Greetings from the Agile Paws K9s!

[agilehounds]

Hi Everyone! I have been a part of this site for a long time, but finally am starting to get active. I own 2 retired racing greyhounds, one male named Barney (10 yrs) and one female named April (9 yrs). I started doing agility with April, but she did not enjoy it much so she retired and they are now both pets. They are older and have some health issues, so I don't do a whole lot with them anymore. My 3 active dogs are Skye, a 4 year old Australian Shepherd, Indie, a 2 year old Border Collie, and Swift, a 1 year old Border Collie.

Skye has been doing agility all her life since 16 weeks of age. We compete in the American Kennel Club (AKC) and are in the excellent level working on our Master Agility Champion (MACh) title. Indie also competes in AKC agility and is working on her Master Agility (MX) and Excellent Agility Jumper (AXJ) titles. Swift is still in training and will compete hopefully beginning next year!

I used to train with lures and corrections, but was then introduced to the world of positive clicker training! I stopped taking classes and started clicker training my dogs myself. Tricks are now my passion even for agility and performance dogs because they teach a dog how to think, to have fun, where their feet are, balance, and so much more! All key ingredients to a successful agility dog!

Dogs are my life and I spend all the time I can with them. We love to go for walks, play ball in the park, go swimming, hiking, and anything else we can all do together. I live in Colorado, I am a senior in high school as well as a freshman in college and live with my 5 dogs, my ferret, a cat, and 10 chinchillas. I also have a horse boarded with a friend. I plan on taking my love for dogs and putting it in my career. I would really like to teach people how to train their dogs in a way so they are both happy :dogsmile:

I can't wait to start using this website!!

Christin
& The Agile Paws K9s
*website soon to come*

 

[Jean Cote]

Hi Christin,

It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I used to train my dogs to do agility and it was awesome, I really loved it. Doing obstacles was fun and my dogs went crazy for them, but competing really wasn't for me.

Clicker training is so much fun. Shaping is really the best tool a trainer can have, but I also like to train using lures. My dogs seem to learn quicker doing lures than shaping for some behaviors.

I see that you've got *website soon to come*, if you want I could take a look and make one for you.

Sincerely,
Jean

 

[agilehounds]

Thanks Jean, it's nice to "meet" you as well! I just love agility, can't get enough of it!

Yes, I am so glad I found out about clicker training and shaping, it's so much fun. But Skye has been so used to training the old way, she's not used to thinking on her own about what to do, she is used to being shown and told what to do, so it's a bit confusing for her still.

I actually have a website in the works. I just need to find the time to actually finish it. It is Agile Paws if you want to take a look. How much do you charge for making a website?

Thanks!! I love this website, it's really a fun place to be! I can already tell I'm getting addicted :dogtongue2:

Christin

 

[Jean Cote]

Hi Christin,

Thanks for the compliments on the website. :dogsmile: I looked at yours and I like it, I like the clean-look to it. There is a few broken links on it, although I assume it is because it is not complete yet.

I've never really made websites for other people, so I don't know how much I would charge, LOL! This is my first real website, one that I've definitely devoted lots of time on. But I'm pretty confident now that I can make all sorts of websites.

Is your website for promoting a company, for showing your dogs, for an agility site or maybe just for a personal web-space? If you have anything small that you'd like me to do for you I can do it for free - no worries.

Sincerely,
Jean

 

[agilehounds]

Thanks. Yes, there are lots of broken links because I'm not finished. It's hard to find time with 5 dogs in the house and being in school full time. The website it mainly just to show off my dogs and I plan on posting articles about my experience training dogs, what has worked, what doesn't, etc. to help others be successful. It's mainly a space for my dogs and our favorite job, agility!

Thanks so much for the offer! I'd have to actually look at it and see what needs done, lol, I haven't looked at it in months! I will definitely let you know if there is anything I need help with. Thanks so much!

Christin

 

[fickla]

I voted yes, I compete but that's kind've a lie Right now I'm still in classes and am doing it for fun, and will hopefully always do it for fun, but I have plans to actually compete once my dogs and I are ready. Hopefully my 2yr old will be ready to do a jumpers course the end of summer!

I just love that agility is so much more than just learning the obstacles in that the obstacles are almost insignifcant! It is so much fun to develop the teamwork and really communicate with my dogs

 

[agilehounds]

How exciting! Agility is a blast, you'll be addicted!

It's true, the obstacles are the simplest part of the course. There is so much more to it than meets the eye. I love that!

 

[barfer101]

Not yet but I am very interested! Hannah and I are taking obedience classes right now so we are well on our way.

