Starting Agility Young

[Oliver21508]

I don't want this to become an angry debate, just a friendly discussion.

What are your opinions on starting agility young? Ie from 10 months onwards. My opinion is that as long as the jumps aren't too high (ie only a few inches off the ground), it's putting no extra strain on the joints than if the dog is running. In my opinion, running around off lead for half an hour is putting more strain on the joints than a small jump, because they do not go much higher for their stride. Obviously, the really high jumps for the large dogs in agility do put massive strain on the joints, but I'm talking about very small jumps that do not make them jump that high at all.

[cdpops]

Hi I would ring the vet and ask their advice, if it was me. It sounds like you are being very careful, but I have never had a pup.

[SJP]

Lola went to agility at 7 months......the instructor was brilliant, very aware of Lola's age and made plenty of allowances for her.  She was the youngest and there was a Welsh Springer at 8 months and a couple of 10 month old collies in the same class.
She didn't jump at all - they put the poles on the ground and she just had to walk over them without touching them , the A frame was flat as well, in fact everything was on the ground.  

I'd say go for it.

[BettyBoo]

Usually it's a year, or 18 months at some classes, and you need a letter from your vet. There's a puppy activity class in our area where they go over little hurdles and through tunnels but I don't think it will have any of the bigger stuff such as a-frames.

[6thSense]

I would never jump a dog under a year and Avalon only started Agility classes just under a year because my teacher was keen to start her. It puts a lot more strain on there growing joints than running. I wouldn't let a Pup run to much either though for the same reason. Avalon only did the very basics before she was a year and never a jump. When running free the dog is choosing to go at it's own pace as well and in Agility you are choosing this pace.

[Oliver21508]

Well, as you'll see in the video section, I've already started jumping. We didn't need a letter from a vet. But this is more general rather than about me.

[Cob-Web]

I don't want this to become an angry debate, just a friendly discussion.

What are your opinions on starting agility young? Ie from 10 months onwards. My opinion is that as long as the jumps aren't too high (ie only a few inches off the ground), it's putting no extra strain on the joints than if the dog is running. In my opinion, running around off lead for half an hour is putting more strain on the joints than a small jump, because they do not go much higher for their stride. Obviously, the really high jumps for the large dogs in agility do put massive strain on the joints, but I'm talking about very small jumps that do not make them jump that high at all.

Molo didn't start agility until he was over 2 years old and has never done more than "fun" agility; he routinely jumped obstacles set lower than his "height" - but even so, his pelvis became misaligned and he needed treatment from a chiropractor every six months. We stopped doing agility about 8 months ago, and since then, his chiropractor has confirmed that he is no longer misaligned; so I'm convinced the agility put strain on his skeleton, even though he showed no sign of pain or discomfort 

I wouldn't do agility with a young dog; it was over a year before I realised the problems is was causing Molo, and in a growing dog, that could cause irreversible damage 

[Rosie]

From 10 months my dogs are running between wings - learning to go on for a toy, going through tunnels  - cloth (cloth held up) and rigid, and starting channel weaves - runniong straight no bending.

They are learning left and right and playting around obstacles.  Playing whilst the see saw bangs etc.  From 11-12months they may do a low contact depending - my large dogs do not and my smaller dogs migh5t.  They start jumping 25cms max from 10-11 months.

My dogs see a chirrpactor every 1 a year at the end of the season and have a sport massage every 2-3 months - neither have ever seen a problem but I do this just to be sure.  I do not think in my dogs agility has caused problems - but I suppose like any sport / activity some parcipants incur or are more prone to injury than others - such is life!!

I think it depends on the type of activity and size and type of dog!

[Oliver21508]

The jumps were on the lowest hole, so mini height. Don't know how tall that is. Some of the jumps were just sitting on the wings, so only about two-three inches off the ground.

[Becky and Wilson]

I have always started mine young for agility.  I think as long as there is no impact on the dogs joints then there's no problem, getting the young dogs used to the equipment is a great start, like walking between the wings with the pole on the ground and walking along the dog walk while it's flat on the ground.  Going through tunnels etc.  This will all build the dogs confidence without them doing any damage to themselves.

[supergirl]

Misha didn't start her agility until she was 14 months, however I would like Roly to do the agility class as well, but since he is only 11 months and a much bigger dog I'm probably not going to do too much until he's at least a two years old, maybe just doing ad-hoc class so that he learns what to do. 

The members of the club that I go to, regularly compete and very often talk of the wear & tear that is done to dogs joints due to regular training and competition.  I had asked about Roly just doing the odd class until he is a year old (afterall its only a month), and I was told that it just wasn't worth the risk.  Whilst he might be fully grown, he's muscles and joints are still developing and any injury now however slight would affect his future. 

Misha is a lot smaller and a much more gymnastic type of dog, very quick and has less weight to carry to stress her joints (she's only 8kg), but even so her training is limited to the one class a week and we only practice weaves at home at the moment.  I'll start doing more practice with regards to jumps when she's 2 years old.

[speedyjaney]

We took Jessie to agility when she was 2 years old....and she loved it...however after 6 weeks she injured her back so badly (a wonky fall off the seesaw we think) we were unable to continue going.....

The vet and doggy chiropracter advised against continuing as she had really hurt one of the discs and it took weeks and weeks for it heal....

She is OK now but we are careful not to let her do too much dashing about up and downs stairs etc.

Janey

[Bryning]

I usually start training mine for flyball/agility at around 10 months, really depends on the dog and how mature/co-ordinated they are at that stage though.  We do real baby stuff...running through wings or over poles on feet, tunnels and flat contact work etc in agility and 7" hurdle runbacks in flyball with some basic chute training.