• 29May

  All About Chutes Contest

  Contests No Comments

  FRIDAY FUSION CONTEST…
  This contest is now closed. Check back this Friday for a new contest.
  Technically there is no obstacle called a “chute” in agility.  It usually goes by another name.  Do you know what it is?   Shhhh!  If so, then you have the answer to one of the questions in today’s trivia contest!  Based upon yesterday’s post on this subject, I decided to keep up the theme with a series of questions about this obstacle.   Click on the “no comments” link in the upper right corner to enter your answers.  I will use our computer program to randomly draw the winner.  If the winner got any of the answers wrong, I will ask the program to draw another number until a winner is found who got all the answers correct.   Deadline is Monday morning at 9am, when I will post the answers and the winner.  Winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to spend on anything they’d like.

  Today’s Trivia Contest:

  1. Technically, the “chute” is only part of an obstacle, that is called by another name. Which is? (actually, there are a couple names, both will be correct!)

  2. True or False. In a trial, there is someone in the ring crew who is responsible for checking that the fabric chute is straightened before the next dog runs.

  3. True or False. A good method of encouraging your dog to go through the long material section for the first time is to put food inside it.

  4. True or False. You will not encounter this obstacle until you’re in the advanced agility stages of competition.

  5. No right or wrong answer for this question: What is your ”call word” of choice for this obstacle? (i.e. something that you name it, for your dog to hear and discriminate with).

   Click on the “no comments” link in the upper right corner to enter your answers.

  Reminder:  You must be a registered user of this blog, so we can notify you if you are a winner.  You only need to do it once, and you are good forever, for all future contests.

  
• 27May

  Small dog gets tangled in chute

  Dog Agility Training 1 Comment

  One of our Fusion Members wrote with this question:

  Hi Pamela,
  I have a question about the chute. My dogs (Chihuahuas) are small, to say the least. I have found that sometimes they get tangled up in the chute fabric, especially if it has blown around a bit. If that happens at a trial, are we allowed to touch the fabric in any way from the outside to loosen it up?  Sometime they really get stuck and struggle in there!!

  Is there a training method tip that is successful for people with small dogs to help them learn to just keep pushing?  99% of the time I just keep encouraging mine to “push, push,” and it usually works.  But, occasionally,  they give up and come back out the wrong way of the chute and look at me as if to say, “I tried, but the chute was stuck closed!”

  Does touching an obstacle by the handler disqualify the run?

  Great question!  Yes, touching the chute is disqualification.  But not immediate.  Technically it is called a NQ (Non qualification), or an Elimination.  In other words, you can continue to run the course after you touch the obstacle, if you wish.   Unfortunately with a dog that gets tangled in the chute, the blame typically goes onto the owner, not the chute blowing in the wind.  At times, its hard to know whether the wind causes a tangle, or the dog doesn’t run straight and hard, or both.   For the safety of your little fellows, you will have to get him untangled and deal with the consequences.  The judges will understand and allow you to continue to run.    If it’s any consolation, even if you could touch the chute the time lost in untangling would likely be significant.   About how to encourage your dogs to plow through all the way to exit, that is a challenge for smaller dogs!  Hesitation is the worst thing for small dogs.  They need to be highly driven to get to the other end.  It can happen even with larger dogs, especially if the chute is of a lighter material, and sometimes if its wet too.  I wouldn’t reward your dog after he gets tangled, and don’t panic or offer too much comfort.  Just positive encouragement and a little help if needed.  I’d start the regular practice of targeting/treating at the end of the chute (in the center, not off to the side), as dogs learn the bad habit of slanting toward your voice.   That way your dog will not be slanting toward you, but running straight to the treat instead.  I’d also consider that maybe your chute is too lightweight.  You could try laying a blanket on top to make it heavier, and also wetting it down.   If you have small dogs, and you own a lightweight practice chute, it might be time to consider upgrading to a heavier competition quality chute.

  Thoughts?  More ideas for our reader?  Click on comments in the upper right corner to participate!

  

  Tags: agility obstacles, agility safety, agility training

• 27May

  Fun agility games to try!

  Dog Agility Training No Comments

  Thanks to Debbie Sacerich, here are a few games for your next agility get together that you might like to try!

  “Before the game set a fairly simple course.  Make it easy, but add a trap if you want. Connect two tunnels for a really long tunnel and make a trap next to it so if the dog and handler goes off course they are really far off.  Jumps are set lower than usual.

  Take 3 x 5 cards and write challenges on them. Each handler draws a card before their run and has to do whatever it says. This was the fun part!! 

  Here are some examples:

  *You better have a really great dog,  for every fault you get AS YOU RUN THE COURSE you have to remove a piece of clothing as you run (not watches or jewelry).

  *Agility is all about concentration and focus–as you run we will try and distract you with catcalls, clapping whistles, bouncing ball and offering food!

  *Are you multi-talented?  Run this course while singing  “How much is that doggy in the window” and saying nothing else.

  *You have to be prepared in agility. Run 1-2-3 and put on what is in the mystery bag at 4, then 4-5-6 etc  Place 4 bags on the course with raincoats, huge boots, floppy hats etc.

  *Run the course holding a Dixie cup of water in each hand.

  Use your imagination in creating the cards. It is hilarious!  Everyone has a good time, even those who have to hula on course!”

  

  Tags: agility games/classes, agility oddities

• 26May

  Take A Survey Contest Winner

  Contests No Comments

  Wow, this was by far the most popular contest yet. We had 71 entries this time. Congratulations to LCagility, who won the $50 Gift Certificate. The computer program picked # 68. Everyone else has been sent (by email) a small thankyou surprise in your email box.

  All of your survey answers were so helpful. I learned so much about all of you. Thank you! Most of you said that you wanted to see more articles on training, breed specific issues with agility, and training exercise. Good stuff. Stay tuned to Agility Fusion. This week I’ve got more of these things coming!

  Meanwhile, here is a short agility video that will inspire you to get outside and do agility. It features agility dogs with kick’n-dirt drive running to some rock’n great music!

  “My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can. That’s almost $21.00 in dog money.” -Joe Weinstein

  
• 25May

  Happy Memorial Day!

  Contests No Comments
  

  Happy Memorial Day everyone!  I’m still in ‘vacation’ mode today, so I’m not going to post anything deep today.  Normally I announce the contest winner on Monday, but the deadline is extended until midnight tonight because of the holiday weekend. So I’ll announce the winner tomorrow.  Meanwhile, enjoy your day!

   

  

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