# Why I agility.



## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Kylie started agility the first time when she was about 8 months old. We did all of about half a foundations class and dropped out due to a family issue. A year later (January 13) we went back. 

That was 18 months ago. 

18 months ago, Kylie wouldn't even run toward any target the instructor was within several feet of, and wouldn't move away from me at all. She would send as a command, but wouldn't get off my ankles on the course. She would run with me or toward me, but not ahead of me, ever. She would pop out of tunnels, bail from the contacts, whatever it took. She wouldn't leave me at all. She had no confidence. 

12 months ago, she would bail off equipment if the instructor got too close, but she'd eat off the target if the instructor stepped back and got out of the way. She'd send a little more and get a little bit ahead. Then it got hot and she stopped jumping, stopped leaving the start line and started plodding around the course.

We stopped for a while, and just focused on having fun. When I started back with Molly and drug out our tunnel she lit up, so we started playing again at home. Then we went to club practices. Then we added private lessons. Then we trialed.

Today? Today we had a private lesson. 

Today, she started yodeling with excitement two miles before we made it to the field. 

Today, she pulled me through the gate to the agility field, and bounced and ran when she got there. 

Today, while I walked our course she sat with the instructor not just holding her leash, but crouched down and scratching her chest and side, while Kylie wagged her tail.

Today, she ran a course where the only real remark was that it was perfect and that if Kylie ran like that she'd have no trouble making time at any level - because she was running, and she was running at a distance to me, and she was having the time of her life (and because I didn't forget the course or screw up too much). 

Guys... this dog's never had any confidence. If you read back over all my posts here (not just the agility ones), she'd collapse under any pressure at all. She was afraid of strangers. She wouldn't let ANYONE but us touch her or take treats from them. I talk about the way her toy/play drive vanished. I described her as shy *constantly*, and overly-serious just about as much.

That's not the dog I have today. She's still soft - I can and have applied too much pressure and broken things, but. Big but:

She's NUTS about balls and discs. She runs like someone lit her tail on fire. She will take obstacles for the sheer fun of taking them, while I'm standing around talking - jumps, contacts, tunnels, even weaves, whatever. She doesn't shut down if she doesn't get a reward. If I'm too slow or frustrating, she'll whirl around and bark at me and tell me off. She will take a treat from anyone offering food and she will flop over and rub against people she knows only casually like a cat. 

I'm seeing the same thing happen with Molly, though Molly's always been more confident and had play drive. She's waking up to the game - what it's about, what it means, that it's FUN - and lighting up like Kylie has. 

This is what it's about. 

It's lighting me up, too, and changing how I relate to my dogs - *all* my dogs. It's not just about training an action, it's teaching the dog to read you and learning to read your dog. It's about this fast, fluid, imperfect and sometimes out of control communication. It REALLY makes me understand what 'trust your dog' means, in an immediate way nothing else ever has. 

I hated agility when I started. HATED. You couldn't make me give it up for anything, now. 

Not saying it's the end all be all or there's anything wrong with not doing it - I don't with all of my dogs - but I can't imagine NOT doing this, anymore.


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

I feel like I could have written so much of this about Kimma. Agility is a wonderful thing - I'll never NOT do it, either. I'm glad you are getting so much out of it <3


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I've seen agility do amazing things for fearful/less confident dogs. It makes me happy to know what it has done for Kylie and that Molly is having fun. 

Kairi really loves agility and has from the day she started. It's a lot more work and commitment than I ever imagined, but it is worth it and so great for the bond.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I didn't see Molly really start to love it until she started seeing multiple obstacles in a row. Before that I got 'okay, i did the thing...?' sort of vibes from her. I kind of suspect I'll see more and more enthusiasm from her as it goes. Right now it's turned into a pretty awesome thing for her, but we're definitely still putting pieces together. 

Kylie though, man, that's one heck of a breath-taking transformation for me. 

(And yeah. Commitment and work and money but good grief I love it now. Probably why I hated it then, though )


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## Zip (Jun 14, 2015)

Oh, reading this makes me so happy!

