Starting Agility

[september]

Hi everyone

Eventually I would love to do agility with Roxy, I'm guessing they should be quite well grown before they can start so they don't damage joints etc? What age can they start agility training?

[Cob-Web]

Hi everyone

Eventually I would love to do agility with Roxy, I'm guessing they should be quite well grown before they can start so they don't damage joints etc? What age can they start agility training?

I think it depends on the individual trainer and the breed of dog - dogs cannot compete until they are 18 months old......our class will take smaller dogs at 12 months - never earlier, but larger ones have to wait until they are older 

[Top Barks]

Although we have done a bit Bayley and I are starting agility on the third of September.
We'll be gunning for you and Molo soon Rachel

[Cob-Web]

Although we have done a bit Bayley and I are starting agility on the third of September.
We'll be gunning for you and Molo soon Rachel

You will love it Mark  Competing is not really my thing tbh; too far, too early and too busy 

I prefer the demo's.....although it was match night on Monday, and we got TWO clear rounds

[clairep4]

We started with Bella when she was just over 12 months and she absolutely LOVES it, it literally just puts her in the best mood when she realises where we are going. She woowoos all the other dogs, cheers them on when they're running the course (which I have to curb as it's not really the done thing!  ) and when it's her turn, she yaps with glee all the way round and puts 110% into it every time.

We're doing our first ever competition at Paws in the Park (at the hop farm in Kent) this September, although I spoke to someone last night who said the judge sets really tough courses  . We're entering the jumping and the agility classes (Mini's as she's such a pint-size) and just hoping to get a clear round in either of them.

I absolutely love going to the classes with her, she gets so much enjoyment out of it and there's nothing cuter than looking over seeing her ears wooshing up in the air as she flies over a jump. 

This week she was so excited she ran a bit too fast through the rigid tunnel, which was on quite a bend, and she flipped over as she came out the other end as she'd been running basically along the sides of it as she was going so fast - talk about the wall of death! 

[Penelope]

Josie adores agility too and it is definitely the best thing we have ever done. 
I was hoping that when she grew up Buffy would be able to go along too, but because of her back legs I don't know whether she will ever be able to    I know she would love it too.  We will have to wait and see.

[Top Barks]

We went for our agility trial last night and although Bayley was a bit barky to start with he settled down and did some fantastic work.
So on the 1st of October we start agility classes.
We are going straight in to the intermediate group and to be honest although we have never had an agility lesson before he seemed to be better than most in the class already.
Crufts here we come!
Mark

[crazyspaniels]

looking forward to catching up with everyone when we all qualify for the Crufts agility
Good luck with Bayley Mark, is he medium height??

[clairep4]

Bella & I are doing are first proper competition on 23rd Sept at Paws in the Park - she's teeny so is in the mini's. We're entering the agility and the jumping comps - have been practising her weaves at home all week as that's the only thing she can be hit and miss on as she gets a bit too excited - she's great on everything else, my little pocket rocket! 

[Max X 2]

Good Luck Bella & Claire   

Our agility club had a fun day on Sunday & I was so shocked when we got a 3rd - so Max now has a lovely yellow rosette  - Not that he was bothered & just wanted to eat it 

[allym]

Oooooh! How exciting!  I bet she's an absolute star!

Out of interest, how tall is Bella?  What's the limit for mini? 

[clairep4]

Bella's a little midget gem - the limit for mini's is 13.75 inches at the withers, so pretty small - Zorro's about an inch taller and would have to be in the mediums against all those border collies. Even the little poodles in our class are taller than Queen Pintsize, but what Bella loses in size she more than makes up for in personality 

The good thing is it means she's up against much more similar sized dogs - JRTs, Cavaliers etc, although tbh she's not all that fast but she's pretty darned accurate. 

[crazyspaniels]

Bella's a little midget gem - the limit for mini's is 13.75 inches at the withers, so pretty small - Zorro's about an inch taller and would have to be in the mediums against all those border collies.

why do you have BC's running at medium?? Dobbie runs medium and its mostly working cockers, poodles etc

[Rosie]

Down in the south there are a frighteningly large number of "small (and not so small!!)" collies that have achieved the medium measure and the numbers are growing.  Our Dylan is a Grade 6 medium and often can be one of the only non collie / collieX in the queue.  I am not sure whether more smaller line collies are being bred but the numbers are increasing and many beloging to the top handlers to!!

Watch out Clare although Bella will be bigger than a fair few of the terriers and cavvies in small, two of the most competitive dogs at the moment are tiny (make my little 12" Ellie look huge)  - David Aldersons Agility champion poodle Libby - is sooooo tiny and Dawn Weavers new papillion looks like a tiny cotton wool ball but is almost unbeatable and only been competing since July this year!!! 

Enjoy your first show it is a fantastic experience!!

[allym]

I know they have to be officially measured at a show, but what is the best way for me to take an accurate(ish) measurement myself?
It looks like henry is going to be extremely border-line small / medium!  We're never going to be super competitive anyway, but I'd like to know!