SheepOfBlue
Premium Member
My atttention span is to short 
think extra large puppy
think extra large puppy 
Are you competitive?
- Thread starter k9kreationz
- Start date
Silaria
Forums Sage
I assume you are commenting on my initial comment that the "contacts are hard to train". I only say that because most people don't have the yard space to set up a dog walk, a-frame or teeter.
Sure, I pracice 2o2o on a board and my steps but that doesn't really fully translate to running over the a-frame. The striding is different and the slope is different.
Yes, dogs tend to LOVE the contacts and learn them fast because they get a LOT of treats on them but they still seem to take the most time to perfect because you just can't practice them outside of a class setting like you can jumps, weaves, etc., unless you have enough yard space for them.
THAT is what I meant by difficult.
Agility
I have a large yard but I don't have an A-frame or a dogwalk and neither of my dogs have problems on any of the equipment. I do have jumps and weaves and a seesaw .My dogs see the a-frame and dogwalk once a week.Everyone trains different and everydog is different.I trained Sting the same way Shadow was taught.
I have a large yard but I don't have an A-frame or a dogwalk and neither of my dogs have problems on any of the equipment. I do have jumps and weaves and a seesaw .My dogs see the a-frame and dogwalk once a week.Everyone trains different and everydog is different.I trained Sting the same way Shadow was taught.
Caro
Moderator
I get what you mean. Thats how mine are; Deska actually drools over the dog walk and its because i used to treat him to get over it. Now mine will do contacts over any other obstacle, but they are still pretty slow (esp over the dog walk), so altho they love it now, it doesnt always translate into good technique.
I only worked this out recently (they love contacts because of the food) so I have been charging the weaves with roast chicken, and Deska has actually been drooling doing weaves and both running over to the weaves because they want to do it.
Yea - and I would love to know how you did the baseball field too.
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
I'm a very competitive person and a bit of a perfectionist. I guess that's why I like obedience so much.
Sometimes dog progess at different speeds could be they are more mentally mature, generalize better, have more natural confidence, the handler has more experience, better technique or spends more time training.
Justice was so quick in obedience and agility. He generalized really well and was a big picture kind of dog. You could show him step A, then B and Skip to E and he would get it immediately and do it anywhere. He also was very mature as a tiny pup. I think he has an old soul. But he is very serious and controled and it took alot of effort to get the joy in his performance. He was robotic. I was a new handler and helped him very little. I could do all kinds of weird things and he wouldn't become confused.
Ember is a worrier. She doesn't generalize well at all, if you skip a step in training she is lost. She can not see the big picture. But if you show her A,B,C,D,E she will have it forever. She knows to do A,B,C,D,E. She can not make adjustments if something weird happens in training. I had to become a good handler to help her out. I hated working her, when she was young. I compared her to Justice at the same age and I want to quit. It took me a while but I realized that wasn't fair. She wasn't him but she did have alot to offer when I looked. I just kept working on the fundimentals and plugging away. Funny thing is but the time they were 4. They were at the same place in terms of titles.
Now Diva is a totally different case. She is farther behind then either Justice or Ember at the same age. Time will tell if she catches up or not. But I'm going to enjoy the ride.
Set personal goals and try and beat them.Strive for perfection if you want but forgot about the other people and dogs. As long as you are trying your best that is all you can ask. If the class doesn't seem to be meeting your personal goals look into other classes that will.
Sometimes dog progess at different speeds could be they are more mentally mature, generalize better, have more natural confidence, the handler has more experience, better technique or spends more time training.
Justice was so quick in obedience and agility. He generalized really well and was a big picture kind of dog. You could show him step A, then B and Skip to E and he would get it immediately and do it anywhere. He also was very mature as a tiny pup. I think he has an old soul. But he is very serious and controled and it took alot of effort to get the joy in his performance. He was robotic. I was a new handler and helped him very little. I could do all kinds of weird things and he wouldn't become confused.
