advice on setting up beginner agility run

[colpoys]

like the title syas, I have a 19 mo. m, BC who once his front paw heals will be exercising in our back field. I am hoping to get some pointers on setting up a beginner course. any help/pointers would be great...thanks

colpoys

[Zebbie]

here is a sight which has some agility diagrams, you'll have to search for them, but they are nicely laid out and easy to understand

http://www.cleanrun.com/

[diane allen]

Questions: Have you trained your dog already, and are you now just looking for where to place various obstacles? In this case, the clean run site is a good start. The magazine, Clean Run, has TONS of courses each month. They also publish several instruction manuals (meant for instructors of classes, but easily adapted for individual use) from beginning through advanced levels - VERY useful. Get 'em!

 

If you haven't trained the dog yet, you're probably not ready to actually set up a "course" as such. Progress from individual obstacles to sequences should come only with time. You can spend LOTS of time on individual obstacles, teaching proper techniques, etc. You can teach obstacles discrimination (not often done at the novice level, in my opinion, to the detriment of the dog later on!). You can teach various other commands needed "out" and "here" (or whatever words you use), "wrap" and "switch", etc. etc.

 

You might also try www.dogpatch.com - I can't recall if there are actual courses on that site, but there are LOTS of training tidbits and equipment information.

 

And you probably know, but....19 months is still a growing pup. Don't push the tallest height he's capable of jumping - let those joints and bone solidify. Let him jump at a much lower height - normally they don't have a problem when you raise 'em later, if he's learned proper jumping technique.

 

Have fun!

 

diane