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Probably boring to everyone but me ... just pretend she's a ninja, OK?
This was a "Steeplechase" course, and Lucy was waaay pokier than usual--we weren't fast enough to qualify.
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rakka said:
i love steeplechase both with dogs and horses so be quiet you!
grim said:
Hey I was intereseted BEFORE I imagined she was a ninja...now it's even BETTER! Seriously...how long did it take to train her? Did you have to start young? My Border Collie is 7...fat and lazy (Unless he's herding my niece's goats!) but I'm getting another BC puppy soon...always thought about flyball or obstacle. Just wonderin'...
bunchofpants said:
Rakka, you're so easily entertained! ;-P
Grim, I didn't start agility training until she was about 6 (OK, maybe she was 5-1/2 or so). She had already been doing flyball (since she was 1 year old), but agility is completely different. We train with food, and you should never underestimate the motivating power a hot dog has over a dog!! The one thing you would have to do with your 7 year old dog is get him to lose some weight--it's hard for fat dogs to be really athletic. Otherwise, if you're diligent and practice you can have him competing within a year of starting training. But really the most important part of agility is the handler--if you don't do it right then the dog won't either. Almost all of our mistakes are because I did something wrong. I'm getting better, though!
If you get a puppy, the most important thing if you want to do sports is that the pup should spend more time interacting with you than with your other dog--you want to be the center of his universe because then he'll be nuts to do whatever you ask. Spend the first year on "foundation" work (basic obedience, teaching turns and following you, sending around cones, and lots of play with toys, especially tugging because you can use that as a reward later). Then start agility or flyball training at about one year or so. If there are trials near you, go watch and then ask the very best people where they train and then go there for classes (or if the best people teach, take their classes or seminars).
If I were you, I'd start taking classes now with the older dog and then just compete for fun and so you can learn how to be a good handler. Then when the pup is ready, you'll know what you're doing and you can reach his full potential.
grim said:
Cool , thanks for the info. I was (kinda) kidding 'bout my BC bein' fat and lazy..he's actually VERY active and in awesome shape (for an old guy). Got him as a puppy in Florida, and he grew up runnin' the beach and mountain-biking with me...He was soooo in to tennis balls and tricks when he was younger...then he kinda lost interest in it (no matter HOW much I tried). His herding instincts came out (Chickens, kids, squirrels).Soooo agree with the "spend LOTS of time" mantra....everyone that comes in contact with him raves about how smart and well-behaved he is, and it definitely has alot to do with how much time I spent with him as a pup. Lots of love and patience....like a kid.
This breed especially...is SO in tune with what the owner wants...he lives to please me/do a job for me....it's amazing. He's not happy unless he's doing a job...and since I moved up to the Northwest and introduced him to goats (My niece has 3 pygmy goats)...he has a fulltime job now. I drop him offf like daycare (laughing). I go to town...he goes and herds the goats...never had a lick of training, just instinct.
wheewwwww...I may have written more than you!
bunchofpants said:
Nah--you can't shut me up when the topic turns to dogs ...