Ember is a worrier. She doesn't generalize well at all, if you skip a step in training she is lost. She can not see the big picture. But if you show her A,B,C,D,E she will have it forever. She knows to do A,B,C,D,E. She can not make adjustments if something weird happens in training. I had to become a good handler to help her out. I hated working her, when she was young. I compared her to Justice at the same age and I want to quit. It took me a while but I realized that wasn't fair. She wasn't him but she did have alot to offer when I looked. I just kept working on the fundimentals and plugging away. Funny thing is but the time they were 4. They were at the same place in terms of titles.
Now Diva is a totally different case. She is farther behind then either Justice or Ember at the same age. Time will tell if she catches up or not. But I'm going to enjoy the ride.
Set personal goals and try and beat them.Strive for perfection if you want but forgot about the other people and dogs. As long as you are trying your best that is all you can ask. If the class doesn't seem to be meeting your personal goals look into other classes that will.
HopeShelties
Forums Enthusiast
I'm very competitive... not to the point of that lady in your class, who fusses at her dog for messing up, or getting angry when I don't Q/lose.
I AM a perfectionist though, and someone who will pick my own NQ runs apart, figuring out what I need to do differently/where I messed up. That's actually been a bit of a godsend. There is a woman in class here with me who takes great pleasure in going up to everyone she knows from class at shows and telling them what all they did wrong or how bad their run was, sometimes even when they Q. She does this to everyone. I take all of the fun out of it for her though, and she leaves me alone, because when she comes up to me, I'll already beat her to the punch and mention on my NQs what I could've done differently. It shuts her right up :x
Anyhow, different dogs DO learn at different rates, and are ready to compete with different amounts of work in them. There are a lot of factors that go into that. I have *SIX* dogs in agility classes. Each is VERY different. My Athena started competing after 4 months of class with me being a very novice handler. She got her novice titles her first weekend out, all wins, finished her open titles in 2 more shows, and excellent a in another 3, all but maybe 1 of those being wins. She's now in excellent b, working on her MACH. Kai started competing with a years work, but was ready at six months (lengthy fight to get her papers heald her back), and has heald up in open for a bit because of weaves. Caleb has a years work in him and is nowhere near ready to compete, but he is only a 2 year old, and an intact male. He is goofy, and immature, and he is pretty soft. It is taking time to build his confidence, and to work through some fears. Aurora has maybe 1 month foundation, 1 month doing some coursework. She I believe won't be ready until fall, as she is my little one who was attacked, and it is a wonder she is even able to run now, but in some ways, she does better than Caleb, as she is not fearful in the same way as him- she's a confident little dog on the equipment, and would do anything I asked simply because I asked it- her fears are in dogs and people. Ember and Gael are pups, maybe have a months foundation on them so far (snow's holding up more work), and I will probably wait until they are 18 months old to compete (10 months right now- have only had them on low contacts, and doing flatwork).
So, each dog is an individual and will need a different amount of work to truly be ready to be competitive. You can see that in the dogs I have. You can't compare one dog to another are no two dogs are alike.
I AM a perfectionist though, and someone who will pick my own NQ runs apart, figuring out what I need to do differently/where I messed up. That's actually been a bit of a godsend. There is a woman in class here with me who takes great pleasure in going up to everyone she knows from class at shows and telling them what all they did wrong or how bad their run was, sometimes even when they Q. She does this to everyone. I take all of the fun out of it for her though, and she leaves me alone, because when she comes up to me, I'll already beat her to the punch and mention on my NQs what I could've done differently. It shuts her right up :x
Anyhow, different dogs DO learn at different rates, and are ready to compete with different amounts of work in them. There are a lot of factors that go into that. I have *SIX* dogs in agility classes. Each is VERY different. My Athena started competing after 4 months of class with me being a very novice handler. She got her novice titles her first weekend out, all wins, finished her open titles in 2 more shows, and excellent a in another 3, all but maybe 1 of those being wins. She's now in excellent b, working on her MACH. Kai started competing with a years work, but was ready at six months (lengthy fight to get her papers heald her back), and has heald up in open for a bit because of weaves. Caleb has a years work in him and is nowhere near ready to compete, but he is only a 2 year old, and an intact male. He is goofy, and immature, and he is pretty soft. It is taking time to build his confidence, and to work through some fears. Aurora has maybe 1 month foundation, 1 month doing some coursework. She I believe won't be ready until fall, as she is my little one who was attacked, and it is a wonder she is even able to run now, but in some ways, she does better than Caleb, as she is not fearful in the same way as him- she's a confident little dog on the equipment, and would do anything I asked simply because I asked it- her fears are in dogs and people. Ember and Gael are pups, maybe have a months foundation on them so far (snow's holding up more work), and I will probably wait until they are 18 months old to compete (10 months right now- have only had them on low contacts, and doing flatwork).
