# Agility Prerequisites



## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

Corona has never done any formal training.. no puppy classes or obedience.. however she has decent basic manners (sit, down, wait) and through clicker training I've taught her some tricks (spin, high five, dead dog). She is very food motivated and generally a quick learner.

Now, the point of me giving all that info is because I'm wondering if this class would be appropriate for us:

_Agility Foundation
Get ready for some fun and excitement!!
We will teach your dog how to perform each piece of agility equipment safely and with confidence. Dogs will also start to do short sequences of up to 4 obstacles in a row._

I'm not sure if I'd ever want to compete, but have always had a desire to try agility for the fun of it. Do you think this would be a good place to start, or are we likely to be in over our heads?

Also, the site says that dogs must not be aggressive toward people or other dogs.. Corona will snap at other dogs if they are in her face and pestering her, and generally prefers not to be around other dogs, but that's not really "aggression", is it?

Appreciate any and all feedback.. this is a whole new world for me!!


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## Shiningsummer (May 24, 2010)

I would call the facility or trainer who's giving the class and ask them. I wouldn't be surprised if they insisted on a basic obedience class first. Even though Corona doesn't need the training, maybe it would be good just to see how she does in the basic class first. Who knows, you might learn something new. You can always take her out if there's a problem. At least you know you tried!

I don't know if the snapping at other dogs is necessarily considered aggression, but only you can determine if you think it's going to be a serious problem and you have to be able to accept the consequences if she bites another dog in class. There's most likely going to be a good number of dogs there in close proximity, so you might be taking your chances. I would also ask the trainer if you and Corona could just observe a class and see what you think.


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

I agree that it might be good to ask the trainer. Reactive dogs are allowed by my agility instructor only if they do not seek out aggressive interactions. We cannot have dogs that will lunge at other dogs unprovoked, but dogs that do not appreciate having other dogs in their face are tolerated. 

In the mean time, Control Unleashed is probably a book/DVD that you would find useful.


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

I did ask the trainer, she just said that basic manners and no aggression were all that were necessary. Was hoping to get others' thoughts by posting here.

Maybe I will try to go observe a class...


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## Indigo (Mar 31, 2011)

That sounds like a beginner class to me, right up your alley if you have never done it before. You don't need formal training if you trained your dog at home. If Corona listens to you, specifically has a good recall, you will be fine.

Beware, you may get addicted to agility. 



CoverTune said:


> Corona will snap at other dogs if they are in her face and pestering her, and generally prefers not to be around other dogs, but that's not really "aggression", is it?


If she doesn't like being around other dogs, to the point of extreme stress, she probably won't like group classes. As it's an off-leash sport it's inevitable that at some point someone's dog will come and visit Corona.

Does she only do it with really pushy dogs or with any dog that comes to greet her? I think you mean the former? It's fair for her to get upset if a dog is pushing into her personal space while she is warning them to leave. However, I would still work on getting her more comfortable around dogs in general, perhaps by getting her to focus on you when another dog approaches.

Maybe call the agility place and ask them to define what they mean. I can tell you they usually mean unprovoked aggression and dangerous dogs. I've seen dogs like yours a lot at agility and it's usually not a big deal. Be prepared for the fact that not everyone else's dogs are going to be polite, and be sure you tell people with bolder dogs to keep their distance.


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## Shiningsummer (May 24, 2010)

CoverTune said:


> I did ask the trainer, she just said that basic manners and no aggression were all that were necessary. Was hoping to get others' thoughts by posting here.
> 
> Maybe I will try to go observe a class...


In that case, I would just go for it. It sounds like a pretty basic class. Just have fun with it, don't worry about being in over your head. The worst that can happen is you'll feel like a fool in front of a few people that you probably won't see again, so what? On the other hand, it might turn out to be the best thing you've ever done for your dog and you'll end up having the time of your life. What have you got to lose? :whoo:


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

At the agility club where we do classes, you just let the instructor know if your dog needs some space, then she will announce to everyone to stay away from those dogs.


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## MissMutt (Aug 8, 2008)

If she's anything like my dog and simply gets snarky when rude dogs come up to her uninvited, you should be fine. Most stuff is done on leash foundation agility, and when things are done off leash, it's usually one at a time. It's not a dog park; if there are dogs running around uncontrollably all the time, then something is wrong with the format of the class. That said, accidents do and WILL happen, so like shiningsummer said, consider how you and your dog will react if a dog does get loose.

If she is barking and growling at dogs and cannot concentrate because other dogs are in her proximity, then you probably need a bit more work before starting foundation classes. Be aware that a LOT of dogs like to bark at the other dogs while they are running the course.

The biggest things for agility training wise are a reliable sit and down, wait, and recall.

I second the idea of going to observe a class.


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