PRE-agility QUESTIONS!

[Toffee's Mom]

I play with her in the backyard daily, but i dont feel that will make her faster and healthier but i know the cement isnt healthy either so im stuck in a... pickle... haha

mental exercise and get her into ball and tug toys!
SHe will love it, and then you get her slowly, but surely to tug in other places as well...
As long as she gets stimulation, she will get tired, lol, or so one can hope

 

[Lacey'sMamma]

mental exercise and get her into ball and tug toys!
SHe will love it, and then you get her slowly, but surely to tug in other places as well...
As long as she gets stimulation, she will get tired, lol, or so one can hope

She has more dog toys then all the dogs on the street put together and her favorite is her rope and i have tiny tennis balls that she will fetch and bring back but the rope is her fav for sure! And Lacey NEVER gets tired. Just today me and my boyfriend were throwing a baseball back a forth for an HOUR and she never ONCE missed chasing it from him to me. We pushed ourselves to keep throwing so she would get tired and stop, but of course we should have known that she, well... wouldnt. So we stoped and gave up but she was still wanting more.

 

[Toffee's Mom]

lolll
PERFECT agility dog

 

[Lacey'sMamma]

lolll
PERFECT agility dog

Im hoping so!

 

[Lacey'sMamma]

Is there anything else anyone thinks I should do or know? Anything you think that would be of value to me or I will regret not knowing in the future regarding agility?

 

[Toffee's Mom]

clicker training
Learning how to shape your dogs behaviour!
Get her to 'watch you' get her to learn how to target, get her to learn to follow your hands.. all things you can start her on when she is a puppy... Just keep it short and fun
For example quick downs (for the table later) without physically touching her at all... http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup?feature=chclk#p/search/0/7NHqAW66-gE

Obedience is a great start... esnure you are training with NO punishment or anything for mistakes, or your dog can shut down and not learn fast... is too afraid to make mistakes

 

[corbinam]

Another question, what are the size classes in agility? My girl is 8 months and 11 and a half inches at the shoulder

It totally depends on the venue in which you compete. You can choose whichever venue you like, or whichever is closer to where you are!

There is a thread in the Agility forum now called "Jump Height" that will give you a couple different ideas for each venue. I'm only familiar with USDAA. If you ran in USDAA, your pup would jump 12".

 

[Lacey'sMamma]

It totally depends on the venue in which you compete. You can choose whichever venue you like, or whichever is closer to where you are!

There is a thread in the Agility forum now called "Jump Height" that will give you a couple different ideas for each venue. I'm only familiar with USDAA. If you ran in USDAA, your pup would jump 12".

Sorry, im like really new to this and just trying to make sense of the whole system, what is a "venue" and can you break down USDAA... I thought there was a standard size classes... sorry for being a pain!

 

[Justicemom]

Sorry, im like really new to this and just trying to make sense of the whole system, what is a "venue" and can you break down USDAA... I thought there was a standard size classes... sorry for being a pain!

By venue, it means the oraganization running the agility. In the US, there is AKC, NADAC, USDAA, CPE, ASCA, TDAA and UKC and Canada it is AAC and CKC. I think some of the US one are in Canada too. I think I got them all. Each have there own height classes and break off points.

 

[Lacey'sMamma]

By venue, it means the oraganization running the agility. In the US, there is AKC, NADAC, USDAA, CPE, ASCA, TDAA and UKC and Canada it is AAC and CKC. I think some of the US one are in Canada too. I think I got them all. Each have there own height classes and break off points.

Oh ok, that would be why I was so confused when I hear about all the US venues. So if my girl is registered CKC would she *have* to be in that venue or could she be in AAC or both? Thanks for explaining that for me

Also, I have heard of Canadians taking shelties to sheltie nationals, which is in the US. What would happen in that case? Which venue would apply for a canadian?