Those of you doing Agility

Right now I am doing it for fun. I think CeCe is too young to tell if we could compete. I just like the bonding and I think it's a great way to get her to focus on directions. I like the suggestions you gave and will try them with her, those are the basics that I want to start with and learn about. Then as I get to know more about agility I can add to them. Right?
 
Shelltielover- Sorry if this is too long! I may have gotten carried away!

7 months old is a great time to start, even just for fun. Its a great way to bond with your dog. Make sure to keep your training sessons short and try not to be too repetative. Keep training to short periods, no more than five minutes on each thing, which could even be pushing it, depending on your dog.

Jumping through a hoop should be fine but watch the jump height. I think the rule of thumb for puppies is that they shouldn't be jumping as high as their front elbow so 10 inches may be too high.

Clicker training is a great way of teaching her how to hit contacts, if you're not already doing this. Its very simple, get a clicker and something for a contact (white is fine but yellow is prefferable. I use a yellow margarine lid). In one hand, hold the clicker behind the contact and see if you can get her to touch the contact with her nose. when she touches it, click and give her a treat. Do this each time she touches the contact with her nose. As she gets better at this, gradually move the contact closer to the ground until you can place it on the ground.

To help keep her interest try switching treats if she seems bored with them. I have about 4 different treats that I rotate between so that Sadie doesn't lose interest. I also try and train her close to meal times or I don't feed her till we get back from an agility lesson. If she's a bit hungry she'll be more interested in getting those treats.

Keeping the treats small is an important thing to remember too. If the treats are too big she'll get full faster and may gain weight, between getting treats and her regular meals.

One thing I use as a treat is cut up turkey hotdogs. I boil them and slice them as thinly as possible, then I cut each slice into quarters. I'll do this to a whole package, seperate them into plastic bags and then freeze them so they're ready when I need them. They last a long time.

Another product that I use I'm not sure is available in the United States. Its called Roll Over and its actually marketed as a semi moist dog food. No one I know actually uses it as dog food, just as treats for various dog sports and I've seen people using it as a treat at dog shows. Unlike hot dog, its very healthy. It comes in a large tube, I also dice this up into small pieces and freeze it. It lasts for months. Here is the web site:

http://www.rolloverpetfood.com/rolls.html

I don't know if your puppy likes to tug or not, but if your puppy has a tug toy tugging is also a great way of rewarding your puppy for doing something right. Since it can be a really fun game, its also a great way to strengthen your bond.
 
These are wonderful suggestions! I'm excited to get going on these exercises. We started using the clicker when she was doing puppy class, and it seemed to work very well. CeCe is a fast learner, which is good because I was running out of hands holding the treats and the clicker and the leash..... She got relatively fast with the click=treat. And she loves the treats we use, which is the Natural Balance Food rolls- http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/ , which I cut up into very small peices. We also used chopped ham to potty train with, something else she really enjoys. (I'm beginning to think I don't have a very picky sheltie) I think I will change off the kind of treats we give her to keep her from getting bored.
 
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More motivation ideas

Lady and I have been doing agility for about 12 weeks and I am finding that I am the one slowing her down...remembering the next step in an 18 step course is about 12 too many for me!
I have found that sometimes food rewards are distracting so I mix it up with her favorite toy or just a really big hug with lots excitement!
I also have a small course that I move around the yard ...I think I got it @ target for $30.00 on sale. just a jump, small tunnel and 4 weave poles but it really helps. (If I have a piece of steak in my hand she gets very smart all of a sudden and I can almost stand in the middle of the course and tell her what to do so don't think food is always out of the question!)

My question for everyone ... are you using the teeter totter? Lady really hates the sudden movement and the noise involved in that one! (We started slow and I have always tipped the board myself ,,, until last night when I missed it and she tipped the board herself...she hated it!)
 
Maybe you should try a wobble board

Ladysmom said:
Lady and I have been doing agility for about 12 weeks and I am finding that I am the one slowing her down...remembering the next step in an 18 step course is about 12 too many for me!
I have found that sometimes food rewards are distracting so I mix it up with her favorite toy or just a really big hug with lots excitement!
I also have a small course that I move around the yard ...I think I got it @ target for $30.00 on sale. just a jump, small tunnel and 4 weave poles but it really helps. (If I have a piece of steak in my hand she gets very smart all of a sudden and I can almost stand in the middle of the course and tell her what to do so don't think food is always out of the question!)

My question for everyone ... are you using the teeter totter? Lady really hates the sudden movement and the noise involved in that one! (We started slow and I have always tipped the board myself ,,, until last night when I missed it and she tipped the board herself...she hated it!)
Click to expand...


Sadie's and I have been doing agility since january, I started her pre-agility training when she was 5 months old. I would definitely recommend going to a professional if you're not already seeing one. You'd be amazed at what they can teach you about communicating with your dog through body movements.

I know what you mean by having trouble keeping up, I have the same problem. I've been told that Sadie is going to be an excellent agility dog I've come to realize that almost all of the mistakes we make are my fault, not hers. I'm not the most coordinated person at the best of times and she gives me heck regulary when I get into her space or give her the wrong signal. She has her moments too, just not as often as me. Some times she does silly puppy things like jumping at me or herding me instead of paying attention to where I'm directing her or to obsticles. :smile2:

One of the first things we started her on was a 'wobble board,' its exactly what it sounds like, a square to rectangular board on the ground raised slightly by something underneath it. It was a great way to accustom her to having something move under her feet. I taught her very gradually, just trying to encourage her to step on on it more and more until she could walk over it without being afraid. Once she accomplished this I raised the board a bit higher and eventually we started working on a low teeter totter.

It took us about 3 months to work her up to being comfortable going over an actual teeter totter. I used a lot of REALLY tasty treats to lure her over and a clicker when we were working with the wobble board. I still give her treats occasionally on the yellow targets of the teeter totter and some times in the middle to reinforce going over it properly and hitting her marks.

If Lady is that uncomfortable with a teeter totter perhaps you should go back to basics and get her comfortable with a wobble board. It takes a lot of time and patience but its so worth it :smile2:
 
? Wobble Board ?

I am sure it is self explanatory but I have never heard of a wobble board. Tell me more if you don't mind.
 
Ladysmom said:
I am sure it is self explanatory but I have never heard of a wobble board. Tell me more if you don't mind.
Click to expand...

I just used a scrap piece of ply wood, slightly rectangular is a bit better but it can be square, with something small underneath it to prop it up slightly. To begin with, the end that is up in the air (when it wobbles) shouldn't be more than an inch off the ground. When the dog walks on it, it moves a bit and feels slightly uneven. You lure your dog onto it with a really good treat and get her used to the uneven feel of it. Give her lots of praise, she should get a treat (and click if you're using a clicker) for first going near the board, then sniffing the board, putting one foot on the board, then two feet etc. until she will walk over it. The combined treats, praise and low height of the board are a great way to build her confinence. When she becomes more comfortable with it you can prop the board up with something higher and then eventually start working with her on an actual teeter totter :smile2:

Also, keep your training sessions short and enjoyable. No more than 5-10 minutes at a time ( depending on the age of the dog, shorter time for puppies) and you can practice a couple of times a day. I'd recommend 5 minutes twice daily.
 
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