I started training agility with our super shy, soft, fearful dog recently(had 4 practices so far), and it's been a true roller coaster of emotions. To start with, it certainly wasn't the greatest idea to start with classes in the summer, when it gets super hot and he really doesn't enjoy this kind of weather, so definitely a mistake. But the thing is, he is a family dog and I'm away at Uni during the year so this was kind of my only option.

He loves working with me, especially trick training and playing, but gets stressed out SO easily. In the last class he refused to do anything, even tunnels that he otherwise just loves. It really sucked, especially because I was actually contemplating not even going to that class-it was an especially hot day, and even I was barely moving. It made me feel sorry for making him run, when he just wanted to rest in the shade.(We only trained for like 3 minutes that day, there really was no point)

Otherwise he IS happy to do agility, but there are times when he just shuts-down and refuses to participate and it makes me feel like a stupid, non competent trainer, unable to motivate my dog. Outside of agility we are having sooo much fun playing and spending time together, I just need to figure out how to get that level of happy excitement and fast running on agility course. I'm sure we'll get there eventually 

He kind of reminds me of Kylie, actually.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

My suggestion to you, and take it for what it's worth (but it's what I did with Kylie when she was flat from heat and/or stressing): Get *something* from him, reward and stop. Your instructor should be happy to let you do that. If you catch him before he flags just stop at the end of an exercise. If you don't catch it in progress and he doesn't want to move, try and get him through a tunnel or to perform anything, give him a reward and then let him chill. 

You WILL get there, though, you really will.


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## Zip (Jun 14, 2015)

Yep, that is exactly what I've been doing, but thanks for the advice! I really can't wait to see how he progresses  It is hard to watch him so disengaged at times though, especially knowing how happy he is about training otherwise.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Agility is definitely the best thing ever. I can't imagine not doing agility either. I've met many cool people and dogs through it. I've grown a lot as a trainer. My dogs have had a blast. It's good stuff.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Zip said:


> Yep, that is exactly what I've been doing, but thanks for the advice! I really can't wait to see how he progresses  It is hard to watch him so disengaged at times though, especially knowing how happy he is about training otherwise.


IMO if he's disengaged you're going too fast too soon. You can definitely approach agility the same way you do tricks or any other training he thinks is fun. Though not all trainers/classes are good at doing that. If I were you I'd be looking at what makes him love other training and ask yourself if you're doing that in agility too.

The heat is a pain though and a lot of dogs do slow down some especially their first summer of agility. Once they revisit it later on they usually do better because they have a better understanding and drive for the game.


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## Zip (Jun 14, 2015)

I don't know, maybe, but I think we are going extra slow. For example, this last time when he wasn't up to anything we just tried doing some tunnels, basically the exact same thing that we've already done before and he loved it then and RAN happily and excitedly. And we always, always train for just like 2, 3 minutes at a time, it basically looks like this: some happy tricks, I throw his favorite ball, yaay, more tricks, go through the tunnel, yaaay, massive party. Sometimes it's two jumps instead of a tunnel and so on. Oh, and I always reward like crazy to let him know what a good boy he's been. I really think this awful heat plays a huge part, but we'll see. 

I will stop hijacking this thread now, and maybe start posting in the official agility thread.  Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate it!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm sure you're fine. Honestly, I didn't do a thing with or for Kylie except let her have the summer off, go back in more pleasant weather and build a reward history/history of fun with it. Give your guy some time, it'll be fine. He really DOES sound like Kylie!


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## kadylady (Sep 23, 2010)

Your Kylie story is pretty much exactly the same as my Zoey story.  Shy, fearful young dog, terrified of strangers...blooming into a confident, happy adult, competing in agility trials. I had no idea how much agility would do for not only her, but me as well. This probably sounds extreme, but agility came to us at a time when I needed it more than I could have possibly known and totally turned my life around. And my little Zoey dog...she makes my heart burst thinking back on how far she can come. She seeks people out at agility trials! Like total strangers, goes up and says hi! Cries in excitement when we get to the club. Loves on whoever happens to be at the club, whether she knows them or not! Just...so awesome! 

