Is 7 too old?

[Judie-Beth]

We have never looked into any agility type activities for Roxy because we had animals and a large yard to keep her busy, but now we have moved to a smaller place. She plays mostly indoors and so I feel like agility training might be a good way for her to have some "focused" playtime. Is 7 (almost 8) too old for that type of activity? Roxy does have some minor arthritis (or that is what the vet says it is) in her hip. So I don't want to strain her, but she seems so bored at home.

[Kat's Dogs]

As long as she is healthy, seven is a find age!

 

I know a dog (a BC) that is 13 and still competing - and going to nationals!

 

My instructors dog (a GSD) is 8 now and wacky about agility as ever - she is getting faster in her old age!

 

My shih tzus boyfriend (a shih tzu) is almost nine and still competing!

 

As long as you go slow and don't push her to hard until she has worked up the right muscles for it, I would say go ahead and have some fun! Just watch her carefully for the first few months and after that you should be O.K.

[Root Beer]

I don't think so.

 

I am thinking about putting my 6 year old dog in agility.

[KrisK]

I think agility would be fine. She's not too old and most agility organizations have 'specials' and veterans classes anyway which give some special considerations to the older dog.

I would be willing to bet, she'd love it and it might help with her arthritis if the agility wasn't too demanding.

[MrSnappy]

My 9 year old still competes, though not as often as he used to. He still likes it, but I keep it fun and slow and don't put him in any games he doesn't like. He is one leg short of his VAADC, VMJDC and VMTDC.

 

My 6 year old border collie has his ADC, AADC and MJDC titles and still competes like a hot damn. Of course I have been training him for 3 years. But there is no reason you can't start your older (healthy) dog as long as you aren't looking to be super competitive!

 

RDM

[Olivia]

My dog Carlie has hip dysplasia that was diagnosed at 2.5. She has started competing this year at the ripe age of 5.5 years and so far in 3 shows has earned one title and has 1 leg to the next and 2 legs toward another. She is having a blast. She is actually quite fast! I asked my vet (plus I am in vet school so I have lots of people to consult) and she said to let Carlie do whatever she feels comfortable with for as long as she can. The exercise is actually good for her hips (hip muscles). I am lucky in that she is a small border collie and runs at 16" jump heights.

 

I think you should go for it! You both will have a great time and your bond will improve as well! At the shows I've been to I've seen grey muzzled dogs kicking the butts of the younger guys. They may not be the fastest dogs on the block but the wisdom and the way they are so close to their owners just comes through in good runs.

 

Olivia

[Root Beer]

They may not be the fastest dogs on the block but the wisdom and the way they are so close to their owners just comes through in good runs.

I am hoping that if he lives to a ripe old age, I can try agility again with Speedy someday! Maybe when he's 7 or 8 he will have some of that wisdom and he'll be ready!

[Olivia]

I run Carlie, 5.5 years old, while my husband and I both run Griffin, 3 years old. He thinks it is funny how well Carlie does against the younger dogs and I reminded him that Carlie and I have been together her entire life. We've done sheepherding trials, college, we've gotten married, fostered numerous border collie puppies, lived in 3 states in several different houses. She can all but read my mind. We call her Super Carlie. I'm considering making her a little cape for the costume contests that pop up on occassion.

Griffin and I work pretty well together but he still gets the urge to go raving around the course like a maniac! He'll learn and in the meantime I'll just look like an idiot with my crazy dog in the ring.

 

Olivia

[sue@bailstails]

My Girl is comeing up for eight and still enjoys

working and still up there with the younger dogs times in agility.

 

Sue.

[SoloRiver]

Fly just joined a flyball team and she'll be seven on Christmas. Of course, when I tell people that she is seven, they usually get a look of horror on their faces since she has the energy level and attitude of an adolescent -- especially if they have just acquired a Border Collie puppy.

 

Solo is six and a half and has not become slower or less motivated in agility, which he's been doing since he was two.

 

I say go for it.

[airbear]

Bear is 8 (or 9, or 10, or 11) and he started agility 4 years ago, herding 3 years ago, and flyball this year. He made his flyball debut Halloween and woofed it up with the young dogs. The only activity that he's dropped due to age is disc - too much landing on the rear legs for the old guy.

 

He finished his Agility Trial Champion of Canada (ATChC) title this year, and actually is running better and more enthusiastically than ever. In fact, he earned 6 agility titles and two flyball titles in 2005 which, from an alphabet soup point of view, makes 05 his best year ever.

 

In consideration of his age, and his motivation level, he runs maybe 6 events at an agility trial (whereas Wick will run all 12-15 events). He jumps 16", which is a nice low height for him, and if he doesn't feel like weaving, we just keep going.

