# Agility runs from this weekend!



## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

Odin and I had another fun weekend. We only Q'd on two runs but he got his Agility Dog of Canada title and had some smokin fast times! He was being a butt in the weave poles though, he popped out on two different runs and he really does know better, so we will have a proofing refresher. I was getting super mad about the weave poles and the couple of ugly runs we had, but now looking back on the weekend he did work really well for the majority of the time. I really need to quit focusing on the negative, sometimes I let my competitiveness get the best of me We also won the judge's choice award for top starters dog (Now he gets to move up to advanced standard which is super exciting!) Anyway here are a few of our runs from the weekend.

AAC March 2-3 2013 - YouTube

Does anyone know why I can't get my videos to embed?


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

These runs were fantastic. He has no trouble jumping or running, so to me you just need to keep up the good work to improve his jumping skills.

All the other 'issues' were FAST DOG issues so I'm loving that too. You can only see them come out at training and you are doing so well at working thru them to 'teach' the rules are the same at a trial. 

Great job and keep up the good work!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

hey nice work, goog to see gsd's doing active stuff, liking it.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

Thanks MRL I have been trying really hard to maintain the same criteria at trials as I have in training! It's so hard to throw away runs to train but I know in the long run we will be way better off.

Thanks x11, I really wish there were more good GSDs doing this kind of stuff. You would not believe how many people comment on him. Everyone seems totally shocked to see a GSD that isn't a crippled nerve bag!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

KristiM said:


> I really wish there were more good GSDs doing this kind of stuff. You would not believe how many people comment on him. Everyone seems totally shocked to see a GSD that isn't a crippled nerve bag!


know what yr saying, near all the AKC sports are dominated by BC's except the clubs where they are excluded from winning (but allowed to run) , bite sports = mals, some schuts holdouts but of the two clubs i can go to one is nearly all mals and the other the TD will ignore you if you didn't buy a pup from him.

the latest trend is GSD's that are big black and stupid pets - the customers want them so the breeders are breeding them in large numbers, in part it is a reaction away from the show scene as now so many don't want just another show dog they want a dog that looks like a working dog except bigger, blacker and acts like a house labrador.

it is becoming embarrasing to own a gsd.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

I agree x11, it seems to me like the working GSDs aren't in a very good state I hate to say it but I'm pretty sure my next dog is going to be a mal. I do prefer GSDs but I just feel like I am far more likely to get a HEALTHY, physically capable sport/working dog if I go with a mal. Odin is freakin awesome but he is the least substantial male GSD I have met and one of the only ones I know without some sort of significant health or temperament issue. I am having a lot of health problems with my younger GSD and its kind of turning me off the breed


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

sad to hear, most everyone i know with a mal started with a gsd...


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Embedded video- first of all, don't use the you.tube shortened URL. Secondly, post only www.whatever, not http://www.whatever (leave off the http, or https). That should do it for you.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

Nice runs! He sure is looking good!


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

gotta ask, free-shaped my food obessed non-gsd to jump, worked well, used luring and touch pads on my ball obssessed gsd to jump, now he is always looking backwards when in mid-air waiting for the ball and usually plouhs into the jumps doing so - what i did i do wrong exactly and how do i undo it.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

X11, Where are you training and what have they suggested? 

One of the reasons clickers work is it's so much clearer that WHEN they do something THEN they get rewarded. And rolling/throwing the toy can help get off the handler focus to obstacle focus. There are some great dvds from Clean Run: Jumping but helps if you use similar method as your instructor.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

i started with a great instructor but she left the area and the club folded, it was free-shaping the obstacles 100%, thats what i did with my first dog who has low prey drive and high food drive, worked a treat (no pun intended).

my gsd is high prey drive and will pass on a fresh steak if their is a ball within a 2 mile radius so i tried to take advantage and did a ME style luring onto touch pads then putting a jump between the padswhich the dog incidentally had to go over to get to the other touch pad, my error is that ME trains for mondio and there is only one jump at a time and the dog stops turns around and sits once over the jump and waits a command to return back over the jump - that was fatal error as that is what i trained and thats what my dog does, mondio one jump thing is the oppositte of agility so i trained the problem and not sure how to fix it.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

Thanks Wildo!

x11, I am not a huge fan of the ME jump training. Are you training jumping for agility, schutzhund or ring? I really like using a combination of Linda Mecklenberg and Susan Salo, just depending on what the dog needs. I have been using the Susan Salo set point exercise to teach a friend's GSD the metre jump for IPO and I am really happy with how it is coming along. For agility I would suggest a combo of Linda Mecklenberg and Susan Salo. (Both of their vids/books are in the link MRL gave you.) Also would tough it out and use food if at all possible while he is learning to jump. Made the mistake of using a ball with Odin and I have had to go back and redo all his foundation jumping (not fun!)


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

since the club folded i am just training in the backyard for fun, thought about going it alone and trialling but have never started a dog on weaves and do not want to try that by myself so basically the backyard. love the sport (agility) but no club basically.

surprised you did not mention greg D or SG, thought they were the ultimate agility trainers and video producers?? will check the links you mentioned.

haha sound like you made the same mistake as me using a ball on a high ball drive dog and not food.

btw Odin really does look neat.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

Their videos are geared towards handling, not teaching jumping. If you do decide to teach agility on your own there are lots of really good DVDs to get you started. I rent from bow wow flix, you can rent pretty much very agility DVD made


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