:dogsmile:

 

[agilehounds]

Oh, good! It's nice to hear more people getting involved in agility. It's an amazing sport! I chose agility over any after school activites or school sports because that's where my passion lies, in agility and my dogs =D

 

[tigerlily46514]

Buddy is just joining a class called "Obility" is some kind of agility/obedience combo? I guess i'll find out...?
He's been to that dog school before, but this "Obilibty" class is new to us.

 

[fickla]

Buddy is just joining a class called "Obility" is some kind of agility/obedience combo? I guess i'll find out...?

Huh, is it the same as a Rally class? Rally obedience is obedience exercises put to a course. So it's kind've like agility in that you follow a specific order without a judge barking orders at you as in traditional obedience. I have definetly heard people refer to rally as an agility/obedience combo...

I'm sure you'll have fun either way!

 

[dat123]

Agility is my number one dog sport activity. Having competed successfully with my older dog ( now retired due to arthritis) for 3 years . Training is fun for me and the dog, learning a variety of different behaviours like weaves, tunnels and A-frames, I think is the ultimate test of skills for a dog.
I started agility with my now 3 year old dog, and he is so different and out-of-control to the point of giving it a break and started flyball with him. In 6 months he has learnt, and competed with excellent results. I've just started training again with agility and hope he can compete next year, although I doubt it, seeing he's been training for 2 years with little progress :dogsad:

 

[agilehounds]

Buddy is just joining a class called "Obility" is some kind of agility/obedience combo? I guess i'll find out...?
He's been to that dog school before, but this "Obilibty" class is new to us.

When I started agility we had a similar thing. Our classes consisted of 1 hour of obedience work and 1 hour of agility. The best thing I can reccomend is lots of tricks! Tricks teach a dog where it's feet are, how to balance, and how to maneuver it's body. Hope you have lots of fun!! :dogwink:

 

[agilehounds]

I've just started training again with agility and hope he can compete next year, although I doubt it, seeing he's been training for 2 years with little progress :dogsad:

Agility is an awesome sport for all dogs, I love it. It's my main sport too. Don't give up! I'm sure your pup is just going through a phase, or maybe the methods aren't of his liking. I know I have to be more firm, but still gentle with my aussie whereas I have to be very calm and gentle with my border collies. My oldest 2 dogs were ready to compete by 18 months, but my youngest is 15 months old and nowhere ready! Every dog is different and some dogs need some extra TLC. Don't give up though, you'll get there! :dogbiggrin:

 

[xena98]

Hi
I have been doing agility since 1986. So have been doing for quite awhile. I have watched agility grow to the sport it is. From the olden days of having dogs heeling and straightening up to the jumps and only doing it on the left side till now doing it both sides sending dogs away from you.
I also compete in obedience and have had success with all of my dogs. My 11 year old coolie Xena still competes and has her agility and obedience champion title. My border collie Inka has her agility and obedience champion title as well. They are the first dogs in Australia to have both obedience and agility champion title. I have also my 2 year old coolie Gabby and she has 2 legs towards her ud and has also 3 legs towards her agility dog excellent title and 2 legs for her jumping excellent title. She has only been competing in agility since June. My dogs have won lots of things and I have won some wonderful things as well as money and trophies and dog food. I havent had to buy any dog food for quite awhile lol. I have also dabbled in tracking and have had a bit of success as well.

I love training my girls and especially my youngster as I have been teaching her tricks. I have been loving it
cheers
Danni and the girls

 

[iluvmerles]

I have been training and competing in agility for nearly 3 years now, and I am still in the first grade!!! Trained my lurcher, Milo, for two years and competed with him last year. Got a couple of clear rounds before he decided he preferred to just come away and camp with us - agility is too much like hard work for him, lol. I now compete with my collie girl, Mist. She is very fast and mad so getting control is an issue. Trying to keep her speed and get her directional commands in, so we are getting there. Have had a couple of clear rounds this year, so it is gradually coming together.

My new agility-dog-to-be is my standard poodle pup, Lottie. Currently only 16 weeks and I cannot wait to start training her at agility. She is my first properly trained clicker dog and she absolutely loves her clicker. I am using it for everything and it really gets her to think for herself. My other four dogs are clicker trained for some bits, but I have never been confident enough to use it to train all aspects before. I had great success with the clicker with my foster labradoodle, so thought I would give it a go with Lottie. So far, so good.

 

[pabz1995]

hi im new at this and i have never tried agility training but i think its too late because my dog is 7 years old and doesn't like to do much.

 

[jadzia]

I'm really interested in agility and I do it with my three years old Hungarian Mudi. But it is just for fun, because where we live, there are only a few places to do it. And the trainers are not very good.

 

[puppyaddict101]

Welcome to Dog Trick Academy!!!

No, I do not do Agility. But I am interested in putting my 8 month old Bichon Frise/Poodle mix into Agility classes. She may be small but she can jump REALLY high and run faster then me!