agility forum

[alligande]

I was wondering if anyone had a found a forum that was as good as this one about agility, maybe it does not have to be as good

I am home schooling my youngster and now spend my time looking for earlier training advice. The trainer Brody and I go to does not have a novice class, so we are going to have to get to intermediate on our own. The novice class Brody and I took is an hour plus away and looking back it did not provide a good foundation, hence home schooling.

[Carlasl]

As far as I know there isn't one for the US, there is one that is based in the UK that is the only one I found.

 

I was hoping Clean Run was going to start one up on their website, but nothing so far.

 

There are tons and tons of Yahoo groups, but honestly I HATE yahoo groups , I find threads very difficult to follow and I don't like them filling up my email.

 

There is one that you have to pay a membership fee to join it is Linda Mecklenburgs http://www.awesomepaws.us/

[CLW1]

Clean Run has a Yahoo group that is good - lots of helpful people. You can also subscribe to Clean Run magazine which is a great resource. The Awesome Paws forum is good is you use that handling system. There are several books and DVDs also that Clean Run sells that might be helpful.

 

Where do you live? Are you sure there's no one else around you?

 

Another idea is to join the agiledogs list (google agiledogs l-soft and you should find it) and see if there's anyone around you that you don't know about or who might have an informal training group that you could join.

[alligande]

As far as I know there isn't one for the US, there is one that is based in the UK that is the only one I found.

 

I was hoping Clean Run was going to start one up on their website, but nothing so far.

 

There are tons and tons of Yahoo groups, but honestly I HATE yahoo groups , I find threads very difficult to follow and I don't like them filling up my email.

 

There is one that you have to pay a membership fee to join it is Linda Mecklenburgs http://www.awesomepaws.us/

 

That was what I suspected, as I have searched well, I was just hoping that I had missed something. I do belong to Clean Runs list and a few others but like you I am not fond of the list format. I also subscribe to Clean Run.

 

Clean Run has a Yahoo group that is good - lots of helpful people. You can also subscribe to Clean Run magazine which is a great resource. The Awesome Paws forum is good is you use that handling system. There are several books and DVDs also that Clean Run sells that might be helpful.

 

Where do you live? Are you sure there's no one else around you?

 

Another idea is to join the agiledogs list (google agiledogs l-soft and you should find it) and see if there's anyone around you that you don't know about or who might have an informal training group that you could join.

Sadly I know that I live in an agility black hole, I drive between 50 - 60 minutes to train in a horse barn, with an ok trainer, I could train where she does but that would be an hour 1.15 or more, and I can not justify the mileage on my truck or gas for what is really just an activity. I meet people all the time when I am out walking who are interested in the sport but as soon as I say where I go to train, they lose interest. I live on an Island (with bridges) but the mentality here is I have to leave it is not worth doing so people think I am mad.

[SecretBC]

So you do have somewhat of a foundation, then? You aren't a COMPLETE newbie?

 

I never recommend that people try to learn agility on their own. There are just so many things that can go wrong, things that are unsafe for your dog, etc.

 

But if you have gone through a class, you may be able to get by with doing some things at home. I worry there are just a lot of handling terms that you may not understand if you are getting your education through the list or magazine. Many of my students look at me with a foggy gaze when I explain something, but it clicks when I can *show* it to them. But if you learn easily through the written word, you may do okay.

 

This trainer you mention who does not offer a Novice class -- Is it possible for you to take private lessons from her? If not on a regular weekly basis, perhaps at least once a month so that you can be sure that you are on the right track with your home training?

 

If you are a Clean Run subscriber, you are already heads & tails above the majority of my students. I refer to it as my bible, as it is so full of fantastic information and handling exercises. Clean Run also sells many DVDs that you may find useful, depending on where it is you need the most help.

 

Nothing can beat the assistance of a live trainer, though. Do try to find a way to work with someone at least occasionally to make sure you are heading in the right direction and not creating bad habits.

[alligande]

Thanks for the advice, I have been training with my adult dog every week for about a year and half and although we compete in Novice, we train on elite courses. I am also a lot more "geeky" than my trainer so read Clean Run start to finish, when I subscribed last year I hardly understood anything, and there are still lots that are over my head, comparing handling systems etc, but at least I understand the terms now. My Trainer only has the barn one evening a week so private lessons are out. I was looking back over the lesson plans of my first six agility lessons (with a different trainer) and I know I can give Rievaulx a better foundation than that myself, I am also going back and working foundation work with my adult as the more I know the more I feel we did not learn at the beginning. Front and rear crosses, tight turns etc where all things we sort of figured out by muddling along. And Brody is the type of dog that soaks up clear training and slows down when things aren't clear as he does not want to mess up, it has been like a light bulb going of for him, I was working on a 270 exercise and I almost felt like he was saying "so that is what you wanted, why did you not explain a year ago"