who competes at agility/ in training??

[crazyspaniels]

Oooh, a section for agility bits
So who competes and at what level? and who is in training???
I compete here in Scotland with Bilbo, he is a large working cocker so actually comes in as a large dog so we are up with the collies. Been training for a few years and this has been our first year seriously competing.
Proudest moment was winning our novice shield at our club as he did it with a double clear at agility and jumping and the year before we had been in beginners and not made it round a simple course
Dobbie is in training and will hopefully be competing before the summer , he will be medium as he's only an ickle working cocker

[Nicola]

Really want to start Alfie in this next year... roll on his first birthday!    He's like greased lightning and scared of nothing so I think he should be pretty good at it. I don't know if it's so much Miss Tills' thang but I'd like to give her a go as well.

Between that and the working training Alfie's going to be a busy boy!

[Penel]

No I don't compete with Hattie - but we do go to agility training most weeks.  She loves it  and is fabulous at it - but I can't be doing with all the competitive stuff, and don't really want to spend weekends trekking around the country 

[clairep4]

Bella and I have been doing agility since about Feb this year and she absolutely loves it! We may start competing a bit next year, won't be doing the trekking round the country thing though, just the occasional local show.

[PennyB]

Ruby does training for fun but no competing (I don't have transport so can't get to club let alone competitions but the farm where they do soem agility training is easy for me to get to --- plus I'm with Penel there re trekkng all over to comps), and Wilf has had to stop due to injury

She hated it at 1st when we did it as part of our obedience classes but loves it now for some reason --- she's quite fearless and sacred the hell out of me the other week when she flew off the see-saw up into the air and landed with a thud on her chest, legs akimbo, then just got up and jumped over the next jump.

[crazyspaniels]

We don't travel to anywhere over about 1 hour away from home and tend to only do saturdays of 2 day shows, but we still manage to fit in loads of shows in the summer, no time to compete in the winter

[Mollycuddles]

Hope to be in training soon we've found someone who charges £15 hour for agility training, don't know if that's a good or bad price, we've been told he is very good and OH wants to do it with Molly, not sure about going in for competition and we wouldn't travel far I think there are quite a few local events about. there certainly is with obedience.
There is a big waiting list to get into the nearest club though, we did try another one but it rained the night before and the woman didn't show up and just us and one other newbie was there, they didn't have the decency to let us know it was cancelled so we never bothered with that one again .... so it looks like we will be on a very long waiting list.....

[sportsmonki]

Storm has been on a waiting list for 3 years!  She's only 2 1/2...I booked her place before I even got her. 

Some clubs dont run beginner courses...and when they do it is for their own new dogs, not for newcomers   

Probably when Storm is 6 we will still be on the waiting list 

[PennyB]

Storm has been on a waiting list for 3 years!  She's only 2 1/2...I booked her place before I even got her. 

Some clubs dont run beginner courses...and when they do it is for their own new dogs, not for newcomers   

Probably when Storm is 6 we will still be on the waiting list 

I guess I've been sort of lucky as while the local club often had permanent waiting lists two of their instructors has a farm and 2 permanent agility courses on it so its the only way I get to go at all

It might be worth seeing if anyone does 1-2-1s --- I find half an hour is fine per dog (at a cost of £6)

[sportsmonki]

Thank you PennyB; that's a good idea.

I think she would enjoy agility (she has done when she has had a go at YKC training days), but most trainers round here (including those offering 1-2-1) still seem to want the dog to have a basic understanding of all the obstacles (which she hasnt, even though I am sure she would pick things up quickly)  The trainers at YKC training said they would accept her into their club, but they are too far away from me    I only know of one trainer round here that does 1-2-1, and I wouldnt take Storm to him; I dont like his training methods. 

Maybe next summer I will be able to find somewhere    .

edited because my spelling is appauling

[*jean*]

how do you get your dog to weave between the posts. I think my cockers would have a job as they have to see whats in it for them usually. do you dangle a tidbit in front of them until they get the hang of it and is there an age thats best for training for this. my frien has bought some stuff but I havent got over to try it out rolo will love the tunnel but the weaving posts I think may prove a challenge.

[crazyspaniels]

Hope to be in training soon we've found someone who charges £15 hour for agility training

is that for 1-2-1?? seems very expensive but if its 1-2-1 then its someones time. I pay £22 a month for one club which is very small classes, 2 or 3 max and £15 for 5 lessons with our bigger club. The bigger club where I train with Bilbo, we were on the waiting list for nearly 2 years as they are a competitive club and dont take in beginners all the time, and they couldn't fit Dobbie in this year unless I train on a sunday which I won't do as I have 3 other dogs and a marriage so can't train all the time, so I found the other club and manage to train on a monday morning which is ideal

[crazyspaniels]

how do you get your dog to weave between the posts. I think my cockers would have a job as they have to see whats in it for them usually. do you dangle a tidbit in front of them until they get the hang of it and is there an age thats best for training for this. my frien has bought some stuff but I havent got over to try it out rolo will love the tunnel but the weaving posts I think may prove a challenge.

I trained Bilbo using a channel weave which took ages - putting the posts wide apart so they run down the middle and then bringing the posts in, with Dobbie I used the walking backwards with a titbit and it took him a week and he is much faster than Bilbo. We have 4 weave poles in the garden (wedged into the paving slabs to avoid wet grass) and I try and practice as often as I can, just a few each time, it only works if you practice

[*jean*]

they can weave between bushes at speed when scenting so its just getting them to see the point of it. Im dead keen to have a go but we will have to wait for better weather as my friend doesnt want to put all her stuff out in this weather it would blow across the sea to portmahomack on days like this!

[Mollycuddles]

Hope to be in training soon we've found someone who charges £15 hour for agility training

is that for 1-2-1?? seems very expensive but if its 1-2-1 then its someones time. I pay £22 a month for one club which is very small classes, 2 or 3 max and £15 for 5 lessons with our bigger club. The bigger club where I train with Bilbo, we were on the waiting list for nearly 2 years as they are a competitive club and dont take in beginners all the time, and they couldn't fit Dobbie in this year unless I train on a sunday which I won't do as I have 3 other dogs and a marriage so can't train all the time, so I found the other club and manage to train on a monday morning which is ideal

Yes it's for a 1-2-1 training session, once you get into the club it's a lot cheaper not sure what tho, this trainer actually works with that club so I'm hoping we can get in quicker  .