Basic Agility Training

[CharlieBrown]

Hi everyone.

Charlie is 4 and a half months old and has graduated from basic agility training. This is walking on a low plank, through the tire, over hurdle things that are 10cm high, through a tunnel, stand on a low table and up and over the triangle shaped ramp thing (I'm new to training so sorry I don't know the correct terms!). All this is completed on a leash.

My instructor said Charlie cannot advance onto advanced agility training until he is 12 months old. Why is this? And what can I do at home with him so he doesn't forget how to do just the basic stuff?

 

[Silaria]

My instructor said Charlie cannot advance onto advanced agility training until he is 12 months old. Why is this? And what can I do at home with him so he doesn't forget how to do just the basic stuff?

It's never recommended dogs under a year of age work on agility equipment at full height because of their growth plates. If you work a dog at height on equipment before the growth plates close you can do serious damage.

There are things you can do between now and then. Let me find my old post about training you can do with puppies and I'll link to it.

 

[Toffee's Mom]

I would work on off leash stuff... while you're waiting...
Believe it or not the obstacles are easier than the things that need to happen in between the obstacles!
stay, focus on you AND obstacles, recalls, running WITH you by your side (on both sides of your body, without crossing you in front or behind)... being able to send the dog ahead of you...
tugging, playing, relaxing while other dogs are working... crate training...

 

[SheltieChe]

here is few links you might want to look into
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=824
http://www.bowwowflix.com/detail.php?id=713&r=i
http://www.bowwowflix.com/detail.php?id=539&r=c&rid=7
http://www.bowwowflix.com/detail.php?id=162&r=i
http://www.bowwowflix.com/detail.php?id=246&r=i
http://www.bowwowflix.com/instructor.php?id=238
there also different ways you will need to learn handling so you might want to discuss it with your trainer, although I would not bother to teach my puppy to walk over plank, jump over hurdle or do aframe- triangle thing? all on leash...
here is what puppy over 6 months old can do in classes, obviously height of jumps adjusted to age of the puppy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9adCEWbya-g#!