Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Last night was our first time at Agility. The class is on Tuesday nights and the past two weeks the snow has cancelled classes! It was really fun and Sophie did GREAT. She is much more confident and willing to do the obstacles than most of the other dogs. She went right over the A-frame without a moment's hesitation and went through the tunnels like a champ. I don't know if we will be doing weaves at any time during Beginners. The jumps were really low and Sophie just walked over them. They weren't nearly as fun as the A-Frame.

The chute wasn't a problem at all. She went through it with a little bit of coaxing with me holding it open and then went through it collapsed easily. I was able to leave her in a sit at the end of the open tunnel and call her through on my own. Cool, huh! lol. I'm sure she'll have lots of fun with it once we pick up speed and do some courses.

So much fun! There were a few tiffs with a couple of other dogs, but it was just a bark and a jump mostly. She did very well with meeting a too-cute Staffy bull terrier who was more than happy to see her (peed all over the place) and she did well meeting a toy poodle in the class who just hates the tunnels. There was a rescue Shepherd that she didn't seem to like at first but then ignored him. Jesse the boxer girl that Sophie has been in classes with since she started in Kindergarten Puppy Obedience was in the class, and Augie the Vizsla is in the Agility class after us (he's older and has been in it longer), so she got to say hello to him as well. There was a pair of dogs who lived together there who seemed to get bad reactions from both Jesse and Sophie. It was a good intro to the one, but then Sophie checked him with a growly bark, I think he was trying to be too dominant to her and she felt the need to let him know who's the top dog... ANYWAY, other than the dogs trying to establish themselves among the pack, everything went very well.
-----
Lesya & Sophie

A Dog Owner's Prayer

Author unknown
Thanks to Pattie Lawler
http://www.behaviour-problems.freeserve.co.uk/2/Poems/dogownerpray.htm

I'm so glad that you had such a great time in agility. I love it as well, and it's something fun for me and my Bonzer to do together. Sounds like your dog has some real potential too! Bonzer is also very confident, and as I recall, I remember in my first class it was funny to see Bonzer (who is 20 pounds) confidentally jump on every obstacle and challenge while a golden retriever cowarded over the dog walk and A-frame.

Sounds like you had a great time. By the way, in my beginning class I don't think we did very much with the weave poles, just really easy and basic stuff with the weaves tilted out. At home to prepare for weaves and balance in genereal, you can put a ladder down and have her (?) walk through it to get used to walking in a straight line which is great for things like the dog walk!

Good luck and keep us updated on how your future classes go!
(It's making me jealous, since i have to wait till spring, when the snow's gone to start up agility again!)

>>Last night was our first time at Agility. The class is on Tuesday nights and the past two weeks the snow has cancelled classes! It was really fun and Sophie did GREAT. She is much more confident and willing to do the obstacles than most of the other dogs. She went right over the A-frame without a moment's hesitation and went through the tunnels like a champ. I don't know if we will be doing weaves at any time during Beginners. The jumps were really low and Sophie just walked over them. They weren't nearly as fun as the A-Frame.
>>
>>The chute wasn't a problem at all. She went through it with a little bit of coaxing with me holding it open and then went through it collapsed easily. I was able to leave her in a sit at the end of the open tunnel and call her through on my own. Cool, huh! lol. I'm sure she'll have lots of fun with it once we pick up speed and do some courses.
>>
>>So much fun! There were a few tiffs with a couple of other dogs, but it was just a bark and a jump mostly. She did very well with meeting a too-cute Staffy bull terrier who was more than happy to see her (peed all over the place) and she did well meeting a toy poodle in the class who just hates the tunnels. There was a rescue Shepherd that she didn't seem to like at first but then ignored him. Jesse the boxer girl that Sophie has been in classes with since she started in Kindergarten Puppy Obedience was in the class, and Augie the Vizsla is in the Agility class after us (he's older and has been in it longer), so she got to say hello to him as well. There was a pair of dogs who lived together there who seemed to get bad reactions from both Jesse and Sophie. It was a good intro to the one, but then Sophie checked him with a growly bark, I think he was trying to be too dominant to her and she felt the need to let him know who's the top dog... ANYWAY, other than the dogs trying to establish themselves among the pack, everything went very well.
>>-----
>> Lesya & Sophie
>>
>>A Dog Owner's Prayer
>>
>>Oh Lord, don't let me once forget how I love my trusty pet.
>>Help me learn to disregard canine craters in my yard.
>>Show me how to be a buddy even when my sofa's muddy.
>>Don't allow my pooch to munch postal carriers for lunch.
>>Shield my neighbor's cat from view--guide my steps around the doo.
>>Train me not to curse and scowl when it's puppy's night to howl.
>>Grant I shan't awake in fear with a cold nose in my ear.
>>Give me patience without end--help me be my dog's "best friend".
>>
>>Author unknown
>>Thanks to Pattie Lawler
>>http://www.behaviour-problems.freeserve.co.uk/2/Poems/dogownerpray.htm

Go Sophie! Yup, agility is great fun! My BC gal and I are entered in a competition comming up in March. Can't wait!
-----
Charlene

My Email

Adopt the pace of Nature
Her secret is patience

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-