Glad to hear Birch is doing so well in his training. Epic sympathises as he has the same handler limitations!!
SheltieChe, thanks very much for posting those video links - WOW I loved watching them, especially the Jack Russell - 8 months
That's going straight into my favourites for training!
The comments on the first link about running contacts did get me thinking though that allowing Epic to speed on may not be a good idea even if everything goes to plan because it's likely I'll be too far behined. We're only practicing sequences of 2-3 jumps and a tunnel at the moment and I'm figuring out short cuts for me
I love that all the dog sports I love are so interchangable. I'm just starting to realise that many of the 'tricks' we are learning for HTM are useful for agility (Epic's leg weaving is mercifully not as quick as through the weave poles though!) and obedience excersises such as sendaway and even heeling are helpful too.
One interesting thing is I was having big issues with Epic doing stays, he struggled with lack of confidence if I moved more than a step away and got bored with staying still for any duration. This was until we started our agility training and I switched to using a toy. Suddenly he could see the point of a stay because he could race after his toy or pop over a jump as a reward. Very quickly we progressed so I am now able to walk easily from one side of the garden to the other while he stays put - something unthinkable 4 months ago! Because he is so focussed on his toy he forgets to be worried as well
I'm going to start shaping for the 2o 2o tomorrow. I'll let you know how we get on.
SheltieChe, thanks very much for posting those video links - WOW I loved watching them, especially the Jack Russell - 8 months
That's going straight into my favourites for training! The comments on the first link about running contacts did get me thinking though that allowing Epic to speed on may not be a good idea even if everything goes to plan because it's likely I'll be too far behined. We're only practicing sequences of 2-3 jumps and a tunnel at the moment and I'm figuring out short cuts for me
I love that all the dog sports I love are so interchangable. I'm just starting to realise that many of the 'tricks' we are learning for HTM are useful for agility (Epic's leg weaving is mercifully not as quick as through the weave poles though!) and obedience excersises such as sendaway and even heeling are helpful too.
One interesting thing is I was having big issues with Epic doing stays, he struggled with lack of confidence if I moved more than a step away and got bored with staying still for any duration. This was until we started our agility training and I switched to using a toy. Suddenly he could see the point of a stay because he could race after his toy or pop over a jump as a reward. Very quickly we progressed so I am now able to walk easily from one side of the garden to the other while he stays put - something unthinkable 4 months ago! Because he is so focussed on his toy he forgets to be worried as well
I'm going to start shaping for the 2o 2o tomorrow. I'll let you know how we get on.