And as I've started teaching agility, seeing the confidence it brings to other shy or fearful dogs, seeing the confidence it brings to their owners, seeing reactive dogs let their guard down and have fun, seeing dogs and handlers learn to work together and have fun together... It makes me so so happy.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

I love hearing about how much Kylie has progressed. I can just picture her getting all pumped up when walking to the field! Makes me smile 

I can tell that agility is helping Nova too. At our last class, she actually went up to the instructor to be pet (that has never happened before)! And the instructor actually commented on how she forgot that Nova can be reactive/fearful!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

It's funny, isn't it? The public perception of agility dogs is super well trained, super stable dogs with no issues of special breeds who are crazy athletic. The reality's fair different and that makes me even more sad, realizing how very, very, much good agility can do for dogs with fear/confidence/reactivity/whatever issues.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Just re-stumbled on this and it's sort of relevant.

http://www.awesomepaws.us/call-me-old-fashioned/

Makes me happy I live in the area I live in.... it's pretty laid back around here and most people are running 'the family pet'


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Man, I don't even know what to say about my area. We have people running the family pet, we have people running purpose bred, imported dogs, we have people training and running their foster dogs and then adopting them out within the agility community (this is neat, IMO). We have some people who are a little too competitive to be comfortable around, but mostly regardless of the dog and level of competition people have really good attitudes and put the dog and relationship with the dog first.

Mostly. Not entirely. Some people who bother me a lot, but mostly.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Yeah there's sport bred dogs, byb dogs, rescues, champions what have you here. But mostly the community is great. I tend to stick to the starters ring so miss out on the more competitive folk but that's ok.  My club is great people though. 

I also like Emily Hurt's blog on this kind of stuff. 

http://www.emdogs.com/training-journal/



> It’s one of the only times we’re scored on our performance, but I always walk into the ring with THE best dog. & lucky me, I get to leave with her, too.





> Anything. Everything. With love & respect. Smile. Laugh. Play games. Teach Tricks. Hike. Swim. Condition. Spend the time. Get to know your dog. Enjoy your dog. Don’t worry about anyone else. We are all on our own journey. Your journey with your dog is just that. Love it. Embrace it. Cherish the time you’re lucky enough to get. Don't worry about the results, as you already have everything you need at the end of your leash.
> 
> Everything you do outside the ring affects your time in the ring. Those 30-second blips in time are such a tiny part of the overall experience. Enjoy. every. second.


It's good stuff.

EDIT: And another. 

http://www.usdaa.com/article.cfm?newsID=2511



> My one and only goal is to have fun with my dogs and show them a bang-up awesome time. It's my decision to play this game. They'd be just as happy with hikes and Frisbee and swimming and... well you get the idea. I doubt any of them would miss agility if we quit playing, because their lives are so full of other fun activities. Let your dogs' lives be so full of awesome that agility is just another element. Don't sweat the small stuff. Their life is so short compared to ours. When they're gone, you wont remember if you qualified in Grand Prix in January of 2014. You'll remember the sweet kisses they gave you every morning. You'll remember that look of "This is so awesome, Mom!" they gave you every time you brought out their favorite toy. You'll remember that deep-down feeling of joy you get every time you cross the finish line with your best friend. Those are the things that are important. Take the time to stop and focus on those, and you just might find yourself with an amazingly willing E dog living in your house, too.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

This makes me nervous about our upcoming class. So far, we have only trained with family dogs. Agility was an afterthought for most, if not all, of us. Going into a class at this club makes me wonder if all the dogs participating will be purpose bred our acquired with the intention of competing. Hope we fit in :\


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

You'll do great! 

I don't find the 'been around the block a while' folk to be any less supportive than the newbies. Basically I've learned to just focus on me and my dog and just try to be supportive of everyone else. Most people are nice. My classmates have all been great. Been around a few trials where people weren't so great and I just avoid those people now.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Yeah, I was going to say that in all honesty the few people who have bothered me haven't stuck around long. They were also all newbies, to be honest with you. Like you know, "I know nothing but I'm coming in and we're going to nationals!' people. I am pretty sure other people have experienced similar things. 

