# If you do agility, please read! :)



## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

I want to do agility with Moose, nothing serious as he is NOT the most graceful animal (lets just say, his name fits him wonderfully ) but I don't have the money to pay for a trainer. So I plan on making my own equipment (currently on the list are: pause table, weave poles, dog walk and a frame, jumps when he is 1 year old). What I need: Help with training ME (handler commands, what I need to be doing) What commands should I use? Does it matter? What sort of hand signals should I use? Any websites that I could read that are informative and correct? I have watched all of Susan Garrett's videos on youtube and we have started with the 2X2's. He is really smart and catches onto things, but needs to gain confidence with climbing to things. I have started to work with him on this fear, with a large piece of plywood flat on the ground, and plan on slowly increasing the height while decreasing the width.


----------



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

How old is your dog? With your piece of plywood, many people put something underneath it so it moves when they step on it. That way they get used to something moving under their feet. Look up "wobble board" and I think it explains it better than I can.


----------



## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

Kyllobernese said:


> How old is your dog? With your piece of plywood, many people put something underneath it so it moves when they step on it. That way they get used to something moving under their feet. Look up "wobble board" and I think it explains it better than I can.


He is 6 months (which is why we aren't doing jumps yet ) and a black Lab. I plan on making a wobble board after he gets used to the plywood being raised a little, he is super nervous about this, and I'm not sure why. I guess I am just used to Maddie (my Cur mix) she can (and will) jump 5 foot easy, and loves to climb on things and be up high, like a cat


----------



## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

He really shouldn't be weaving or doing full height contacts (dog walks, a-frame...) at 6 months either. 

The wobble board is a great idea...for a nervous dog it's good just to get them moving about freely on a flat board, then adding a very small stuffie (or similar) to get some gentle motion, and transitioning to larger items under the board when you have a dog who is intentionally moving the board and enjoying doing so.

You can also work on end contact position ("2 on 2 off" tends to be easiest for people and dogs to understand) with random objects, curbs, etc. 

A solid recall and stay is very important in agility

There's a lot of fundamental work out there on the net if you look around more...body awareness, going around objects, between objects, under/over object...etc. Basically just broaden your dog's horizons when it comes to interacting with the world, and build up a good partnership. You'll be amazing how quickly he takes to actual equipment if you lay a solid independent foundation now.


----------



## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

Shaina said:


> He really shouldn't be weaving or doing full height contacts (dog walks, a-frame...) at 6 months either.


 Why not? (jw, not trying to be snarky ) Its just that once he "gets" a concept, hes got it, so I am constantly coming up with something new to teach him  I could have entered him in a rally comp 2 days after I got him and he would have passed with flying colors (he new nothing when I brought him home) When we go on walks Maddie has to climb everything (including trying to climb straight up a tree after a squirrel ) but Moose is really fearfull of that, so I want to start him early so I can work with him slowly, if that makes sense. He has an awesome stay, recall is getting better. Its a 90% thing at the dog park with tons of distractions (toys, dogs, people), 100% in an area with just tons of people and only a few dogs, or dogs that are on leads and not running around . We have been working on it more at the dog park and he is getting better. He is going to be my rally dog, but I want to sorta know what I'm doing by the time my BC pup gets here.



Shaina said:


> There's a lot of fundamental work out there on the net if you look around more...body awareness, going around objects, between objects, under/over object...etc. Basically just broaden your dog's horizons when it comes to interacting with the world, and build up a good partnership. You'll be amazing how quickly he takes to actual equipment if you lay a solid independent foundation now.


We have been starting to work on this as well. There are a lot of good hiking spots around here that require a good amount of jumping, going under things, around things etc, but I don't want to make things too strenuous till he is a little older.


----------



## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

WashingtonCowgirl said:


> Why not? (jw, not trying to be snarky ) Its just that once he "gets" a concept, hes got it, so I am constantly coming up with something new to teach him


Because his body isn't ready for the repetative stress of weaves, coming down off steep obstacles, etc.

One of the hardest things about having a smart, willing dog is that you have to be able to limit keep yourself from working on things his mind can handle but his body can't or shouldn't just yet. There's no glory in being able to do things with your dog at a young age at the expense of him breaking down physically before his time.

Not trying to lecture or anything...believe me, I understand the struggle. But it's worth it.


----------



## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

Shaina said:


> Because his body isn't ready for the repetative stress of weaves, coming down off steep obstacles, etc.
> 
> One of the hardest things about having a smart, willing dog is that you have to be able to limit keep yourself from working on things his mind can handle but his body can't or shouldn't just yet. There's no glory in being able to do things with your dog at a young age at the expense of him breaking down physically before his time.
> 
> Not trying to lecture or anything...believe me, I understand the struggle. But it's worth it.


 Thank you for bringing that to my attention, I honestly would have never thought twice about it. He already knows more tricks then Maddie (we are about halfway through the 101 Dog Tricks book) and if he isn't sleeping, or eating (he is a Lab after all ), he needs to be doing something semi productive. I have had him "trotting" over poles, and I taught him the "hup" command to get on something (only stuff like 6 inches if that off the ground) I tell hiim everyday he needs to grow up faster


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

How much are agility classes in your area? 

I can't imagine a class so expensive that it is worth it to make your own equipment. That can get very expensive very fast.


----------



## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> How much are agility classes in your area?
> 
> I can't imagine a class so expensive that it is worth it to make your own equipment. That can get very expensive very fast.


I have most of the stuff at home. My dad did a lot of projects, but when he moved out he left all his stuff, and my mom got "custody" of everything on the property in the divorce. I've looked around and have pretty much everything I need, and what I don't I could easily find stuff for free on craigslist or other sites


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Haha, that is nifty!


----------



## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

You might enjoy Susan Ailsby's Training Levels. Both the old Levels and the New ones are perfect for setting a dog up for future activities, as well as building great pet manners. The old levels have more information but are more haphazard and the New Levels are specifically designed as a foundation for sport and service work. The e-mail list is top notch too, it's my very favorite list out there.


----------



## WashingtonCowgirl (Mar 8, 2010)

RaeganW said:


> You might enjoy Susan Ailsby's Training Levels. Both the old Levels and the New ones are perfect for setting a dog up for future activities, as well as building great pet manners. The old levels have more information but are more haphazard and the New Levels are specifically designed as a foundation for sport and service work. The e-mail list is top notch too, it's my very favorite list out there.


Thanks for that link


----------



## Clamothe (Jan 20, 2011)

WashingtonCowgirl said:


> I want to do agility with Moose, nothing serious as he is NOT the most graceful animal (lets just say, his name fits him wonderfully ) but I don't have the money to pay for a trainer. So I plan on making my own equipment
> 
> http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2350&ParentCat=60
> 
> ...


----------



## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

A second for that book! I have it and I LOVE it!


----------

