Very excited about agility

corbinam

corbinam

Moderator
Last night was our first Intro to Agility class with Lexi. We have been doing a lot of foundation stuff with her, so I think she already knows most of the stuff in the class. Of course it's great to get out there and work, and we really enjoy it.

Anyways, last night we did targeting, boggle board and restrained recall. Lexi was great because she has so much drive!

Here's my question...when other dogs are going, she goes absolutely crazy! She barks and cries because she desperately wants to be out there. When someone revs up their dog and says "GET IT GET IT" she goes ballistic. I know it's good because she's very excited about agility...but my 'parenting' instinct makes me think that she needs to patiently wait her turn.

Thoughts? Does this a good agility dog make? Or are we in for an uncontrollably excited agility dog?
 
At agility trials I went to, many handlers would warm up their dogs and then crate them until they had to come out. They often had cars with hatches that they'd park in the shade, then they'd leave the hatch open with the crate inside so the dog didn't over heat.
 
Agility

I am working with it with Sting also.He is so intense when he is watching in class. He has gotten so much better with it. I keep his attention on me by making him do things like sit and watch me and I keep feeding him. He has calmed down quite a bit.It will take time .Also I found that I run the crap out of before class because he is more focussed.He was brillinat in class last night. Heidi , the girl who has been working him for me got a 4 jump lead out with him and Sting was there at the 4th jump before she could even move.This dog has got speed.I have reinforced his sit stay at the start line and if Lexi has the same drive like Sting( it sure sounds like she does) you may want a solid sit stay with her. It is working for me. Good Luck:biggrin2:
 
Diva is like Lexi. She used to carry on when any dog was working but now she screams only when I'm working Ember in both agility and obedience. She knows a quiet command and I have a trusted friend quiet her when I 'm working. I have even given them a squirt bottle if she doesn't respond. I like her wanting to work so much but I can't have her screaming at dog shows(obedience esp) when I'm working other dogs. I doesn't seem to have affected her drive to work one bit. Others with more experience in agility may disagree but self control and knowing when to turn it on and off is important to me.:smile2:
 
Yay on the first class. :)

Sounds like Koji too. Barking at everyone because he wants to play. In class, he typically only barks at the fast dogs (I'm assuming because he wants to play/herd). However, I noticed as we go to more trials, he's calmed down. Meaning, he's not barking at every dog that passes by. Sheesh.

I like a PP's advice, when to turn it off and on. I've had to get a solid stay with Koji too, it's getting a lot better. He also seems to know, more now, when it's time to work/agility, versus play.

This weekend will be our 5th trial. It's amazing the changes I've seen in Koji over the past 7 months. However, in class, he is still the same. Barking cuz he's not running. I've since learned to put a sheet over his crate. He still barks when he can hear a handler get excited or hear the dog running by. BTW, nothing I've done has fixed this. He goes to daycare the entire day prior to class (in the evening) and that doesn't tire him out.

So, first, good luck. Second, just know that some of it probably is instinct. She probably wants to chase the other dogs that are running. Also, I know when a handler is revved up, Koji wants to join in on the fun, and being the baby he is, he doesn't like to be left out (i.e. when I play with Miko, Koji has to bark and get in there, is Lexi like that when you try to play with Bentley alone?) Third, I'm reading the responses thinking, will it work for Koji? And lastly, my trainer tells me he just need to learn his manners. Something I've failed to teach him. lol.
 
We're starting agility together!!! Our first class is next Tuesday, the 1st. I have no advice due to this, but if I come up with anything, I'll let you know.
 
k9kreationz said:
This weekend will be our 5th trial. It's amazing the changes I've seen in Koji over the past 7 months. However, in class, he is still the same. Barking cuz he's not running. I've since learned to put a sheet over his crate. He still barks when he can hear a handler get excited or hear the dog running by. BTW, nothing I've done has fixed this. He goes to daycare the entire day prior to class (in the evening) and that doesn't tire him out.

So, first, good luck. Second, just know that some of it probably is instinct. She probably wants to chase the other dogs that are running. Also, I know when a handler is revved up, Koji wants to join in on the fun, and being the baby he is, he doesn't like to be left out (i.e. when I play with Miko, Koji has to bark and get in there, is Lexi like that when you try to play with Bentley alone?) Third, I'm reading the responses thinking, will it work for Koji? And lastly, my trainer tells me he just need to learn his manners. Something I've failed to teach him. lol.
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Good to know she isn't the only one :) And actually, her sit/stay at the start line (even in practice) is very good. It's just getting her back once she's done because she's zooming, barking, etc...And she does the same thing at trials and when we're working with Bentley. If she can hear us, she barks barks barks the entire time. A sheet over the crate helps, but she still barks the whole time. I've found that I have to crate her in the car farther away from the field to get her to relax.

And yes, Lexi sounds like Koji. She doesn't want to be left out. In fact, she always wants to be in the middle of everything.

This Thursday I'll try to get her attention when it isn't her turn to work on other stuff. But I have a feeling it's going to be tough!
 
Some things I was doing that helped. First, tire him out as much as possible (he's in daycare prior to class.....11 hours worth, lol). Second, I work with him on things that aren't too much for his wittle brain (don't want to burn him out). So I'd work on leave it, sits, etc. Nothing too hard for him. Lastly, we have worked with Koji (in class) that barking means we stop. It's helped him not bark while on the course. But then, we've also learned that when he barks at me, he's disconnecting or waiting for me to give a command. (do i really need a dog to talk back to me? LOL).

But then again, Lexi is just a pup. Give it time, things will calm down. oh yeah. My fourth thing I do. Give him something to chew on. lol. That distracts him.

Good luck. Seems like both Lexi and Koji are the "baby" of the family. y'know, don't like to be left out of things, a bit spoiled, etc. hehehe.
 
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