# AgilityNerd "Challenging" Course



## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Was really excited to get the opportunity to try out this difficult course from Steve at AgilityNerd. It's a fun one for sure, if you have room. We stretched it to make it legal.

AgilityNerd : Challenging Full Size Course










I'm very pleased with how Pimg handled the course!


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## kbella999 (Jan 6, 2012)

Very nice job on a very difficult course.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Thanks Belinda- it was fun!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

noob question here, do the numbers in bubbles also indicate what side the handler should be on. i wish they would put that info and where the cross should be on those diagrams cos i trained to them the way i thought i should be in position without a trainer to help then find out i put the dog in the worst place and forcing him off a line etc - frustrating. how hard would it be to add that to those diagrams, we are not all genius and the good guys could just ignore the extra info.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Yes the number bubble would be the entrance to the obstacle. They don't show the crosses because that's totally up to the handler (but some people will draw theirs on and then compare).


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

yeah well those guys will do there own thing no matter whats on the diagram - i got the clean run books full of those diagrams and i usually end up standing in the middle of the course with both hands pointing to the sky and the dog doing zoomies on the spot.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

x11 said:


> noob question here, do the numbers in bubbles also indicate *what side the handler should be on*.



NO. The numbers do *NOT* indicate where the handler needs to be. The number only indicate which side and order the DOG needs to navigate the obstacle. The handler can be wherever they want.



x11 said:


> i wish they would put that info and where the cross should be on those diagrams cos i trained to them the way i thought i should be in position without a trainer to help then find out i put the dog in the worst place and forcing him off a line etc - *frustrating. how hard would it be to add that to those diagrams*, we are not all genius and the good guys could just ignore the extra info.


This isn't paint by numbers. It's a sport with lots of training/practice involved. Keep learning...  Putting where the HANDLER or CROSS should be on a course map is completely inappropriate and counter intuitive to how the sport works.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

hey watched the vid - too complicated for me to remember that many changes/directions etc - super nice job.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Thanks! :rofl: All newbie agility people say that. Keep practicing; remembering a course becomes MUCH easier with time and practice. Never did I think I could remember a 12 obstacle sequence in beginner class, let alone a 22 obstacle sequence now in advanced classes. It comes with time...


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## TaraM1285 (Sep 24, 2009)

Looks like a fun, challenging course! I still can't remember all the sequences all the time!

Did you end up teaching running contacts in SG's course?


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

its a cruel degrading sport - makes uncoordinated, dim-witted, bumble-footed, unfit people look like uncoordinated, dim-witted bumble-footed people X 10.

nah i love playing at it - best handler/dog bonding tool i know of - i will just spare myself the public humiliation aspect.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

TaraM1285 said:


> Did you end up teaching running contacts in SG's course?


Teaching?? Heck no! Or did you mean just taking the course? Yes- I did take it.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

x11 said:


> its a cruel degrading sport - makes uncoordinated, dim-witted, bumble-footed, unfit people look like uncoordinated, dim-witted bumble-footed people X 10.


Hey- I resemble that comment!


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## TaraM1285 (Sep 24, 2009)

wildo said:


> Teaching?? Heck no! Or did you mean just taking the course? Yes- I did take it.


Lol :blush: That should have said, "...teaching *Pimg* running contacts through SG's course?"


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Truth is, I didn't get a ton out of the course. I jumped in gung-ho building all the equipment (even sending my plans to Susan) but I started to lose interested with the constant self promotion, crate games, and recaller references. I still love her, but my dog doesn't have the drive to train like she wants- at least not at nearly 7 years old. Also, the course was designed for stopped contacts, with the "super secret, ultra unique, crazy awesome" running contact stuff she did with Swagger available for an added cost. But I found the running contact material to be oddly disorganized, incomplete, and hard to follow. Not three adjectives I'd ever think I'd apply to SG material. I ended up looking elsewhere for contact help. I'm currently training the Rachel Sanders box for a running a-frame, and I haven't touched dogwalk training yet. Pimg isn't crazy fast over the dogwalk (I wouldn't even call her "just fast"), she's more of a moderate pace kind of girl in that respect. So managing the DW contact has been both easy and successful so far. I think that I do want to train a real running dog walk, but it falls way below running a-frame training.


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## TaraM1285 (Sep 24, 2009)

wildo said:


> Truth is, I didn't get a ton out of the course. I jumped in gung-ho building all the equipment (even sending my plans to Susan) but I started to lose interested with the constant self promotion, crate games, and recaller references. I still love her, but my dog doesn't have the drive to train like she wants- at least not at nearly 7 years old. Also, the course was designed for stopped contacts, with the "super secret, ultra unique, crazy awesome" running contact stuff she did with Swagger available for an added cost. But I found the running contact material to be oddly disorganized, incomplete, and hard to follow. Not three adjectives I'd ever think I'd apply to SG material. I ended up looking elsewhere for contact help. I'm currently training the Rachel Sanders box for a running a-frame, and I haven't touched dogwalk training yet. Pimg isn't crazy fast over the dogwalk (I wouldn't even call her "just fast"), she's more of a moderate pace kind of girl in that respect. So managing the DW contact has been both easy and successful so far. I think that I do want to train a real running dog walk, but it falls way below running a-frame training.


Fair enough. I understand the feeling about the self-promotion and crate games from my experience with recallers. Thanks for the review.

Have you worked on increasing speed on the dog walk or are you just leaving it as is till you move on to working on a trained contact behavior?


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Nope- I have done almost no work at all on the dogwalk. I've done LOTS of balance and body awareness, of course, so I have the foundation in place. But never have I actually put in the time to lower my DW and practice running with speed. Like I said, I've been lucky enough to be able to get to the end of the DW (even in harder courses) in order to manage the contact, so it just hasn't been a priority. With management, she doesn't blow it too often. The a-frame, on the other hand, she will consistently blow. So that is my current focus. Her teeter has always had some hesitation, which more/less guarantees the contact zone haha. One thing I _did_ like about the SG Contacts course was the teeter games. I really should start working some of them.

You know- I'm continually amazed that in spite of how much I train, there is still so much I haven't addressed yet.... It's kind of never ending... 

I don't know- I'm just trying to get to everything in a _reasonable_ time frame while still having fun.


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## TaraM1285 (Sep 24, 2009)

The never ending training is part of the fun of the journey! And honestly, she looks fantastic! You both have really come a long way - I can really see the excellent teamwork.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Thanks so much!!!! 

I really am trying my best. And I know Pimg is too... I have a lot of aspirations that I don't think this team will reasonably be able to accomplish, but I really am enjoying the ride and enjoying pushing the limits.


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