Agility's just not a great environment for people who don't actually, really, love their dog - wherever it came from or goals for it might be.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Laurelin said:


> Yeah there's sport bred dogs, byb dogs, rescues, champions what have you here. But mostly the community is great. I tend to stick to the starters ring so miss out on the more competitive folk but that's ok.  My club is great people though.
> 
> I also like Emily Hurt's blog on this kind of stuff.


Wow. Yeah, so do I. A LOT.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

Thanks guys 

I guess there will always be a few bad apples no matter where we go, but as long as we don't let them suck the fun out of agility, then whatever. I don't have to socialize with them, and yeah, they probably won't stick around too long if the environment isn't conducive to that sort of attitude/thinking.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Definitely don't worry that the more competitive people are going to be a worse experience than everyone else. They're just dogs and dog people after all! And they all had to start somewhere! Honestly, my worst experience has been with the least competitive class I went to (my first one 6 years ago). 



> Wow. Yeah, so do I. A LOT.


Glad you enjoyed.  I go back to that one a bit. (she also has some really good stuff on conditioning too)


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Yep. I also really liked the R dog versus the E dog thing - lots of good stuff in there that resonated re: Kylie and the changes I've seen with her. And how to keep her going forward and more E than R.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

Laurelin said:


> Definitely don't worry that the more competitive people are going to be a worse experience than everyone else. They're just dogs and dog people after all! And they all had to start somewhere! Honestly, my worst experience has been with the least competitive class I went to (my first one 6 years ago).


That's true. I always forget that every handler and every dog started somewhere and that we all have different things to overcome. I'm sure most competitive folk are really supportive and nice...I guess I just have them on this pedestal.

And I think back to the first trial I went to watch....there was one woman there who was so rude. She even made some sort of comment that this competition was no competition for her. I just couldn't believe it, but of course, she was definitely the exception. There were lots of really nice people there.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

There's a few of those people in everything, I think. No matter what you get involved in you will find those handful of people that take things way too seriously and are just not fun to be around. They're not the majority for sure. But they can be loud... I find agility people to be pretty easy compared to my other dog ventures... conformation mainly even though I didn't spend long there. You also get better and better dealing with the 'eccentric dog type'. Not that all or most agility/confo people are that type but no one can deny that they're not there. 

When Summer had her seizure at a trial I had so many very supportive and nice people I had never met giving me hugs and helping me carry my stuff. I even had some come up at another trial months later asking if I was the girl with the papillon that had the seizure and that they'd been wondering if she was doing better and how good it was to see her doing better.  Most people are there because they love dogs and love the sport and the community.


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## pawsaddict (Apr 17, 2013)

That's really good to know. Thanks, Laurelin. You definitely made me feel better


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

I didn't stick with agility mostly because it was cost prohibitive and hard to get into classes in my area. It was fun and I could see Jubel and I enjoying it but the time and money involved in just getting started here was enough to have me searching out other activities. In the end we've mostly landed in nosework. 

Overall the nosework community is great but we do have some highly competitive people just looking for their next title/ribbon more than having fun with their dog(s). Every trial I've entered has been with the attitude of I hope we get our title but if we don't we will at least have a good time. Now that we are at the NW3 level I'm running into more people who are looking for ways to "let the dog know they didn't get it all right" because at NW3 you don't know how many hides there are on each element and there COULD be a blank room with no hides. You have to call "clear" on a blank room, and "finished" when you think you've found all the hides. So in the cases of dogs not finding all the hides or false alerting because you keep making them search the area until they figure they have to alert on SOMETHING... So yeah I'm starting to hear more of correcting the dog for mistakes talk, they have to know they didn't get it right type talk. Thankfully our instructor agrees with my thoughts, in general the dogs don't fail, you as the handler need to make changes. 

I still have times when I think I want to do agility again because I really do think it'd be fun but it still comes back to the money and time. Between the money and time already going into nosework and the occasional barn hunt stuff, plus time commitments with fostering it's just not going to happen. Very nice to hear how much good it's done for Kylie, Molly, and Zoey though.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Thanks for writing this CptJack  Even after only taking 4 lessons in agility, I feel like Meeko has already become a lot more comfortable/confident!

I definitely think it's a great way to bond and socialize your dog.


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