Root Beer Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT! CAN'T WAIT!!! Can you tell I'm a little excited? I've never started Agility with a dog like this before. I still think he's going to leave me in the dust (not tonight!), but I have a great instructor and I think I'm ready for this. Anyway, it's happening!! May as well sit back and enjoy the heck out of the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwb3 Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Awesome! Have fun and learn lots! That foundation work is so important. Really work the hind-end awareness, will come in handy for those fast stops at the contact zones. Also holding a start-line stay while you lead out is almost essential to handle a typically FAST border collie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxi Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 Have fun....wish you every success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufftie Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 thumbs up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Exciting! Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted January 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 We had a blast! He got to walk through a bunch of hula hoops on the floor for rear end awareness. We worked targets. He got to follow food around to get his footing on a low A-Frame, he got to work on going over a low dog walk, and he got to work with a tunnel (and I got my first glimpse of how different things are going to be with a fast Border Collie!!). Most of the time we worked on hanging out in his portable crate (top open) on the sidelines. He lasted much longer than I thought he would. He was relaxed and in his right mind on the sidelines, and on the floor he had his wits about him, but was ready to take on the world! He pranced through the parking lot with his head high afterward. I know we are going to look forward to this every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Coming to this late --- Happy to hear that Bandit is starting agility. It sounds like it was a fun time. As fast as my Torque is (just this past weekend, he had times better than a dog that is an alternate on the World Team), I think that Kiefer could be faster. I bet Bandit will be in that league too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 They have some pretty famous relatives who compete at the top level in agility. I've heard they are smoking fast, but since I don't follow the sport I couldn't tell you details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Welcome to the world of speed , I have described learning to handle Rievaulx as the equivalent of getting a Ferrari after having a very serviceable Chevy!!! I find it an amazing adrenaline rush, but it has exposed every hole in my handling, 4 years on from the start of his grown up training I am still constantly working on my timing, positioning etc... You are going to have SO much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 So much easier and less tiring to run a fast dog than a slow one that needs motivating. Different challenges though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 So much easier and less tiring to run a fast dog than a slow one that needs motivating. Different challenges though. This is so very very true... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 an amazing adrenaline rush, but it has exposed every hole in my handling, Yes, this times 10. **** EVERY little stinkin' hole! Begin to think of correct positioning in terms of millimeters and your signals must be EARLY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Yeah, Tessa, who has moderate drive/moderate speed, is VERY forgiving of my handling errors. I rarely make a handling mistake we can't recover from on the fly, and about 75% of the time she will do what she is actually supposed to even if my handling is off!! Based on what I see in Bandit running in the yard, he could easily be two obstacles ahead in the time it takes me to realize I'm off track and do what I need to do to fix it!! And there will probably be no fixing in his case if my handling isn't right. A friend of mine has fast Border Collies and she let me run one of them last summer when Tessa needed to take a couple of weeks off. It was an incredible rush. And it was amazing to handle without constantly running! I did OK with her, which makes me feel like I can do this with a lot of practice!! Also, now that Tessa and I are in the high levels, I am slightly frustrated with our lack of speed at times. We can still qualify, but on some courses the run has to be very clean for us to make time. Any bobbles and time can be an issue. And it is unlikely that I am going to get more speed out of her, and that's fine. That whole forgiveness-of-handling-errors thing often makes up for it! I am kind of glad he is so young and we can take our time with our foundation. I want to give him an excellent one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Regarding my own experience of going from a moderate speed border collie who could Q due to accuracy and complete forgiveness of my handling errors to a speed monster, I was looking back at our first trial video and he doesn't even seem fast compared to now... But I was in over my head Yes, this times 10. **** EVERY little stinkin' hole! Begin to think of correct positioning in terms of millimeters and your signals must be EARLY.While you work on his foundation and knowing you from these boards I know it will be an excellent one, I would take the time to figure out how you want to handle and work on your timing. I am slightly insane and think I am still in my 20s and run with my dog, and so I have really learned to push myself and figure out how to get to a place on the course I need to be... I wish I had trained more obstacle independence for example, but on the flip side I have a really responsive dog to my motion so we never go off course. This really is something I am finally coming to grips with, for the first time in my agility career I have access to good equipment that I can train what I want, basically when I want and so my handling, his weaves even his contacts have improved so much.You have enough experience to know what you want, so my advice from the handler of a speed collie to the future handler of another is to work out how you want to drive him then practise with Tessa, I think you will find your handling with her improves as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdawgs Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Take