Dog Agility Training

Question: Terrier dog + agility training?

(Posted by: faulty_barbie_doll on 2008-04-08 09:04:48)

My boyfriend and I have just adopted a terrier from wood green animal shelter. His name is flea and they think he is about 9 years old, although they're not completely sure. Although he is 9ish now he's still very lively and acts like a puppy at times. He needs lots of boredom busters to keep him occupied and keep his brain challenged. I have a king kong for when I leave the house so he won't attack everything but I was wondering about agility training. He has a slight gait problem like most terriers that the vet is not worried about so I don't feel like it will cause him a problem. Would a dog of his age/ size be able to do agility training? Also because of the circumstances he was removed from he is not used to being with other dogs, he is very friendly and only wants to play with other dogs but doesn't understand the jumping and barking at them isn't going to make me let him play with them. I am using a gentle leader and a halti on walks with him and reward him when he walks calmly. I was thinking of taking him to puppy socialising classes at my local vets, I know technically he isn't a puppy, but would it be deemed dangerous as he has been known to get a bit over- excited and accidentally nip dogs in the past. Any advice on either areas would be great. Flea: http:/ / i179.photobucket.com/ albums/ w290/ faultybarbiedoll/ fle.jpg I'm still not sure about the socializing classes, the shelter said he needs to be socialized with other dogs so he learns to be respectful of them as well as me. I can control him perfectly well, but it's going to take a while to get it down to a fine art because of his past. I guess I just want to follow what the shelter says and give him a better life than his previous owners. The other option is to take him to the dog walking areas but I'm not keen on these after to what happened to my last dog here. Would either of these two be acceptable for socializing him?

Posted by: Agility Man on 2008-04-08, 13:11:58

Agility is a great activity for dogs, especially those with quickness and some athleticism (which sounds like a description of most terriers). Now, he may not be a champion but the vast majority of dogs in agility aren't champions. Besides you're not doing this to win titles but for fun. And it's absolutely true--give a dog a purpose, a job and they mellow out, get calmer, develop some pride and focus. 1. Start working with your dog on obedience. You will need a strong sit-stay (for the start line), a good down-stay (for the pause table) and a good recall (because all of agility is off leash). Comfort around other dogs is important because even if you don't compete (and many don't--they jsut do agility at home) you will want to take agility classes to get started and that means being around other dogs. Try looking at Leslie mcDevitt's book "Control Unleashed " for some practical solutions. 2. Find agility clubs near you. The clean run website (cleanrun.com) has a search function for clubs and trainers. If you strike out there, go to agilityevents.com and look for trials near by. Go observe (good socialization for your dog) and ask competitors what clubs/ trainers locally they go to. 3. You can make a lot of agility equipment from PVC. A good intro book to agility is by Laurie Leach. But the best thing to do is to start out with an agility class. 4. As for size and age.....agility competition is categorized by size. My terrier is 15 " at the shoulders so he jumps 16 ". A friend of mine has a smaller dog who jumps 12 ". Someone in the class I train with has a dog who jumps 8 ". Height of dog determines jumping height. So size ain't an issue. As for age, lots of trials have veteran categories for older dogs. Novices also jump lower heights (my dog jumps 16 " now but jumped 12 " as a beginner). Finally some organizations like NADAC have lots of specialized games. So if you had an older dog with joint problems, you'd do a "tunneler's " run (all tunnels) or "weaver's " (most weaves) but skip "touch n' go " (lots of contacts) or all jumpers courses because they'd stress the joints more. And, I know several people who don't compete with their dogs. They just go to class once a week and then do 10-20 minutes of agility in the backyard or park every day because their dog loves it. Getting started with agility was the absolutely smartest thing I ever did with my dog. We both love it. Give it a shot. Your dog will love you for it.

Posted by: Nicolette on 2008-04-08, 09:13:03

For agility training, it depends on your dog. If she is obedient and likes to please, than you should try it. Maybe read some articles about training. Socializing classes really aren't needed because dogs don't need socializations with other dogs. What's to it is that you have to teach him to respect you and listen so he doesn't get in trouble with other dogs. The pack leader (you) is meant to drive strangers away like they did in the wolf pack, so there is no need to socialize with dogs.

Posted by: WyrDachs on 2008-04-08, 11:33:30

As long as the dog does not have any physical disabilities, agility trainining is ok. It will help keep his brain busy and his body fit. Terriers do very well in agility, there are all sizes of dogs and all breeds and mixes doing agility. In competition, there are also veteran classes which are for dogs 7 and older. As for socializing, keep him unleash and try to introduce him to other friendly dogs, who should also be on leash. I would not put him in any kind of puppy class, since that's for puppies and not adult dogs. check out cleanrun.com for agility info

Posted by: chip on 2008-04-08, 11:56:51

I agree with the other people ,going to socializing may not be the answer . As for his age he is about half as old as he will get . Small dogs have a longer life span . If you are interested in doing some better obedience training ,which will help with his behavioral problems .This site is very informative in dog training from a proffessional ,which he helps you the novice ,for better control of your pet . He can help you solve problems quickly and easily .If you are interested ,get info here..