Agility training
- Thread starter Panzerotti
- Start date
Yesterday went well. Summer is fab and we were doing some crazy fast speed circles.
Mia is still slow. Happy but slow. She's very congested and it was 95 out. I'm trying not to worry too much. Somethig about the field is stressin her lately. He was timid leaving her crate so we did some in and out and happy and that helped. She sped up closer to the end of class when it cooled down some. When we got home we did some jumps with the extra cookies I had in my pocket an she was so fast. Then we played ball and he was crazy and happy and jumping like normal. But after about 30 mins she was huffin and puffing and snorting and sounding so stuffed up.
Something is going on at class lately though and it's confusing me. I had a chiro look at her and adjust her. Also had the vet go over her knees. This vet actually couldn't get the knees to luxate at all and thought my initial vet had way overestimated the grade of the location. Urgggg so frustrating to hear different things.
I'm wondering if it is mostly congestion plus the heat? My trainer said her BC is having bad summer allergies.
Mia is still slow. Happy but slow. She's very congested and it was 95 out. I'm trying not to worry too much. Somethig about the field is stressin her lately. He was timid leaving her crate so we did some in and out and happy and that helped. She sped up closer to the end of class when it cooled down some. When we got home we did some jumps with the extra cookies I had in my pocket an she was so fast. Then we played ball and he was crazy and happy and jumping like normal. But after about 30 mins she was huffin and puffing and snorting and sounding so stuffed up.
Something is going on at class lately though and it's confusing me. I had a chiro look at her and adjust her. Also had the vet go over her knees. This vet actually couldn't get the knees to luxate at all and thought my initial vet had way overestimated the grade of the location. Urgggg so frustrating to hear different things.
I'm wondering if it is mostly congestion plus the heat? My trainer said her BC is having bad summer allergies.
Running order for our next trial hit my inbox. Freaking out. Georgie runs Sunday, she's third dog in the ring for Standard and second in the ring for jumpers, and there's about five dogs between her and Payton. Eep.
A world team person is going to be there with a new baby dog. I guess I can forget about any blue ribbons for Pay hahaha.
OTOH if Georgie Qs she totally gets first place because she's the only novice 12 regular dog. GET IT GIRLY
I just realized something. Georgie had better not come in season in the next few weeks. If she's regular, she's due...
A world team person is going to be there with a new baby dog. I guess I can forget about any blue ribbons for Pay hahaha.
OTOH if Georgie Qs she totally gets first place because she's the only novice 12 regular dog. GET IT GIRLY
I just realized something. Georgie had better not come in season in the next few weeks. If she's regular, she's due...
Gusto, Meg and I are headed down to a trial Friday in Rhode Island. I hadn't really planned on trialing much this fall, as I wanted to keep working on some stuff with Gusto, but I have a few friends chairing trials that I want to support, so we have 3 that we are going to. I figure it will be good to evaluate where we are with Gusto's focus and speed training (our online class just ended), and then make a winter plan. Plus we have a seminar the day after Thanksgiving with the trainer from our class, so that will be wonderful. I'd like to get him into masters for at least a couple of classes (3 standard qs in 4 tries may be pushing our luck) - jumpers and gamblers are certainly possible.
We have the BEST possible training set up organized for this winter. I'm so excited. Myself and 3 friends, all of whom are super knowledgeable and focuses with nice, friendly dogs are renting an indoor (heated!) riding ring for 2 hours a week. Between the group, we have a full set of nice equipment, with rubberized contacts and 24" weaves and everything. We all trained together through our club last winter, but wanted something where we had full control over things. I can't wait to get started!
We have the BEST possible training set up organized for this winter. I'm so excited. Myself and 3 friends, all of whom are super knowledgeable and focuses with nice, friendly dogs are renting an indoor (heated!) riding ring for 2 hours a week. Between the group, we have a full set of nice equipment, with rubberized contacts and 24" weaves and everything. We all trained together through our club last winter, but wanted something where we had full control over things. I can't wait to get started!
I finally figured out why Payton was having issues with my stick-in-the-ground weave poles... not because they lack a base like most weave poles we see (including at trial and fun runs) but because I NEVER STRIPED THEM WITH TAPE. Durrrrr. Of course he couldn't really see it that well. Auggie OTOH didn't need tape because by the time I got a set of stick-in-the-grounds, he was doing 12 weave poles and probably did them just fine solely based on the familiar rhythm. Also Auggie is the weave pole freak who didn't see weave poles for almost a year and then was at the fun run like "LOOK HOW GOOD MY WEAVE POLES ARE" so yeah. Auggie was fine. Payton needed the stripes.
I striped them.
Magically Payton can now do 12 weave poles like a boss.
juuuuuust in case.
I striped them.
Magically Payton can now do 12 weave poles like a boss.
juuuuuust in case.
We had a great weave session after the park trip today. I am loving this 'cooler' weather (cooler being just under 80 and humid lol). My dogs kept pooping out in this upper 90s and sunny weather. We did almost 4 miles and then they still wanted to train.
I think my dogs are getting it. I have stooped down to doing 6 instead of 12 (I know) but I'd really like to get Summer trialing in AKC soonish. I closed the weaves more than I ever have with her today.
