# What to look for in a beginning agility class?



## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

So I am looking for a different class to train, I am wondering how fast should the class run. The first class I took my oldest dog to had every piece of equipment at full height from the first day, second class spent 8 weeks learning to tug (she already did this)and have front feet on stool. First class with pup all equipment except teeter at lower heights, 

Now one I've heard highly recommended...I watched a class that has trained 10 months, they have still not gone on dog walk nor Aframe full height ( dog walk 2 inches high, A frame maybe 2 feet) never done a circuit of more than 3 items including 2 jumps. Each dog is worked alone the rest wait in their crates. I've been told the first while we will spend lots of time training to stay happily in the crate, mine does this already but I think they should be out interacting after almost a year. What do you think? I want to sign up for more classes but can't find one I am crazy about. Either pay $110/month for no advancement or a bit less and maybe move faster. I don't want injuries, but I don't want boredom nor lack of socializing. Help please, should I keep looking or sign up at one of the last 2 and hope for the best.. I have refused the higher jumps but all else is sill higher.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I'm in the new program my club offers. The first class (I'm in) is all groundwork. No A-frame, no dog walk. There are ladders, boards, wobbly boards. A wobbly plank. Lots of items to practice 2on2off and we used the jump stantions to practice sending over jumps. Oh, I forgot. We are using tunnels, chutes and curved tunnels. We also practice stays a lot. This is a 4 class series. Each class is 8 weeks. 

The dogs in my class are never in crates. 

I think in the past they viewed this type of training was for competition people. There was also a class that taught all the obstacles for "recreational" agility people. (No longer offered.) I took that one last year.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

> Quote:I watched a class that has trained 10 months, they have still not gone on dog walk nor Aframe full height ( dog walk 2 inches high, A frame maybe 2 feet) never done a circuit of more than 3 items including 2 jumps. Each dog is worked alone the rest wait in their crates. I've been told the first while we will spend lots of time training to stay happily in the crate


What's the age of most of the dogs? Did this start as a puppy class? 

And I'm not so into our dogs socializing in agility class, so most of my classes have us either tie our dogs to rings on the class walls, or crate. Truth is, when one dog is doing agility it can be VERY exciting for the rest of the crated/tied dogs. So for any dogs that want to go onto trial, it IS very important for our dogs to learn to settle while excitement is going on outside the crates.

Additionally, one of the problems I've had with an hour long class that does have us all lined up for our turns with the dogs on leash for an hour, is MOST of the class is BORING for the pups waiting their turn. While the human part of the team is listening and learning and watching the others, my pup (if she was being good) was bored bored bored, so when it was our turn she'd just do it and then get ready to wait for the next time.

Compared to when I tie them up or crate them between turns. They are SO excited when I come to get them. And charge out of the crate ready to go go go go go. Do the 'whatever' fun and fast and happy and excited, and then I walk them back, toss the treat in the crate with them, and go back to watch the others until it's our turn again.

Truthfully, this is also a MUCH better way for me to listen and learn from everyone else. Without the distraction of my dog beside me, I listen, pay attention, and the instructor doesn't have to say the same thing over and over and over as we each have our turn.
*
Other good point made was about what is the intent of these classes? Are they competition oriented? or pet owner/fun oriented? BIG difference in the two. Talk to the instructor so you know their level of experience and goals for their classes, and then see if their goals are in line with yours.*

I socialize my dogs before class and after class and meetups with classmates and their dogs. Just being in class and undercontrol (in the crate) IS socialization. They are around a lot of dogs/people doing exciting things, but safe and calm in their crates.



> Quote:The first class I took my oldest dog to had every piece of equipment at full height from the first day,


That is NOT good....


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: MaggieRoseLee And I'm not so into our dogs socializing in agility class, so most of my classes have us either tie our dogs to rings on the class walls, or crate.


Just because our dogs are all out working in class doesn't mean they are socializing. All the dogs are focused on their handlers the equipment they are working on. (Yes, everybody gets their own equipment, or a maximum of 3 people are rotating with one piece.)

One thing I really disliked about agility classes is when you get to the level when one dog is working at a time. You only spend 5 minutes of the hour actually doing something and the rest of the time is standing around watching your dog fall asleep.

(I also have a pinched nerve, so I can't stand in one place for more than 5 minutes. I have to keep moving or sit in a decent chair.)


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

The classes I took were outdoors. All the equipment was out on the field because there were level 2 & 3 classes at other times of the day. But we only introduced 2 or 3 pieces of equipment each week, and at first the bars were on the ground for jumps, and only raised very gradually after that. The focus was not on jumping per se, it was on handling over jumps. 

And the tunnel was scrunched up so that it was very short. We lengthened it for each dog as they were able, and did the same with adding bends. We didn't put dogs away while another dog worked, everybody would line up with their dog on leash or a tab lead and take turns doing a run. In the level 2 classes they did require us to bring a portable crate to do crate games, but the dogs were never put away in them. 

Depending on how many dogs were in class there was almost no down time. The first class had only 3 dogs, so by the time we walked back to the end of the line it was almost time to go again. In later classes there were as many as 8-10 dogs, and often we'd be divided in half, and there would be two short sets of weaves, or sequences of 3 or 4 obstacles that we worked on, or two different contact obstacles - half the class would do one, the other half would do the other, and then we'd switch. There were enough jumps that everyone could spread out and do jump drills at the same time. There was never a time where we were just sitting around, and we never waited very long for our turn at anything, even when the whole class was working together on the same sequence of equipment. There was always at least 2 trainers, so when we broke the class in half, each half would have someone helping them. 

It wasn't until the second to last class of level 1 that we did the dog walk at all, and we didn't do the teeter until level 2.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I love hearing all the differences in the classes!!


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