When to start training???

[Joe Anne]

Hi all, I will be bringing home a new BC puppy about end of October or first week of Nov. I am interested in getting info and reading up on agility, fly ball and herding. I am a certified obedience instructor so I will do that myself, however I have not taught the others. I have taken a dog through agility training, but we were not able to finish do to my dog becoming ill.

I know I have PLENTY, of time, but I would like to get some basic info on when to start (other than obedience), and even if it is possible to train for herding when my dog will not essentialy be a herding dog (if that makes sense). If anyone can recommend any good books for me to pick up I would be grateful. I live in Southern Maryland (St. Mary's Co.) does anyone know of trainers who do agility, flyball and/or herding, out my way.

Thanks for any help.... anxious "expecting" Mom

Joe Anne

[Rave]

Check out this club: http://www.orioledogclub.org/

there's a lot you can do with a pup for agility and flyball foundation training. Some places offer puppy agility just to teach the ground work. My pup was able to do a full course with all the handling moves before she even jumped her first jump.

 

-laura

[TootsiePop]

Hi..

We started Tootsie in agility classes at six months. Everything was at low level, and she took to the obstacles very well. However, in the next series of classes, we began having trouble with her. I realized she is way too much dog for me. I'm just learning about agility, and I was constantly behind her. She would get so frustrated that she would bark, jump and bite at my hands. The instructor's were having us do five or six obstacles in a series and included complicated things such as wraps and placing other obstacles right next to the one intended for use at that time. At the last class, I got so frustrated, I decided I didn't want to go back. My dog is still not listening to basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, down, come. She does these things at home always, but at classes, with so many distractions (other dogs), she chooses to not listen, and she's all over the place. I've decided to work with her at home. We've built agility equipment, and I purchased a tunnel and chute. Maybe when she's older and more mature, we'll attempt it again.

Tootsie's Mom

[HKM's Mom]

Tootsie's Mom,

 

I just want to assure you that Tootsie's lack of listening around distractions is NOT willful disobedience. Don't get frustrated and quit working her.

There ia a thread from about a month or so ago where I explained why it's so different asking a dog to do something in a familiar place Vs a new place. If you can't find it doing a search, I'll post the basics of it again, but it's a bit long to retype.

[TootsiePop]

Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm new to the site, so I'm not sure what I'm missing here. I did try to find old postings, but had no luck. Hate to see you have to retype, but am very interested in reading what you had to say about dogs behaving differently at home as opposed to elsewhere.

Tootsie's Mom

[HKM's Mom]

Try doing a search under my member number 2684, in all forums, open date, no key word.

It may take a bit to sort through them, but I know it's been in the last two or so months so that will help narrow it down. The post, while I DO NOT like to compare dog to humans, uses typical human distractions to help you understand how difficult it can be to react to requests unless you've been programed for that distraction. Dogs are the same way. Make sure you scroll the finds since I my have posted more than once on that particular topic.

I gotta take the dogs out to swim, but if yo ucan't find the posts, I'll retype it once I get back tonight.

[Cynthia Blue]

I'd love to read that post of yours... I'm having trouble finding it though, but since I'm very very new... I don't even know what to look for.