# We Started Agility Classes!



## GSDElsa

Last night was our first agility class. There are three border collies (are we surprised?!), a Golden, a dog that looks like a black Golden (not sure if it's a mix or some breed I don't know about), and us.

We had a blast! I really think Elsa is going to enjoy agility. We do a lot of "agility is the raw" (I think that's MaggieLee's saying?? ), so I'm excited to see if that translates into super-duper agility skills. 

Our instructor said because Elsa is so long-bodied that she'll have some work to do before she "realizes she has a butt and how to use it," but said she is going to be a "great" jumper and is very natural at it (well, DUH! Mom jumped horses for 20 years!). She definitely has the longest stride out of all the dogs in the class. 

The only part she needs work on is someone else handling her. Every time the helper took her so I could walk across to the other side of what we were doing she just acted a little cagey, which I wasn't thrilled about.

She seemed to love the tunnel! It was so funny...at the end when the instructor was talking I felt a strong tug at the leash and thought "oh no, what is she trying to chase?!" and it was her deciding to randomly go running through the tunnel on her own! I just went with it, dropped the leash and ran to the other end to meet her. 

I'm sure I'll be back for a zillion questions!


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## MaggieRoseLee

WHoohoo to you!!!! Another Agility Addict in the making!!!! 

The black Golden may be a Flatcoat, did it look like this?










Learning their rears IS a big deal. You can practice perch work for that...

This is my favorite of perchwork in the dark while tv and farmville is on!





 
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jackaldog2000#p/u/56/p1Vf0Tu37Y4


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## GSDElsa

Yes, that could be the dog's twin! Flat Coated Retriever it is! The woman said the dog has a bit of a mind of it's own and can be hard to convince that she really really wants to do something--wonder if it's a breed thing or just for that dog.

Anyhoo, thanks so much for the video of Loas working on his hinny. Love it! I kept wondering how I was going to work on it at home other than having her do stuff like jumping up onto things. Perfect!

We're really excited to be doing agility. I'd rather be starting Schutzhund, but after lots of reflection I had to be honest with myself that I can't commit to 3-4 hours of driving every weekend. But I've always wanted to do this too!


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## MaggieRoseLee

GSDElsa said:


> We're really excited to be doing agility. I'd rather be starting Schutzhund, but after lots of reflection I had to be honest with myself that I can't commit to 3-4 hours of driving every weekend. But I've always wanted to do this too!


I'd also LOVE to do Schutzhund but can't make the time commitment either. Agility ended up being the most fun thing that I could afford and fit into my life!


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## GSDElsa

Maggie,

Do you have any pointers on the "learning your butt" move that Lynn was doing? I was to start that this week. 

What is she having him stand on? I can't think of anything that sturdy I have laying around the house. I wish we wouldn't have gotten rid of some old cinder blocks we had in the back yard. That might have been good...


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## lylol

I have used a large unopened box of cat litter on its side before.. it is heavy enuf it wont move and not too tall and solid enuf. My instructor used to use duct tape and tape a couple old phone books together so it is firm and wont shift. Some folks use a large tupperware or storage container... put something in it heavy like water so it wont shift out from under them. 

Am sure there are better ways... but what I have done if you are used to shaping behaviors... you can start be rewarding looking at the box, moving toward it, putting one foot than another on it, then I would starting using my body pressure to get back foot movement... if I stepped towards him he would usually scoot one back foot to move away from me... reward that and repeat for every hind foot movement or weight shift till they get the idea... soon you will be moving around the box... go around to his other side and work the other way around the box. If they get stuck looking at you and not moving, just get off the box for a second and then go back and try again. 

Then you can try to get all four feet on the box too. Or then back feet on, front feet on the ground... lots of things to try and play with to get them to think about their parts and just practicing shaping a behavior is good mental work for both dog and human


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## GSDElsa

*We Started Perch Work Tonight!*

I still can't get over how amazingly smart German Shepherds are. I decided to tape a couple phone books together tonight to start some of that good ol' perch work. Of course, within about 3.5 seconds she's got it DOWN! I think I almost lost a few fingers with our mini hotdog treats, but a creature has probably never loved a phone book so much. 

And of course............
Her command is "BUTT"

Since we're working on her butt muscles.


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## lylol

hee hee hee... way to go! They are wonderfully smart arent they!


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## selzer

We just finished our first class. Joy was not the youngest. A small border collie pup six months old was there. Also a golden, a pug, a rat terrier type, I think some type of border terrier, and a small dog like a havanese. 

We started with the A-frame, then did the clear tunnel, then we went down the jump section and got treats. After we did these each a few times, we added a solid tunnel to the jump section. There were these little plastic fences. 

Well, Joy did not think she needed to do the solid tunnel. She jumped the plastic fence instead. 

Ok. 

So she had us all do the clear tunnel the jump section with the solid tunnel turned in, so they are going into a dark tunnel, and finishing with the A-frame. 

Well, Joy did everything right, except instead of going into the solid tunnel she cleared the plastic fencing with pizaaz. 

The good news is that she took treats from everyone and seemed to have a great time. 

I am beat.