So, each dog is an individual and will need a different amount of work to truly be ready to be competitive. You can see that in the dogs I have. You can't compare one dog to another are no two dogs are alike.
k9kreationz
Forums Celebrity
Y'know, you'd THINK I'd keep this in mind, but I haven't. I just re4alized you're right. Dogs do think differently and learn differently, just like us. I know the dog I was speaking of in my first post, the trainer said she is slow to learn, but once she's got it, she's got it. Versus her other dog, who learns fast but also likes to "forget" what he's learned.
Koji was a slow learner sorta. He was scared of almost everything. Heck, in the beginning when we upped the bars to 12" he flat out refused them. Ditto when we moved it up to 16". I'm thinking he's one of those slow dogs that have to learn to love the equipment, but when they do, they love it.
i.e. he LOVES his jumps, tunnels and weaves. And he was terrified of the tunnels and higher jumps until my trainer worked with him. One hour, can make him love something, it's amazing. I just need that sort of time.
So, let me remind myself. Once he loves something, he's solid. Or getting there. My trainer works with him on weaves and has him entering at difficult positions (almost parallel) while running at them, and she said he's doing them wonderfully. We will need to work up to 12, but he can do those too.
It looks like I either need to be patient with his slow learning due to fear/anxiety OR I need to work him more often on things. Really wish I lived in the midwest where land is cheap now. lol.
clancyh8sabby
Forums Enthusiast
I'm not competitive at all..I do all the training and stuff..but I rarely go to trials..we have one leg in Rally 0..I just don't enjoy going to the trials..I know, I'm weird..LOL
I would check with your local humane society...sometimes they have classes and equipment that you can go and use for cheap...or local agility clubs are cheap to join...plus you can maybe ask to take private class or semi private...a friend and I used to share an our of instruction..and you could say what you wanted to work on...
Woofs
Julie
I would check with your local humane society...sometimes they have classes and equipment that you can go and use for cheap...or local agility clubs are cheap to join...plus you can maybe ask to take private class or semi private...a friend and I used to share an our of instruction..and you could say what you wanted to work on...
Woofs
Julie
Caro
Moderator
I agree, and some dogs are better suited at certain things that others. Tully is great at high speed sports, she is just one of those dogs who has to keep moving. So she does really well and looks good doing it. She was competing in flyball within a few months and always gets comments at agility trials because she looks good on the field. Not Deska, while he can do everything, he would much prefer to clown around, esp when he has an audience. Perhaps he would be better off doing dancing or tracking (but we dont have classes here). Sometimes I get annoyed because it looks like I have a silly dog, but then at our dog oval everyone just adores Deska and thinks he is brilliant - if he isnt cuddling up to everyone he is opening their bags or picking their pockets.
I guess we often feel our dogs have to excel at what we are asking them to do. You may be able to tell I often get annoyed if my dogs are not perfectly behaved - I probably expect too much of them with their behaviour. It takes other people to point out I have beautifully natured dogs and how they want to get a sheltie now too. Only then can I stand back and appreciate that they are great dogs.
Sorry, long post, been a bit down this week and I think its easy to transfer my own expectations and disappointments onto what my dogs do.
I am totally 100% competitive, sad to say. I am trying to learn to relax and just have fun, but it is hard for me to do. Just a few weeks ago, our training classes were cut down to once every two weeks. I was NOT happy at all. And to boot, one of our classmates was able to transfer to a Saturday spot, that was still being held weekly. I was so jealous and went home and vowed to make sure that Maia does not get 'out done' by a cocker spaniel! (yes, petty of me, I know) but she just can't be out done, so I vowed to practice even more at home, to watch more DVD's to make up the lost class time at home. Silly, I know.