a look at this article by Sylvia Trkman: http://www.lolabuland.com/2011/12/13/too-slow-for-your-dog/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurelin Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I have run fast (already trained) dogs before but Hank is my first time training one. It's very different and a whole new set of things to figure out and deal with. We are going to need a lot of foundation work. At the least he's got me on a weight loss program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chene Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 This post kind of makes me want to get into agility. I don't get to hear much enthusiasm for it on these boards but based on these posts I'm starting to think it might be fun, especially if I can't even start herding until Aed is over a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurelin Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Agility is the best thing in the world. But I am biased. Seriously, it's a lot of fun and the best thing I've ever done as far as improving the bond with my dogs. Beware, it is addicting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmadrid Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Agility is SO MUCH FUN! You can't (shouldn't) train obstacles until dogs are over a year old, but there is so much fun foundation work to do in the meantime. And plenty of things to practice with cones, tunnels, jump wings, etc. really, you can get all your handling tarted long before you ask a dog to jump or climb up an a-frame. I definitely encourage you to give it a try. It's a fun sport, and easy to get hooked on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chene Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Aed will be 10 months in May. Perhaps I'll take a foundation class then. Does anyone have any good online resources for things I can work on at home before then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I love agility, completly hooked on the adrenline rush of running this amazing pattern with my best friend, I love training with him, I also love the complexity of the sport and understanding what it is that makes the communication between dog and handler work. I am currently co-teaching a beginner class, sometimes it's hard as my spanish is non-existent, but I have German, spanish and soon a couple of Brits in my rotating class and seeing the fun when people really play with their dogs, as both dog and humans eyes light up, is so much fun. So many people, especially my spanish students have only ever done more traditional obediance and had thought it was wrong to get down and dirty with your dog, and there we are encouraging them to tug and be silly, and showing them that through play you can teach dogs amazing things. What I am learning is the most important foundation is for the dog to know how to think and learn, and have a great relationship with their human. Slyvia Trkman advocates lots and lots of trick training as a foundation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I'm starting my 4th (!) agility dog in young Bar. We're doing the Developing Jumping Skills stuff, and starting his running contact training (yikes!). While I sometimes whine about how boring foundation work is, I will never skip it, as I think every dog needs a good foundation in order to be successful. Given that he's also trialling in Nursery this year, and we plan to run at finals, the formal agility stuff likely will take a back seat til the fall. No worries, there's lots of time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Molly is my third dog to do foundations, but the second I intend to ever compete with (or have gone further than that with) - I took foundations + a bit with my older Boston terrier for fun and bonding. I'm not terribly serious about it, to be honest. I just think it's a lot of fun, and I enjoy the time with my dogs. The foundations here basically introduces targeting and contacts, tunnels, directionals and a lot of distraction work and drive building. Jumps with the bars down, assorted crosses for dogs and handlers, things like that. Molly's got all that, but I am still really excited to be in a proper class with her. And then of course everything after. And kind of scared because she's going to be a new world after running with my little fluffy mutt. Very biddable clean dog when she does agility but not really a speed demon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted January 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 We are still having way too much fun than should ever be allowed!! Bandit is learning the bang game on the end of the teeter (just pushing the board, which we are holding up a couple of inches, to the ground with his paws), we are shaping a single weave on a short 2 X 2, he is doing mountain climbers on the A-Frame, and he is getting his footing on a very low dog walk. We had a bit of difficulty last week on the "handling" side of the room. That side is not gated off and all of the dogs and people are on an open side of the ring. He wasn't trying to get over to them, but he was just incredibly distracted - like he didn't know what to do with himself. We were trying to work on targeting and he was getting very frustrated. So, this week I worked on his CU mat skills and asked the instructor if we could use the mat. Huge success!! We let him start to learn to "walk and chew gum at the same time" over on that side. At first all we did was let him go to his mat. Then we had him do that on cue. Then we had him do his targeting right from the mat. He rocked it!!! The rest of the class is working start lines and calls to heel and side and flatwork for front and rear crosses, but I am going to continue to work with Bandit on being able to focus on a task in that context. I am working the other stuff with him at home, but we are seriously not in a hurry. He is going to be in foundation for several sessions, at least. He thinks this class is the best thing ever! He walks in very full of himself, and his demeanor the entire time is, "let's PARTY!!!" I'm glad he's having fun. I am loving every second of working with him. I am seriously enjoying the experience of putting a foundation on a dog like him (self-raised, nothing to un-do, good level of confidence for a dog his age). And he just thinks the whole purpose is to amuse him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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