I just discovered agility a little over a year ago. I've always done obedience with my dogs over the years (mostly Shetland Sheepdogs) but I was getting bored with it. I got a wondeful female Sheltie two years ago and she was just so active and wanting to be challenged that my obedience instructor suggested agility. We just started competing in UKC (I think it's a good organization for beginners) and she already has her AG II title and I'm so proud! The most important thing about it is that she just loves it. When I say the word "Agility?" she goes nuts! When we pull into the parking lot of the agility training club, she barks and whimpers like crazy! It's so cute. I love her enthusaism. She is a "natural" at it and pretty much any mistake that is made is because of something wrong that I did like where my body is positioned. It can be a bit frustrating. It's not as easy as it looks when you get to the higher levels and have to worry more about distance control. I should get better as I go on though, right? I'm really trying to get my dog to become a really quick weaver. How do I do that? She weaves fast but not fast enough for if we want to do like USDAA or NADAC. Should I use guidewires? I'm just practicing with regular old posts at home. Should I invest in a real set of them since they are flexible? She is a super fast dog so I know that she can do the weave poles and the course faster but I think I just need to work on my distance control. Can anyone recommend any books or DVDs to help? Also, what organizations do you compete in? What kind of dog or dogs do you have? I'm also thinking about getting another dog to start doing agility with since I have tons of time (I don't have kids and I'm home alone all day). What might you suggest that would "mesh" well with my Sheltie? I know Border Colllies rule but I'm thinking maybe something different. I was kind of thinking of a Standard Poodle,Toy Poodle, Papillion, an Aussie (or mini-Aussie although I couldn't do AKC with it then, right?), or a Boxer ( I used to have one and I love the breed). What do you think? THANKS FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS AND FOR LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH AGILITY! |||I love agility as well and found it quite by accident. We lost our mini poodle after 16 wonderful years with her. We decided on a sheltie for our next dog and ended up with littermates, a boy and a girl. The boy had lots of drive so the breeder suggested we take agility classes with him. Well now, four years later we compete almost all of the weekends in the spring and fall (we live in New England), it is truly addicting. Both dogs are at the AKC Excellent level and the girl will get her MACH very, very soon!
As far as your weave poles. We trained on 2 x 2's and had excellent results. All three of my shelties are fast weavers and get their entrances easily. Whatever system you use, be consistent and of course use lots of praise and good treats!
The best resource for anything related to agility is cleanrun.com. They have a whole section on books and video's. If you don't already get their magazine, subscribe to it, it is the agility bible around here! Lots and lots of exercises to work on at home, great articles, you will love it.
You might also want to look into attending a training camp with a well known instructor, many of the world team member's do training camps around the country. Of course they are all on the way to Finland now to compete for the US at the end of the month. You did not mention where you live, otherwise I might be able to recommend a camp for you.
Another agility dog? Of course another sheltie would fit in great that is why we have three, but I would also consider a mini poodle. They are fast, agile and smart and are also easy to live with at home. Aussies are great agility dogs as well, just make sure if you have a small aussie it is AKC registered and not with mini-aussie association. Boxer's are nice dogs, but not great agility dogs in my opinion.
Good luck, run fast and run clean!
|||I haven't done it, but I think it's wonderful. Most any dogs will mesh. It's not so much a breed thing as it is an individual dog thing.|||I haven't done it, but I have several friends who do it. I've been sitting on the idea of getting started with it with my girl Echo...she's SO spunky, active, and eager to please, I'm sure she'd have a blast with it!
I've been to a couple trials, and all the dogs and their owners seem to be having a ton of fun.
Any dog can do it, no matter what the breed...I've seen a Papillon run a course before and it was incredible as well as hilarious :D Break the mold, and get a non-traditional agility dog! Prove that any breed can do it and kick butt ;)|||Herding dogs are a natural for agility training, they love it and it's easy to train them. I'm an Australian Cattle Dog lover and my current pup (pictured) is a natural at it. As far as meshing, like dogs or ones with a similar instincts seem to naturally gravitate to each other, when we have open play times with the group I work with my ACD goes to play with the Border Collies and Australian Shepard's bypassing the other breeds, I've seen German Shepard's do this as well. So I would think any herding breed would be a good fit.
I haven't competed yet, currently just doing it for fun and exercise my ACD is only 10 months old, I'm fortunate that in the area we live there are several Agility clubs so I haven't tried any DVDs yet.
Good luck, and ENJOY!
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