These are the chronicles of two Shetland Sheepdogs and their adventures in rally-o, obedience, flyball, agility, tracking and therapy dog work.
Also including information on raw feeding, canine epilepsy, positive training, and lots and lots of Sheltie hair!




Monday, August 18, 2008

Beginner Agility - Class Three

Romeo is currently taking agility classes through D&S. Tonight was his third class.

Wow, that boy loves agility!

I wasn't ever really keen on agility. It's never been something I was interested in ... but then again, neither was formal obedience! I started off in dog sports with flyball, then to rally-o. A tracking seminar came available a couple of years ago, so why not. And then a therapy dog test came up, so let's try that, too. When Romeo came along, he learned flyball and rally-o. But then because of rally-o, he knew what he needed for formal obedience, so why not do that, too? And now agility, because in training for rally-o Romeo decided that he really REALLY loved the tunnel and jumps and weaves.

What we don't do for our dogs, eh?

Tonight we were introduced to the dog walk and chute, and a bit more playing with the tire and weaves that we had learned last class. Romeo LOVES the dog walk, full on body shivers when I tell him to "get ready ... walk it!" Of course, "walk" is just a technical term. In reality, he's blazing across the dog walk already. With me running frantically beside him, arms out stretched, ready to catch him if he falls. But he didn't fall, just tore his way across again and again. Excited bounces once back on the ground as if to say, "I did it! Did ya see? Did ya? Huh?"

I have a couple of portable electric fence posts in the back yard that we use to practice the weaves. We are currently working on proofing entries. Romeo will consistently do 6 poles if we do a regular entry. But it's a bit sloppier on the off-side entries. So that is a work in progress. I need to rig up something for a tire, though. While he will go through the tire without issue, we definitely need some proofing. I don't think he quite gets the difference between going through the tire and going under the tire.

He's going to be really fun to run, once we get ourselves together. Yes, that is me using the word "fun" to describe agility. Something I never would have done even a couple of months ago. But things really are fun when you see your dog enjoying it so much!

5 comments:

♥Mona + Prissy + Angel Weenie♥ said...

Hi fellas,

I'm Mona a wirehaired dachshund, with a summer hair cut right now. I just got introduced to you boys by my god friends the corgie girls. The Mommy's gotta go to work so I haven't been able to read yoir bloggie but we;ll be back after the Monmmy gets off work. Nice to meet ya.

Mona & the Mommy too!!

Chris and Ricky said...

Romeo - I'm glad you like agility so much! I like it too! We also have electric fence posts as our weave poles - they work great! I am fast with 6 poles but get tired with 12. Tires are pretty easy to make with pvc and corrugated drain pipe for the tire. Do you like the chute? I HATE the one at my agility class.

Anonymous said...

I started in agility, and just recently found how fun obedience can be! I thought obedience was stiff and boring.. but dang, it's challenging, and fun!

I just started flyball with my BC last year, too, and that is also fun. Addicted to dog sports I am! It's fun to find someone else doing all these things. :)

Cowspotdog said...

I also love my agility and like Ricky the six weave poles are easy but 12 I tend to slow down. I love jumping and love the tunnel and chute. I like hiding my tug toy in the chute and when I run through I grab it on the way out. It took me a couple times to get use to the teeter-totter but now I have it is easy.

Casper and pals said...

Looks like our people should meet in person one day. We take lessons at D&S too! Hope to see you there sometime soon.We are going to play snooker agility on Sun at D&S

Woofs Casper, Buddy, Nikki and Gwyn

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