# Agility seminar video



## BoTaBe (May 2, 2013)

I just wanted to introduce my agility shepherd. 
Well, that's us. 
He was about four years old when we went to the seminar in January 2012. We did some sequences first and did the whole course afterwards. 

Seminar Januar 2012 - YouTube


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

VERY nice! Beautiful running shepherd you have there! Great video!

I'm very impressed by your jump wrap at 4:45 in the video. That's a very interesting handling strategy! I'm pretty surprised your dog didn't choose to take that jump. I think my dog would see the space between me and the jump stanchion and try her best to fit in there (taking the jump). Interesting indeed! Are blind crosses part of your handling system at all?


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## BoTaBe (May 2, 2013)

Thank you!
During the seminar I was convinced that my dog would NEVER do the wrap but take the jump instead, just like you said.^^
But he got the command to take the jump from the back (before the seminar I only used it when we were heading to the jump he's supposed to take from the other side) just when he got out of the tunnel and he understood - I really wasn't expecting that!

Blind crosses: I do them occasionally but he tends to drop bars when I'm not watching so I try to avoid them!


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

BoTaBe said:


> Thank you!
> During the seminar I was convinced that my dog would NEVER do the wrap but take the jump instead, just like you said.^^
> But he got the command to take the jump from the back (before the seminar I only used it when we were heading to the jump he's supposed to take from the other side) just when he got out of the tunnel and he understood - I really wasn't expecting that!
> 
> Blind crosses: I do them occasionally but he tends to drop bars when I'm not watching so I try to avoid them!


Well then I'm doubly impressed. For one, if you allow blind crosses in your handling (and I do) then I could _definitely_ see the dog taking the jump and blind crossing you. And two- the dog reading/understanding the "back" command when you are on the take-off side is awesome! I'd use a back command when both myself and the dog are on the landing side, and I need them to go around the jump opposite of me- JUST like what you described. Gotta say, I'm seriously impressed with this.

I've watched this short section of the video several times now trying to figure out how I'd handle it- and I'm still unsure. I don't know if I'd have enough time to get to the landing side of the jump in order to cue the wrap. And if I were on the take off side (as you are in the picture above) I'm pretty confident my dog would take the jump from the wrong side. 

And of course, let's not forget about the off course jump coming out of the tunnel! So even if you did manage to get to the landing side of the jump, there's a decent chance that your shoulders would be cuing forward motion to the off course jump... wow...

Maybe this walks a little easier than it looks, but I'm pretty perplexed about how I'd handle this. Really neat!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

wow, i have never seen a dog with that much drive for the weaves and it's a gsd, extra points. should go in one of those weave races. could not get how you did some jumps at the near end of the stadium, kind of positioned yrself in the line of the jump rail and yr dog did it???

shame about the looong camera shots, i see that a lot in agility vids, no know how to work a zoom??

its people like you that are going to get this breed back on track.

inspiring work congrats.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

x11 said:


> shame about the looong camera shots, i see that a lot in agility vids, no know how to work a zoom??


What makes you think agility people want to lug around a camcorder along with the huge list of other things they have to bring to a trial/seminar- let alone asking a friend to sit there ALL. DAY. LONG waiting hours between runs just so they can get a 30 second clip of the dog.

It's not easy to get video of your dog at a trial, let alone ask someone to work zoom and all that (while likely on a point and shoot camera, not a camcorder).


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

sure no prob, i just admire seeing dogs run in this sport and have noticed a lack of great vids to show how great these dogs are and show off the high level of training and team work. i think the agility crowd does not need so much the aproval of others and thats fine, but hey lets show these dogs and their handlers off a bit to the world - so many i know in the bite sports don't even rate agility which i think is wrong as it is every bit a high level of training as schuts or ring etc.

just my opinion.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

You can come sit all day at any trial I go to and take fantastic video footage for us!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

you supplying the beer?

on a serious note for the breed herding is too impractical for most, bite sports is 100% dependent on the resources available eg no good decoy = no good dog etc, conformation has proven counterproductive in fact destructive for the breed, obed is just not for everyone but agility 90% you can do in yr back yard, obstacles can be well made for next to nothing in cost, it can only add to the breed quality in a lot of respects eg health, temprement, soundness, drive....etc soi think overall it should be sung from the rooftops.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Oh yeah! And I'll help you drink it too! :toasting:

You won't here me differ from your thoughts on agility (other than to say that it really isn't as practical as you make out to do it in your backyard [if you have a backyard]. Agility equipment, even DIY jumps, are pricy!)

Sorry to go off topic, OP. I'm still blown away by your handling on this course!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

wildo said:


> Agility equipment, even DIY jumps, are pricy!)


eh, i got great jumps i made from PVC pipe that cost basically nothing, i got some kind of ducting from construction that is a third of the price of a "proper" tunnel altho i got mine for free, built an A-frame from marine ply for less than $100, the whole lot is less than the cost of a shuts sleeve or a harness, so i do not agree with you there relative to the costs of most sports.

sorry for the hi-jack.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Neat video, thanks for sharing! I don't mind wider angle videos, it helps you learn more about handling when you can see the next 2-3 obstacles on the course, or other obstacles that the handler is pulling the dog away from.

Maybe what Willy means is that backyard agility equipment *to spec* (both trial spec and safety) is not necessarily cheap.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

Awesome dog!!! I love watching another big gsd boy screaming through courses. I love how nice and tight he turns. Nice handling, I'm gonna have to try that funky jump wrap. I'm also a fan of te wide frame, it's a great tool when you are looking at handling. There should be more GSDs doing agility!


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## BoTaBe (May 2, 2013)

Thank you! He really is a great dog to work with and he enjoys it so much, it's really fun!
And just like some others said, we usually don't zoom too much (even though we know how to do that  ) to have most of the course on the video.

We don't do any training at home, so unfortunately no chance on a zoomed video there!

Thanks again for your nice comments!


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Wow! Very nice  Thanks for sharing and feel free to add more anytime


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## avonbankcollies (Nov 17, 2012)

wow you guys are fantastic great video


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## BoTaBe (May 2, 2013)

Thanks!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Loved the video, welcome to the forum!


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## BoTaBe (May 2, 2013)

Thank you!!


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