• 30Jan

  Game Review

  Dog Training (General) 5 Comments

  I was lucky enough to be able to test a dog IQ game- I chose the Dog Brick, and I took it home.

  Wow, I really can’t believe how much fun it was! Quick and Nova both loved it. Nova became obsessed. Have you ever seen a hard-core person playing bingo or any kind of gambling game? Where they’re stamping all the dots very very quickly,  intense concentration on their face? So focused you could set off an alarm and they would keep playing? Nova was just like that with this game! She absolutely loved it, and begged for more when I put it away! I laughed so hard as she snuffled and pawed at the board.  She’s really very cute!  She got the concept right away.

  Quick was a little more difficult, but he enjoyed it too! I had to make sure he found at least one treat very quickly, or he got frustrated. However, I intend to slowly work up his endurance with this toy. It’s low-key to play with- lots of fun, quite easy if you want it to be- so that’s good. I plan to slowly lower the reward rate so he has to work harder for his treats. I think that’s a good thing, because he really needs to learn that it is okay to not get the treat within a few minutes.

  I haven’t had this much fun with my dogs since Quick was introduced to his first tunnel. Nova, Quick, and I had a real blast with these toys, and I hope you try them out for your dogs- let us know if they’re as much fun for you as they were for us!

  

  Tags: agility oddities, dog products, dog tricks, simply funny

• 13Oct

  Malaysia agility games

  Dog Agility Competing No Comments

  We got an order from a reseller in Malaysia.  Apparently agility has a lot of fans in this country and they want our equipment for training!  This isn’t the first interesting country to order from us – we’ve shipped to Japan, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Norway, and many other international locations.  As we continue to sail around the world in celebration of Columbus Day this week, I’d like to share with you a website from a big Malaysian agility organization: http://www.agility-penang.com/photoalbum.htm.  They have different names for their agility classes, such as: Cheetah, Tortoise, Gibbon (talk about agility!) and Jaguar!   

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  Tags: Affordable Agility News, agility oddities

• 28Sep

  Start and Finish Points

  Dog Agility Equipment No Comments

  As you know, each time you do a trial, the obstacles are put in a different order. You never know what you’ll get until you get there! When you set up your obstacles at home, it is important to frequently change the order, and to have a plan. If you don’t, you and your dog will just run around willy-nilly and your dog will learn to just do as he pleases. Numbered cones help to develop a sequence, as well as having a starting point and an ending point. Sometimes where you start and end can change the whole experience!
  Set up marker poles to replicate a real trial. It will help your dog to know what he’s getting into. And as far as having a plan, there are many great resources and ideas for courses that are free for trying. Click here to read more, and check here for training a great start!

  

  Tags: agility oddities

• 17Jun

  NADAC “Gates”?

  Dog Agility Equipment No Comments

  Anyone ever hear of “gates”?  On the NADAC’s website they have Gates listed as an obstacle.  And it has a 2009 date as if its something new, or going to be new.  It’s definitely  new to me.  I know it’s for a class called “Gaters”, but I’ve not yet seen the class done, nor what the gates look like.  Anyone have any pics???   From: http://www.nadac.com/Rules_for_NADAC_trials.htm#_Agility_Obstacles

  

  Tags: agility obstacles, agility oddities

• 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

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