Agility DVDs

[alligande]

My dog and I are both beginners at agility and are planning on entering our first trail in a couple of months. He is a very quick learner, with no fear and game for anything, I am the one who is holding him back in his training. There is only so much you can learn in one class a week.

I was thinking about buying a dvd for me to learn handling skills and wondering what people recommended.

 

 

Edited to Add: we have been attending classes for a few months and other than weave he has all the basics down, now we are running courses in class, but I feel like if I had a better understanding of what I should be doing then Brody would benefit. There is only so much a trainer can pass on in a class.

[Andale]

I like the Greg Derrett DVDs. http://www.gtagility.com/Training.html

 

He explains and shows his handling system and I've learned quite a bit from watching his videos.

 

If you have a young dog and if you're new to agility a DVD on foundation skills would also be very helpful. I just got the Moe Strenfel Foundation Training for Agility DVD. It is very thorough and emphasizes teaching your dog many basic skills before you put your dog on obstacles. This is available from www.cleanrun.com

 

There are other good videos out on specific handling/training skills like contacts, jumping, weaves, etc. I think its best to start out with a well defined handling system and foundation/motivation skills first, then move on to learning and refining specific obstacle skills.

[in2adventure]

Are there other handlers you can go to? Sometimes you can learn a lot from going to a couple different trainers at different times of the dogs (and yours) training career. I'm already moving Grady to another trainer because I feel we have maxed what we can learn from the first one. She's fantastic at starting puppies, but not as good at the next level. Lucia goes to a competely different trainer because her skills are at different level. This trainer is actually for me because she teaches handling skills and requires her students to already be trialing(or close to it) before she puts you in her class.

 

The videos help, I would video yourself while running your dog. You can learn a lot by watching youself and can pick up the good and bad points of the run. I would definately tape you first trial. It's a great teaching tool.

 

Good luck at the trial!

[Alaska]

I second the recommendation for Greg Derrett. Defiinitely start with his Foundation one. I've watched a lot of agility training DVDs and none are better, and many much worse.

 

My other recommendation is the Agility in Motion series. There haven't been any new ones out in a while, but the training segments on these are fantastic. Take their suggestion and order the first one, and if you like it they'll apply the purchase price toward the full series. The first one is a good one too; I'm sure you'll get hooked.

 

If you just want to watch some agility, browse around at the Dog Agility Video Service. It's great for studying other handlers, and also for seeing how different agility venues operate.