Riley Training Update

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DPSheltie

Forums Enthusiast
It's been a little while since I posted about Riley's progress in agility classes, so here we go!

Riley has been doing awesome for a baby dog!

We really worked hard on jumping lines and he actually did a curving line of 3 jumps Saturday, working ahead of me. I just need to remember to call "over" as soon as he lands off the previous one and to not say his name (see..all green handler error!!). :uhoh:

His focus on me has been better, although he still gets excited and runs off at the end doing any obstacle he can get to!! But he at least waits until after the last command!!! :eek2:

Last class we were building a course one obstacle at a time until we were doing 10 obstacles (a frame, tunnel, tire jump and 7 single bar jumps). The second time around he blasted off after the last jump (tire) and soared over a 22 inch jump on his own!!! Our trainer was amazed and apparently he jumped it better than the 22 inch dogs do!!!! THEN he literally FLEW over the top of the A frame during our final full course run!!! I mean like no paws touching, taking air. Once again amazed the trainer since he's only had 3.5 months of training. (no video.....hubby was NOT ready for that!)

There's a bunch of agility pics in my agility album, but here are some of the best...

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What awesome pictures...I love them all!

Shelties in motion are so poetic!

Glad to hear that agility is going so well!
 
Toffee's Mom said:
great job!
Agility is Da Bomb! That's apparently what Riley thinks, too :biggrin2:
Click to expand...

Oh, he definitely does!!!:biggrin2: Riley thinks that the Aframe is the bet invention known to doggies.

Does anyone do running contacts or train them with a young dog? Our trainer has not been harping on contacts, since we are all about learning how to handle, getting a dogs confidence up for all obstacles, and making it really fun right now. We do use a target plate at the bottom, but Riley naturally does a beautiful running contact THEN turns around to get the cookie :rolleyes2: No one has attempted to launch off and they all run down to the bottom of contacts (some stop, some run)

He's super fast, so a 2o2o contact will slow him a little for me, but maybe I'm getting ahead of myself with training?
 
DPSheltie said:
Oh, he definitely does!!!:biggrin2: Riley thinks that the Aframe is the bet invention known to doggies.

Does anyone do running contacts or train them with a young dog? Our trainer has not been harping on contacts, since we are all about learning how to handle, getting a dogs confidence up for all obstacles, and making it really fun right now. We do use a target plate at the bottom, but Riley naturally does a beautiful running contact THEN turns around to get the cookie :rolleyes2: No one has attempted to launch off and they all run down to the bottom of contacts (some stop, some run)

He's super fast, so a 2o2o contact will slow him a little for me, but maybe I'm getting ahead of myself with training?
Click to expand...

I did a running contact for a while with Bentley. And I think Ania does a running contact with her dog Maia.

BUT...this is a big BUT...I think that a running contact should only be taught by people who have a great resource who can help them along the way. I tried to teach it myself (never having known anyone who has taught it) and I did it incorrectly. I tried reading online and watching the videos, but it wasn't enough when it came to troubleshooting.

I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just recommending that as a beginner, I would only do it if there were someone that I had regular access to who could help me.
 
That's what I am worried about... Last thing I want to do is screw him up!

I need to start repeating the phrase I used to give my students "It will all work out" :biggrin2:

I'm probably getting ahead of myself!!
 
You are where I am at.. my Instructor says a good running contacts is still trained by the initial 2o2o... :(
SO I am going to take her advice although I LOVE the running contact, lol. She also says: "it will ALL work out, why are you such a rush to get to Masters level, lol, enjoy the other levels you have many good years ahead of you and Toffee, lol"

Toffee does the ole stand still and look up at me, and puts his paw on the target so he doesn't have to take his pretty eyes of me AND the cookie, lol
Which my other Instructor (the strict one) doesn't approve of, LOLLLL
So, I have told myself back to the old steps and get him to target my hand on the floor, back chaining it, wish me luck!
 
I love the photo of Riley on the table. Sitting there like he rules the agility field. :) How fun! He sounds like a great agility dog. Can't wait to see him in action (aka video!).

As for running vs 2o2o, I know I started with running and Koji was doing great! Until he got overconfident and cocky and loves to JUMP the contacts now. So, we had to back track to a 2o2o.

Versus my friend who started with 2o2o and her dogs were, well, not sticking them and jumping contacts. And here's where the decision will matter. 1. correct training and 2. ability to practice almost daily. I may get 1, but I can't do 2. My friend was able to do 2 and her dog's running contacts are pretty darn good after 6 months of daily work. They're still 50/50 in competition, but then again, everything I'm reading about running says 50/50 is actually really good.

So, IMHO, if you trust your instructor, I'd ask what s/he thinks. And start training it now. Because I depended more on Koji's natural need to run the plank, imagine my surprise when he started jumping the contacts. Darn confidence has ruined a lot of things for me. LOL. Granted, the class was all to boost his confidence. :rolleyes2:
 
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