AgilityFusion.com » 2011

30Mar

High and Wide

Triple jumps challenge dogs to jump high and wide. This complexity often leads to dogs tripping over these hurdles, or knocking bars. It’s crucial to practice regularly with these jumps, so your dog learns to judge depth and height.

How high? Triple jumps are set for competition at your dog’s jump height, with the jump height also being the jump width. So if your dog jumps at 12″, the back bar is 12″ high, and 12″ from the first bar, with the first bar set at 6, the middle at 9.

Where to start? Remember to start the triple jump low – at half height – and narrow. Gradually raise the bars and spread them to the full height and width, and your dog will soar over them with no trouble!

How can I make them more of a challenge? If you want to mix things up with your triple, proof. Work your dog off both sides, and put the jump in different sequences on the course. Practice sending out to it, coming into it, and taking it before and after another jump, tunnel, contact… make the obstacle easy for your dog to complete by proofing thoroughly!

Triple jumps are on sale this week at Affordable Agility! Get ready to rock this summer!

Tags: agility competing, agility obstacles, agility training

28Mar

Two Like One!

Interesting and Funny 2 Comments

Look at these little guys go!

Tags: dog tricks, videos

24Mar

Here We Go!

Dog Agility Training No Comments

Quick and I went back to class this weekend, after six months of no classes! I was expecting to have fun – I didn’t expect as much fun as I had! We had a blast!

Quick was a quivering ball of excitement (see his face?) until I took him out to work with a cone (which we use to teach directions and send-outs.) Then, it was all business. We worked on shaping the cone behavior – go around the cone and come back- he didn’t get it. He was positive I wanted him to put his feet on the cone. He stomped on it, over and over and over again, all but yelling ‘treat me! TREAT ME!!!!’. It was amusing – and a little frustrating! Do your dogs ever think they have what you want figured out when they don’t? what do you do to ‘restart’ them?

I’ve been talking about his nose-touches on and off for months on the blog. Let me just say, here and now, how proud of him I am. He GOT IT! Finally! He was like a little woodpecker, hitting it! I’m naming it now, and going for repetition. He does still like to involve his paws, but to be perfectly honest, I don’t mind. I’m okay with him using his paws to target things.

Maybe I should train him to stand on a Frisbee-target as part of a send away… ideas, ideas!

We also got to play on contacts. He was slightly flustered by the dogwalk, and I can’t figure out why. He used to love it so! He was also upset by the a-frame. They were sand surfaces, and I can’t remember if the old surfaces were rubber. I think they were. He definitely slid down the A-frame the first time!

Class again next week, we’re ready to rock! I’m going to work more on that cone. No paws, Quick!

Tags: Affordable Agility News, agility beginners, agility training

21Mar

Multiple Jump Challenge!

Dog Agility Equipment, Dog Agility Training 1 Comment

This is a great drill to re-accustom your dog to Agility after a long lazy winter! It’s starting off with the basic jump (day one, set them low, day two (or when you think they’re ready), at your dogs’ jump height) and repeating it with directions and nice tight wraps. It’s an easy exercise to change, as well, simply by getting out of the middle and sending your dog in. While this set up may be difficult for the average back-yarder, make the best with what you have! Four jumps set up square can make for some great directions and exercises similar to this one. You’re not limited by the number of jumps you have, you’re limited by how you use them!