Agility training
- Thread starter Panzerotti
- Start date
I love Hank's videos! <3
I wish I had videos from last nights class. My boys are awesome <3
Crossbone has been doing spectacular lately. Fast, focused and I can't remember the last time he stopped to sniff or seemed stressy. We have a trial coming up in March and I'm crossing my fingers that we see some improvements from the last trial in November.
And Pox is just adorable doing adorable baby dog stuff. Well, when he's not racing around the room with a toy in his mouth doing tunnel-baby aframe-jump-baby dogwalk over and over again until I capture him (or we set the collie loose to herd him into a corner....). I can't do anything but laugh at all the fun he's having. I'll probably be cursing his enthusiasm soon enough.
I wish I had videos from last nights class. My boys are awesome <3
Crossbone has been doing spectacular lately. Fast, focused and I can't remember the last time he stopped to sniff or seemed stressy. We have a trial coming up in March and I'm crossing my fingers that we see some improvements from the last trial in November.
And Pox is just adorable doing adorable baby dog stuff. Well, when he's not racing around the room with a toy in his mouth doing tunnel-baby aframe-jump-baby dogwalk over and over again until I capture him (or we set the collie loose to herd him into a corner....). I can't do anything but laugh at all the fun he's having. I'll probably be cursing his enthusiasm soon enough.
Don't worry Ashley, Pox isn't the only terrier in agility classes that has to be herded up by a collie to be caught once he gets his reward and takes off.
I have a JRT in my intermediate classes and I always have to get Recon out at some point to help me flank him into a corner so that we can catch him.
:rofl1:
I have a JRT in my intermediate classes and I always have to get Recon out at some point to help me flank him into a corner so that we can catch him.
:rofl1:
Found out yesterday that Wilson is more play-motivated than food-motivated. He was in his baby agility class and there was a doodle in the other arena running a full course. Motion drive kicks in and he's completely gone, every time I ask him to do something he's over by the fence staring at the doodle, no matter how many cookies for staying close. So I brought out his favorite squeaky soccer ball and not only was he focused the rest of the class (even with three other puppies doing various other activities), but he was so much more enthusiastic as well. He was charging through tunnels and over the baby a-frame and through jump stands in the hopes of getting me to throw his ball.
I wish it was more practical to use this in every day situations because if this is what keeps him from shutting down one way or another I am so happy.
And Sam. Sam suddenly decided that weave poles are easy peasy and he's going through 12 from all angles and rarely misses one. Now we just need to get some speed on those.
We've been struggling with teeter and dogwalk though. He's fine with the dogwalk one he realizes it isn't a teeter but he's absolutely terrified of it. It's weird because for the first few months of him doing agility he didn't care about it, and he never had an incident of falling off it or anything. It just became scary all of a sudden. And no amount of awesome treats and tippy board work has fixed or even helped him?
He is running full courses (skipping teeter and sometimes dogwalk) though and staying mostly focused on me and not getting zoomies or checking out, so that's good.
I wish it was more practical to use this in every day situations because if this is what keeps him from shutting down one way or another I am so happy.
And Sam. Sam suddenly decided that weave poles are easy peasy and he's going through 12 from all angles and rarely misses one. Now we just need to get some speed on those.
We've been struggling with teeter and dogwalk though. He's fine with the dogwalk one he realizes it isn't a teeter but he's absolutely terrified of it. It's weird because for the first few months of him doing agility he didn't care about it, and he never had an incident of falling off it or anything. It just became scary all of a sudden. And no amount of awesome treats and tippy board work has fixed or even helped him?
He is running full courses (skipping teeter and sometimes dogwalk) though and staying mostly focused on me and not getting zoomies or checking out, so that's good.
Do you guys use any supplements during competitions?
I am considering buying something for after hiking, heavy training or when/if we start to compete.
I was thinking Vertex bc I feel the extra fat and protein would be good during high activity/stress situations. But the link says the vertex is more for daily and the power boost is for competition.... But that one doesn't have the protein/fat. The other option would be to mix the two.... But I only plan to give them during/after activity.
Thoughts?
Vertex
PowerBoost
I am considering buying something for after hiking, heavy training or when/if we start to compete.
I was thinking Vertex bc I feel the extra fat and protein would be good during high activity/stress situations. But the link says the vertex is more for daily and the power boost is for competition.... But that one doesn't have the protein/fat. The other option would be to mix the two.... But I only plan to give them during/after activity.
Thoughts?
Vertex
PowerBoost
I got Power Boost for mine, but it makes Gusto throw up every time he has it. Meg drinks it fine, although I've heard so many warnings from others about how much it makes their dogs pee that I've wound up never really using it consistently. Mine both drink well at trials anyway, so I don't worry much about hydration. And Meg gets all her needed fat and protein from the Nutter Butters she gets at trials 
I got Power Boost for mine, but it makes Gusto throw up every time he has it. Meg drinks it fine, although I've heard so many warnings from others about how much it makes their dogs pee that I've wound up never really using it consistently. Mine both drink well at trials anyway, so I don't worry much about hydration. And Meg gets all her needed fat and protein from the Nutter Butters she gets at trials
I've never used anything at competitions. I personally think the average dog doesn't really need anything for an average competition. I don't even feed in the morning (except for Auggie who did get a very small amount so I could make sure to flush him), hand out steak or hot dog or treats during, then feed dinner at night. Even for the four days in Louisville, I don't worry about it. I might worry during extreme weather conditions, but more about keeping their body cool, not for some kind of performance boost.
Then again Payton really doesn't need anything to give him an extra "boost" at trials.
Somebody I know gives her dogs something, can't remember the name, but it gives them the runs. So yeah... not something I feel like giving mine.
Then again Payton really doesn't need anything to give him an extra "boost" at trials.
Somebody I know gives her dogs something, can't remember the name, but it gives them the runs. So yeah... not something I feel like giving mine.
For agility dogs doing lots of high intensity bursts throughout the day, you want to give them some carbs after each run. I know I have a recipe somewhere from Dr. Christine Zink (sports medicine veterinarian) for a rice and (I think) cottage cheese) snack to be given following exercise to replenish glycogen stores. I've normally been giving Kili a couple of cookies or a DogBar and some canned food (her jackpot) following each run, but I'm going to dig up that recipe probably and make up a batch when we go to trials.
I use Energy Edge with Izzie when it's hotter out. It does seem to make a difference in energy lasting the whole day and it doesn't give her an upset tummy.
http://k9energyedge.com/about-us.html
http://k9energyedge.com/about-us.html
Mira and I are finally starting to come back together on competition courses after our year+ off. Finally picked up some QQs and several more placements. Still not the smooth team we were, but we're getting closer and closer...both of us are more relaxed and able to think and adjust on course again. I have changed my handling a bit (resisting being the Queen of Front Crosses Always) which in the short term produced some off courses (almost unheard of for us) but is starting to give me more flexibility on course.
It was really nice to knock off a couple QQs. Had a run of one-Q-a-days with just one little thing, always something different, going awry in the other run. Just felt good to pull it off with my awesome Cheese
It was really nice to knock off a couple QQs. Had a run of one-Q-a-days with just one little thing, always something different, going awry in the other run. Just felt good to pull it off with my awesome Cheese
If you find it, would you mind sharing?
I know how *I* feel after activity, so whatever I can do to help him recover better and faster I would like to do it.
I know how *I* feel after activity, so whatever I can do to help him recover better and faster I would like to do it.