Startlines

My two have always just had good start line stays :x I started them on startline stays in agility back when I didn't know much of anything, so there wasn't any real proofing going on. They had already had good solid stays from all the work we did in obedience beforehand, and I've just never had any problems out of them on their startline stays.
 
I have a good start line stay but not necessarily a good start line sit stay. At times he won't sit but he will do stand stay until I release him for the first obstacle. In a trial when I don't HAVE TO put him in a sit stay, I'll usually just leave him in a stand stay so I don't get a Delay of Start penalty. (CPE doesn't require a sit stay, or any stay for that matter, at the start line. If the dog starts before you are ready, that's tough luck for the handler.)

I do need to refocus on start line sit stays during my classes and practice sessions though. I would prefer the sit stay over a stand stay for the start line. This'll be a matter of sit, treat, stay, walk away, walk back treat, walk away again, release.
 
We were also lucky enough to have done a significant amount of obedience work with the stay. With that, we were able to build up a lengthy stay.

In agility, it's a touch harder because the dogs can be amped up, but we proof this by putting him in a stay, taking a step forward, and then coming back to treat him for staying. If he has moved, we put him back in the stay and repeat the command. We do this several times, each time he has been successful we step a bit further out. We're now to the point where we can start to run forward and he just leans a little bit :)

The key is to set the dog up for success. If he doesn't have a good sit with no distractions, I would start there. Then slowly build up to more distractions, then put him on the agility field in a stay, etc...
 
Startline

I have awesome sit stays with my boys. I think in the 7 years I have owned Shadow he broke it once at a trial. I always proof mine no matter how good they are. My release word for them is Go and sometime at class I will say stuff like apples, potatoes, bananas and then GO and you can just see how intense they are.I just found out today after injuring my self in NY in Sept. that the MRI I had last week says I tore a ligament so I have to have surgery.So my trainer will run Sting at his first trial. I am bummed.:(
 
I'm just starting so we have not done any trials. I am using 'crate games' to proof and work on Maia's sit/stay at the start line. In just a couple of sessions, she went from a very, very poor sit/stay to sitting in one spot until released most of the time. So far, I am very impressed with her progress.
 
Interesting you should ask that. Tully's stays used to be excellent but the more she does flyball the more it influences her agility. So at flyball I say 'get the ball' when we are preparing and 'go' when I let go of her. Well now as soon as the judge says 'are you ready to go' or just 'go now' Tully hears the go word and starts running. I really need to get her to focus entirely on me when she is waiting. I will try doing the trick 'go's as that's a good idea and she might then focus on me saying the word. I used to say 'okay' at agility when I want her to move but she is too focused on 'go' now.

PS - sorry to hear about your ligament still playing up. I am working on really excellent distances at the moment seeing as I can't run either because of a torn calf. But the dogs are getting itchy for speed, wish I had someone who could run them.
 
I haven't started competing yet so we'll see Saturday (my first show-n-go) how good Koji's stay's really are. In class, if I don't keep eye contact constantly (minus looking where I'm walking), he'll just go. BAD! I also noticed he'll go at any word spoken. I could say, "hey you" and he'd go.

I typically reinforce stay's with what others have said. Put in stay, take a step forward, reward for not moving. Say okay to release. put back in stay, take a few more steps, go back and reward for not moving, release. rinse and repeat.

Although, I think I should practice this outside where there's a lot of distractions. Liek I said, I'll find out Saturday how good or bad we're doing. lol I'm glad you posted this because I know we could use the help.
 
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