a group near to you and take her along and have a chat to them and watch what goes on. She will get excited about it all but excited is ok, out of control would concern me more.

Colliemad,

You don't know how lucky you are - I compete with 2 beagles, one of which is 4 in August and is still as mad as a hatter Good luck with his first show.

Hi Ray,

I do agility with mine and where I go they won't allow a Belgium Shepherd to start until it is 18 months old. Dogs up to Border Collie size they allow to start at 12 months, up to Lab size is 15 months and the minimum starting age for large dogs is 18 months. Other clubs will take any breed as long as they are over 12 months old. Personally I would do a little flat work with them now and maybe some very low jumps and possibly the tunnel and weave poles, but leave equipment such as the A-frame and the Dog Walk until they are around 18 months of age.

Many thanks all for the advice. The club near me does take dogs at 12 months, but I will probably leave it untill about 18 months, as Greyhawk suggest, as she is still so excitable. I feel confident she could use the equipment, but the presence of other dogs would be too distracting for her. Hopefully, as she matures, she will became steadier.

Once again many thanks

Err well I never meant HE had settled down, just that he has more of an idea what he is doing........ Is this not normal then? Deef didn't start until he was 2 1/2 and he is still off the planet but he is 5 now and I have control which is such a nice feeling but I started to get that after only 12 months of training and 6 months of competing. Sol is just as barmy with the unpredictability of a youngster so I think I will need more than luck! He has recently developed an obsession with the weaves, we finish an exercise and he runs over and does them He will probably get in the ring for the first time and do twenty sets of weaves and nothing else!

My horror used to have a tunnel fixation and make a dash for the tunnel even if it was at the opposite end of a course. Needless to say, we have had countless "E's" but we enjoy it, nonetheless.