# How soon is too soon? [agility]



## OpieDoodle (Aug 17, 2013)

I've been trying to research as much as possible about agility while Opie (5 month old Siberian Husky) is young so that I'm ready to go when the time comes. 

I read that you're not supposed to start until they are a year old at least. But then I have also read that at 6 months they can start jumping at elbow height? How true is this?


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I would not start jumping a dog at 5 months old. If you are going to do Agility it is a good idea to do some Obedience classes first as usually they cannot start even Foundation classes till they are about a year old. There is a lot of groundwork you can do with a puppy though, like getting them to walk a plank on the ground, get them used to things moving under their feet, learn to follow directions. There are a lot of videos on UTube on things you can teach your dog at five months old.


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## GLiO (Aug 12, 2013)

Typically, you don't want to do any prolonged running (as a workout partner for a human), agility, jumping, etc with your dog until they hit the 1 year mark. Their bones, joints, and muscles are still developing and you run the risk of hip/bone/etc problems later in life if you push their bodies too hard when they're young.


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## Bird-Dog (Dec 24, 2008)

To add to Kyllo's groundwork list...teach walking on both sides (enforcing one side for exercise walks is fine but make sure your dog will accept standing/working on your other side too), teach directions (right/left), a really strong "do not follow" command (I don't use "stay" because "sit" means sit until I tell you otherwise, but whatever you use make sure you can do just about anything and walk in any direction without your dog following.)


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## trainingjunkie (Feb 10, 2010)

While you won't do jumping and weaving and contacts until your pup is older, there's just a ton of training to be done with a puppy. I started my pup in agility at 11 weeks of age, as soon as I got her.


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## OpieDoodle (Aug 17, 2013)

I'm not doing all that much yet, we're still working on things like walking on the leash and stay. I just want to make sure I don't do anything to hurt him while he's young.  

I plan on getting him a tunnel to run through and a board to walk on since both of those aren't very hard on them. But that won't happen for a few months now. We still have a while before we do anything, like I said I just wanted to get a good grasp on things


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

Do you use clicker training? I found that really helped when starting Agility with Lucy. One thing that is fun to start with a puppy is getting them used to things moving under their feet. I got a square of plywood and put a toy underneath it so it was not level. Sometimes the puppy will try and step on it and you can click or treat if they even put one foot on it. Gradually get them to walk across it or stand on it. You can also get a box with low sides on it and get them to put one or two feet in it, then eventually all four feet in it. Kiko pup has lots of things you can do with a puppy.


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## OpieDoodle (Aug 17, 2013)

Kyllobernese said:


> Do you use clicker training? I found that really helped when starting Agility with Lucy. One thing that is fun to start with a puppy is getting them used to things moving under their feet. I got a square of plywood and put a toy underneath it so it was not level. Sometimes the puppy will try and step on it and you can click or treat if they even put one foot on it. Gradually get them to walk across it or stand on it. You can also get a box with low sides on it and get them to put one or two feet in it, then eventually all four feet in it. Kiko pup has lots of things you can do with a puppy.


I was using one until I moved (just moved like a week and a half ago) The clicker is in a box that is currently MIA lol. I need to go buy a new one


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

I have a bunch of DVD's and books for you that will keep you more than busy with foundation stuff for puppies until they are old enough to get into the real guts of agility. 

Building Block for Perfomance - http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2829&ParentCat=175

Flatwork; Foundation for Agility - http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1213&ParentCat=175

Foundation Fundamentals - http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2625&ParentCat=175

Foundation Training for Agility - http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1729&ParentCat=175

Puppy Jumping by Susan Salo - http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2083&ParentCat=175

All of this stuff, including the jumping DVD, is low impact and perfect for puppies. Good Luck and have fun!


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## So Cavalier (Jul 23, 2010)

You can do things with a wobble board so the puppy gets used to being on moving objects. You can buy a wobble board or make a buja board. They are easy to make.


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