[Woodenlion]

Melanie,

I know Solo takes special handling. How did you go about involving him in agility. Cocoa just freaks out over every thing that I never considered it for her. I am curious how you went about it. Thank you

Toni

[SoloRiver]

Hi Toni,

 

I was completely new to the formal dog training thing (my first dog essentially trained herself) so the first thing I did, on the advice of the instructor, was to enroll in a basic CGC-level obedience class. I needed help with my training skills, and Solo needed exposure to the training environment in a more controlled context. With a lot of help and understanding on the part of our trainer, we got through that class and Solo passed his CGC test (of my three dogs, he's the only one with a CGC) and then we enrolled in beginning agility.

 

The thing about Solo, which may not be very helpful for you, is that he is problematic with strange humans and other dogs, but not at all with weird "things," obstacles, or any of the other things that normal dogs are shy about. From the get-go all we had to do pretty much was point Solo at obstacles and he would do them. (When we started there was much less foundation work than there is now -- if you started agility with Cocoa she would not be charging over teeters right off the bat like Solo was.) Solo is very obstacle-motivated (sometimes problematically so) and will ignore other rewards (food, toys) when he is jacked up about running a course.

 

As far as other dogs and humans, I handle him a bit differently at class than other people handle their dogs. I do not tie or crate him in high-traffic areas. I do not run a course until the other dogs are clear of it and will ask people to back up if they are hovering near the start or finish lines. If I can't trust everyone in the class to keep an eye on their dogs (not usually a problem) I will not do big lead-outs or otherwise have him be too far away from me. Generally all the other students know Solo's limitations and are considerate -- having a sympathetic instructor helps a great deal too. Usually once Solo's had a class or two with a new instructor and classmates he's fine with them and basically ignores them. He's learned that agility is a "safe" place and is more relaxed in that environment than most other places.

 

Solo still has limitations. We have problems at trials because he is creeped out by the judges, who follow you around on course staring at the dog to make sure he hits his contacts and whatnot. So, either we'll have a good clean run (because he didn't notice the judge) or we will retire in the middle of the course (because he did) with not much in-between. I don't enter him in lots of classes to avoid stressing him out. There has been one occasion when I switched agility classes because the instructor of the first class was clueless about dealing with dogs like Solo (he had Golden Retrievers) and was very physical with the dogs (he would restrain them, or force them into position, to reinforce start-line stays). I knew it was only a matter of time before he forgot and did something stupid with Solo so we transferred into another agility class.

 

With Cocoas you might consider finding a local trainer who uses only reward-based methods to train agility and is understanding about shy dogs. A private lesson or two to begin with would probably also help. At least then you'd have some idea of whether it was worth pursuing or not. I think agility is great fun, and Solo loves it, but not all dogs do. I do think it is a good opportunity to socialize a shy dog and get him or her used to functioning at a high level in otherwise stressful environments. It is for this reason that I never skipped agility class with Solo while I was finishing school, even though I was swamped and quit doing all of my other dog activities with all of my other dogs.

[FishinBC]

Our Briar is six years old, and down to one kidney and is on pheno for seizures. We monitor her pheno levels, bile acids and renal function closely. But aside from all that she is healthy and nothing makes her happier than tons of running and jumping for her ball and frisbee. She is fast, athletic and loves to get air!

 

Our vet has said let her be a dog and let her do what makes her happy. She is the energizer bunny and none of her issues have slowed her down. As long as your girl is happy doing it and healthy, you should see how she likes it.

[Woodenlion]

Melanie,

Thank you for your thoughtful response. Cocoa did not do well in basic obedience. We had to do our work outside the classroom either in the hall or the parking lot. Needless to say we failed the class but it is what bonded Cocoa to me which is far more important. Cocoa is problematic with everything. People, dogs, strange things. She never really gets desensitized to anything, just too tired to respond. I just can't imagine her doing agility but her energy level is so high I would love to find something she could do besides wearing out George and me. Maybe I should find a way to set up a backyard agility course for her and see how she takes to it. Thanks again, Melanie.

 

Toni

[Pat W.]

Hi,

As long as you are aware of you puppers limitations and keep them fit for their age and height you should have no problem training and competing in agility. My 12.5yr bc still loves the game, drags me to the start and whines and cries until it is his turn to play.

I belive that 13 yr old at Nationals (USDAA) was a sheltie and did quite well in the Veterans Gran Prix. Ashe (BC) and I ran the Performance Nat'l Std and had a wonderful run but couldnt compete for speed against those young whipper snappers.

 

If you decide you want to become competitive in agility with your 7 yr old look at Nadac for their Vetrans class as the highest they jump is 16 inches. In USDAA they would jump one height lower in performance than they would in championship ie: Ashe in championship jumps 26" and in performance jumps 22". A jump height is determined by the height of the dog at its withers (shoulder).

 

As the the saying goes Run Clean, Run fast HAVE FUN!

[Root Beer]

This thread was good impetus for me. I signed Sammie (6 years old) up for basic agility next session.

 

I see it as more of a confidence builder for him and a way to get some exercise and a chance to experience more in-class training. I don't plan to compete with him although I have learned never to say never when it comes to my dogs! But for now it's for fun and bonding.