With Mia I am just happy that she is going down the open channel consistently. I don't know why that concept was so hard for her. I've also found that if I work in the front yard vs the back it goes a lot nicer. Mia worries about stepping in poop in the back yard. I also figured out that setting a jump up in front of the weaves is helping too. I think it just gets them in 'agility mode'.
So yay progress!
I think my dogs are getting it. I have stooped down to doing 6 instead of 12 (I know) but I'd really like to get Summer trialing in AKC soonish. I closed the weaves more than I ever have with her today.
With Mia I am just happy that she is going down the open channel consistently. I don't know why that concept was so hard for her. I've also found that if I work in the front yard vs the back it goes a lot nicer. Mia worries about stepping in poop in the back yard. I also figured out that setting a jump up in front of the weaves is helping too. I think it just gets them in 'agility mode'.
So yay progress!
Everyone is telling me well you might as well just train 12. I think 6 is a lot easier for my dogs to get. My plan was what you did and mash the two together. Most my friends are doing 2x2s instead of channels like I'm doing. 2x2s were really stressing my dogs and I don't think I'm very good at training them to begin with. Anyways, just tweaking things to see where we go.
Eh, nobody I know just starts with 12. I wouldn't worry about it. Honestly, once my dogs were doing six and figured out the rhythm and footwork, 12 was basically nothing different for them. If six seems to be working for your dogs, I'd go for it with no apologies. Gusto was trained on six (that's actually all I have at home) and debuted in USDAA, where they have to do 12 right from the start.
Speaking of which, we are hitting the road in a few minutes for the weekend trial. I'm considering it a good omen that Gusto's PD title certificate showed up in the mail while I was packing the car.
Speaking of which, we are hitting the road in a few minutes for the weekend trial. I'm considering it a good omen that Gusto's PD title certificate showed up in the mail while I was packing the car.
I would also recommend training at 6 - or even 4 - until you're really seeing the drive and awesome entrances that 2x2s can give. Once the basic understanding of the obstacle exists adding more poles isn't too difficult, but you can easily overface your dog by presenting too much too fast when the basics still aren't there.
I started Cohen with 6 (well, 2, then 4, then...) and she moved on to 12 within a few minutes when I first presented her with a full line. Recently I put her in front of 36 poles and she did them on her first attempt with zero hesitation. I'm still working Megatron at 4 (I got lazy and haven't worked them in 1-2 months) and am in no rush to add another wicket.
Congrats on the progress! The cooler weather makes things so much easier.
I started Cohen with 6 (well, 2, then 4, then...) and she moved on to 12 within a few minutes when I first presented her with a full line. Recently I put her in front of 36 poles and she did them on her first attempt with zero hesitation. I'm still working Megatron at 4 (I got lazy and haven't worked them in 1-2 months) and am in no rush to add another wicket.
Congrats on the progress! The cooler weather makes things so much easier.
I don't know anybody who trains 12 right off the bat either. I mean, if you go by the 2x2 method, you're actually only training TWO poles to start, so...
I trained Payton with a mishmash of 2x2s and weave-o-matics, and when I went to 12 poles I added two poles at a time (as opposed to the traditional 2x2 method sets of 6 and moving them closer and closer.)
I trained Payton with a mishmash of 2x2s and weave-o-matics, and when I went to 12 poles I added two poles at a time (as opposed to the traditional 2x2 method sets of 6 and moving them closer and closer.)
Huh. Interesting... No one around me trains less than 12 to start anymore! My current instructor for the weaves class we're in is working novice dogs starting with 12. She's said that she did 12 from the beginning with one of her dogs and 6 from the beginning with the other and the 12 pole starter never had any problems popping out, while she had a lot of trouble shooting with the dog who started with only 6, and her colleagues and friends have said the same thing is pretty much true for them as well, so she's starting us that way. Recon started from the beginning with 12 and I haven't seen a problem, yet! 
People here do what works for their dog. If that's starting with 12 channels, cool. If that's starting with 2 poles for 2x2, cool. 6 channels or weave-o-matics? Also cool. Wires? Yep there's that crowd too. Agility has been strong in this area pretty much since the inception of competition agility in this country so every method has a foothold and die-hard supporters.
Which is fine because there is no one completely right or wrong method provided you're doing everything else right. It's dog training.
If you are not getting the drive and understanding and attitude you want with all 12 but getting more what you want out of 4 or 6 then you are absolutely doing the right thing for your dogs. Which is all that really matters.
/soapbox
Which is fine because there is no one completely right or wrong method provided you're doing everything else right. It's dog training.
If you are not getting the drive and understanding and attitude you want with all 12 but getting more what you want out of 4 or 6 then you are absolutely doing the right thing for your dogs. Which is all that really matters.
/soapbox
Yeah, I had dreams of Crossbone only ever seeing 12 poles in training...and then didn't have enough space. I have sets of three poles so I do three, six, nine or twelve. I decided that I should switch it up so he never knows how many -- just that he has to do all that sit in front of him.
We're loving working in our new yard. I set the straight tunnel in front of the weaves and he has to run through both while we play chuck-it. We've also been working on serps, threadles, wing wraps, etc. He's gonna be freaking awesome someday.
We're loving working in our new yard. I set the straight tunnel in front of the weaves and he has to run through both while we play chuck-it. We've also been working on serps, threadles, wing wraps, etc. He's gonna be freaking awesome someday.