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## GSDElsa

selzer said:


> We just finished our first class. Joy was not the youngest. A small border collie pup six months old was there. Also a golden, a pug, a rat terrier type, I think some type of border terrier, and a small dog like a havanese.
> 
> We started with the A-frame, then did the clear tunnel, then we went down the jump section and got treats. After we did these each a few times, we added a solid tunnel to the jump section. There were these little plastic fences.
> 
> Well, Joy did not think she needed to do the solid tunnel. She jumped the plastic fence instead.
> 
> Ok.
> 
> So she had us all do the clear tunnel the jump section with the solid tunnel turned in, so they are going into a dark tunnel, and finishing with the A-frame.
> 
> Well, Joy did everything right, except instead of going into the solid tunnel she cleared the plastic fencing with pizaaz.
> 
> The good news is that she took treats from everyone and seemed to have a great time.
> 
> I am beat.


Fun, isn't it?? 

Funny how at each place they start off a little differently. The A frame was something we didn't do until the 3rd week. I'm really interested to see how the "real" teeter goes when we get there. Right now we are just doing a board of plywood under a 2x4 (or something similar). All the dogs see to do fabulously with the board going up and down under their feet as they walk over it, so hopefully that means we'll have a teeter-loving class.

ETA: How is it in class with the wide variety of dogs? It's kind of nice in ours, we just happened to get all big dogs, so there isn't a lot of having to chance striding to jumps and what not.


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## selzer

well our jumps are at about 4 inches right now -- with a puppy I do not want much jumping yet anyway. The A-frame is on a very low level too. I am looking forward to the teeter. But next week I did not hear her mention it. She said dog walk and I probably stopped hearing. I can just imagine Joy on the dog walk.

Yes it is fun.


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## MaggieRoseLee

selzer said:


> well our jumps are at about 4 inches right now -- with a puppy I do not want much jumping yet anyway. The A-frame is on a very low level too. I am looking forward to the teeter. But next week I did not hear her mention it. She said dog walk and I probably stopped hearing. I can just imagine Joy on the dog walk.
> 
> Yes it is fun.


Sounds like you had fun and your dog did well! Always love to hear how different (or similar) our classes are run.

I must have missed the PICTURES??? :wub:


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## dogmama

I'm taking classes through a private individual & we haven't even begun any obstacles. We are doing handling skills, like sending Zack around an object from a distance and nifty body awareness exercises like walking through a ladder-type contraption (I think it's called a cavaletti? Used with horses?) The closest thing we've come to an obstacle is clicking/treating for feet on a plank raised 2 inches off of the ground.

It's fun for both of us. Watching Zack actually think is great & I can tell that he loves it too. I thought agility was all about the obstacles but I'm learning it is much more than that. Although, obviously the obstacles are great fun too!!!


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## MaggieRoseLee

> I thought agility was all about the obstacles but I'm learning it is much more than that. Although, obviously the obstacles are great fun too!!!


Good for you for knowing that already! Sounds like you are in a good foundation class...


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## dogmama

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Good for you for knowing that already! Sounds like you are in a good foundation class...


Maggie, I'm glad you think so too. My instructor is very big on safety. One thing she will be teaching me is how to get Zack to anticipate a change in direction on the course _before_ he jumps and to make the necessary body adjustments at that time rather than _after_ he lands. Wouldn't you think this is essential with our dogs because they carry so much weight in their chests? Or am I over-thinking this?


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## MaggieRoseLee

> change in direction on the course _before_ he jumps and to make the necessary body adjustments at that time rather than _after_ he lands.


I'm loving your instructor! With our big dogs, the more info on where we are going after we land...........that I can give BEFORE they take off.........the better! They will know if they have to collect their stride for a turn rather than extend their stride cause WE ARE RUNNING!


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## dogmama

*Dancing with my dog!*

We are learning front crosses - it's like dancing with Zack! We worked with five jumps yesterday - the uprights only - so there was no jumping involved. We practiced maneuvering and positioning ourselves for the next jump. I also learned about keeping Zack on the outside of the circle - this has to do with the foot he leads with...? It's all so new to me! I _thought _I was a hotshot dog trainer, having taken dogs to U.D. HA! 

We did our first obstacle - the solid tunnel with a bend. Big fun. As Zack was made the turn to exit, I threw his ball on a rope in a straight line out of the tunnel. So, as he turns, he sees his toy being tossed - more fun!

The very best thing about agility is that Zack loves it. He has tremendous drive and loves to train. Agility is instilling confidence because he's learning to think away from me. No more luring with food. Wow.


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## MaggieRoseLee

> The very best thing about agility is that Zack loves it. He has tremendous drive and loves to train. Agility is instilling confidence because he's learning to think away from me. No more luring with food. Wow.


:happyboogie:


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## TankGrrl66

*Me Too*

I just went to my first class last week(the no dog, talk about stuff class) and our next class is on Wed.

I have been doing some very basic groundwork...I will try the phone book thing. 

My GSD loves going over jumps I make, and doesn't trip out if something is wobby under his feet. 

He is about 6 or 7 years old. He is gonig to have SO much fun! 

Has anyone heard of the Extreme Agility? Stress Agility? Now THAT looks cool...


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## MaggieRoseLee

TankGrrl66 said:


> Has anyone heard of the Extreme Agility? Stress Agility? Now THAT looks cool...


Is that the stuff they run protection/military dogs over? It is crazy if it's what I'm thinking about.


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## AgileGSD

I found this video of "stress agility":





And this one:


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## MaggieRoseLee

AgileGSD , I just have to say WOW!!!!!


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