Might agility help my foster boy?

[Lewie'sMom]

Forgive me if this has been addressed before but after using the search function I wasn’t able to find anything conclusive. Direct me (gently) if I missed it. Also, I apologize that this is not Border collie specific but I respect the collective opinion of this board.

 

My nine month-old foster shepherd/husky mix, Mickey, seems like he might be a natural at agility. He jumps like a kangaroo, launches himself off the deck so that it makes me cringe sometimes, he catches pretty well (we’re still working on his timing), and he doesn’t seem to have any inhibitions around new “stuff”. He climbed up the doggie steps and hopped onto my grooming table the first time I asked him like he’d done it a hundred times before. Lewie, on the other hand, looked at me like I’d grown two heads when I tried to coax him up.

 

My question is:

Should I invest in some inexpensive agility equipment to use in my fenced backyard or take Mick to agility classes? Is it safe for his adolescent body if we start slowly? He’s still a work in progress as far as his behavior in public. He’s good at home but whenever we leave the house he forgets everything he’s learned regarding manners and proper behavior. I know that he would not hurt anyone maliciously but he is very strong and gangly and he could do damage to others (me) or himself just because of his exuberance.

 

He and Lewie get a good two to three hours a day outside playtime so I don’t think lack of exercise is a huge issue regarding his sometimes almost uncontrollable behavior away from home. I think the biggest contributing factors to his extreme love of life are his age and breed(s). I believe he’d enjoy agility and this guy is S-M-A-R-T. He learned his name after less than two days with me and he picks things up very quickly, sometimes too quickly.

 

I don’t believe he’s adoptable yet in his very high-spirited state. I thought agility might help channel his intelligence and high activity level to help calm him and to better fit in with his future family.

 

Your thoughts and advice is very much coveted.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Laurelin]

Forgive me if this has been addressed before but after using the search function I wasn’t able to find anything conclusive. Direct me (gently) if I missed it. Also, I apologize that this is not Border collie specific but I respect the collective opinion of this board.

 

My nine month-old foster shepherd/husky mix, Mickey, seems like he might be a natural at agility. He jumps like a kangaroo, launches himself off the deck so that it makes me cringe sometimes, he catches pretty well (we’re still working on his timing), and he doesn’t seem to have any inhibitions around new “stuff”. He climbed up the doggie steps and hopped onto my grooming table the first time I asked him like he’d done it a hundred times before. Lewie, on the other hand, looked at me like I’d grown two heads when I tried to coax him up.

 

My question is:

Should I invest in some inexpensive agility equipment to use in my fenced backyard or take Mick to agility classes? Is it safe for his adolescent body if we start slowly? He’s still a work in progress as far as his behavior in public. He’s good at home but whenever we leave the house he forgets everything he’s learned regarding manners and proper behavior. I know that he would not hurt anyone maliciously but he is very strong and gangly and he could do damage to others (me) or himself just because of his exuberance.

 

He and Lewie get a good two to three hours a day outside playtime so I don’t think lack of exercise is a huge issue regarding his sometimes almost uncontrollable behavior away from home. I think the biggest contributing factors to his extreme love of life are his age and breed(s). I believe he’d enjoy agility and this guy is S-M-A-R-T. He learned his name after less than two days with me and he picks things up very quickly, sometimes too quickly.

 

I don’t believe he’s adoptable yet in his very high-spirited state. I thought agility might help channel his intelligence and high activity level to help calm him and to better fit in with his future family.

 

Your thoughts and advice is very much coveted.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

I'm by no means an expert but don't have him jump high or do things like weave poles just yet. Those can be very stressful on a growing dog's body, especially a large breed like him.

 

I think it's a good idea though. Definitely go with classes and a good instructor that understands what's okay for a young dog to do. We had a couple pups his age in both my foundation classes. I think it can't HURT. At the least class settings will get him out of your yard and learning how to behave around other people and dogs. I'd advise getting at least a sit and a decently reliable stay for classes though. We had a dog without any obedience and it was really a pain to have to work around. Maybe even just an obedience class would be helpful for him.

 

That's just my 2 cents of course.