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Home: Dog and Puppy Training: Agility Training:
Purina Puppycom Agility to offer Agility Classes in March 2005





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mightymite
Novice


Aug 24, 2005, 5:52 AM

Post #26 of 35 (6428 views)
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Re: [chrisong] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

Yep, those are my dogs! And yep, I only train Yorkies (my own dogs).



You see tons of Jack Russell Terriers in agility but almost any dog can do it. I know two people who run Basset Hounds and Petite Basset Griffon Vendeens in Agility! There’s also one woman who runs (or should I say “walks”?) a Scottish Deerhound! Now, I won’t say they are competitive but it sure is fun to watch!



As for starting a five year old dog in agility, there’s no problem! My agility boy was three years old when I adopted him from the animal shelter. It took a year of training to get him ready for his first show, so he didn’t start competing until he was four and half years old. The only question you have to ask yourself is how long are you going to do it, when will you stop and are you willing to end your dogs career before it peaks? I face that question with my own dog. We wanted to get his “MACH” – Master Agility Championship. He’s got his MXJ – Master Agility Jumpers and his WORKING on his AX, Agility Excellent titles. He also has titles in a number of other agility organizations. But he has Addisson’s disease and is almost seven years old now. I don’t know if he’ll be able to continue performing at the level he needs to in order to get a MACH so at some point, in the near future, I’ve got to make a decision. But to give you a good perspective on this, a friend of mine in California has a Yorkie who is list in the top ten ALL BREEDS in AKC agility statistics, has won MACH – more times than I keep count, came in second in the National Agility Championships, and is close to TEN years old! So, I guess you can send it depends on the individual handler and dog.


leecy
Ultra ALPHA


Aug 24, 2005, 11:07 PM

Post #27 of 35 (6390 views)
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Re: [mightymite] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

mightymite

may i know what is ur profession? a full time trainer? specialised in agility or there are more things u can share with us? thanks.






Regards,

Yang


mightymite
Novice


Aug 25, 2005, 10:24 AM

Post #28 of 35 (6372 views)
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Re: [leecy] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

Cool My "day job" is law actually. But yes, I do train other people's dogs and sell dog show products on my website. Been working with dogs (and to a less extent, horses) for most of my life. Smile

How about you all? What got you interested in dog sports?


mightymite
Novice


Aug 25, 2005, 11:42 AM

Post #29 of 35 (6371 views)
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Re: [groovemaster] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post


In Reply To
Smile Good day, V r still in d infant stages in Malaysia n only beginning 2 c some schools offering agility training classes with proper equipment. No real trials as yet. D humid weather, lack of facilities n dog friendly parks doesnt help. Most of d work n training hv 2 b done on our own. Really hope 2 c it growing here coz its an exciting dog sport. Guess v really envy u guys in d US, with d abundance of dog sports available each weekend, ranging from agility trials 2 flyball 2 earth dog trials. Cool. V havent reached d stage where u hv many different class sizes 4 different dogs n at d moment its only small or large.

I hv a JRT with lots of energy 2 burn so he’s pretty keen on agility. Yup dun b fooled by d size. Hv seen a tiny Silky who can run d pants off most dogs (S-L) n he seems suited 4 agility as well. 4 agility, I wld go 4 dogs with a never say die attitude n plenty of play/ work drive, as u’ve said…typical terriers or dose from d pastoral group.

R dose ur Yorkies on d avatar? Dey look pretty neat. Do u only run Yorkies on d agility course? Nice 2 hear from d other side of d world. Cool

I got to tell you, we struggle with lack of facilities here too! I am SO excited that a new club, with an INDOOR facility has opened up within an HOURS drive from my house! Up till now, I did most of my training by sneaking onto baseball and soccer (football) fields in my neighborhood, hoping that the cops and security guards didn’t chase me off! I live in New York State, so weather is a big problem here too. We get very hot, sticky weather in the summer months: getting as hot as 100 degrees F in the summer, and in the winter, and as cold as -0 degrees F. Plus, when it snows, we also get huge snow drifts that cover most of the agility equipment and which a tiny Yorkie can get easily lost (plop the little dog down and see him get lost in a pile of snow five times bigger than he is!)! Dog sports are getting more “main stream” but except for conformation showing, I would not say they ARE main stream. When I tell my non-dog friends I do “dog agility” they think I’m talking about walking my dog around on a leash and showing him to a judge! When you get into these sports you have to understand that most people don’t know what they are, you aren’t going to get a lot of understanding from people not in the sport, and you have to travel MILES to learn what you need to know and get access to the equipment you need. I suppose you can buy equipment from Europe or America but I don’t know if the exchange rate helps or hurts you. Certainly, the shipping has got be expensive. Funny thing is, I do know of one company in Asia that is selling agility equipment for export to the U.S.! Wonder if there’d be any way to get them to sell to other Asian countries? They have some great ideas in equipment – folding and collapsing equipment!



This weekend, I am traveling from New York to Pennsylvania – well over 150 miles, and about a 4 hour trip, to take a seminar with the preeminent canine sports medicine veterinarian, Dr. Chris Zinc. I want to learn how I can manage my dog’s illness with his sports carreer. Excited about the seminar, but not looking forward to the drive!



Do hope you add more than two heights to your agility program. It really isn’t hard to do. Once you’ve got the jump standards ( the poles where you hook the jump bars) set up, all you need to do is add a few more hooks. Ideally, if I could “Dream” of the perfect scenario, I’d want the following heights:



4 inches

8 inches

10 inches

14 inches

18 inches

20 inches

24 inches



IN AKC right now (in the regular classes, we have):

8 inches

12 inches

16 inches

20 inches

24 inches





In USDAA right now (in regular classes, we have):

12 inches

16 inches

22 inches

26 inches



groovemaster
Enthusiast


Aug 26, 2005, 1:25 AM

Post #30 of 35 (6349 views)
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Re: [mightymite] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

Wink Hah, nice 2 know dat u r also facing d same training facility issues. V also do d same thing at a small grassy area next 2 tennis courts (with a no dogs allowed sign) in a nearby neighborhood.

Yup proper equipt hs 2 come from overseas n d exchange rate will surely inflate d costs 2 some obscene amount, unless u can get sponsors. So v make do most of d time with our own homemade agility equipt…pretty makeshift n not quite d real thing but good enof 4 some training. An indoor facility wld b ideal coz it can get pretty hot n rains a fair bit here. But v live in a country where d majority dun c dogs as ‘man’s best friend’, so d options r limited. Guess u hv ur own complete set den.

Introducing a range of jump heights is certainly a good idea n may even get more dogs involved in d sport. But v hv 2 get d numbers 1st. Do u run in Gamblers n Snooker Class as well? Wat do u use 2 motivate ur Yorkies?
__________________________________________________

Feeling groovy? ... den take a peek at 'GroovyDogsJustWannaHvFun'



mightymite
Novice


Aug 26, 2005, 5:37 AM

Post #31 of 35 (6343 views)
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Re: [groovemaster] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post


In Reply To
Smile Good day, V r still in d infant stages in Malaysia n only beginning 2 c some schools offering agility training classes with proper equipment. No real trials as yet. D humid weather, lack of facilities n dog friendly parks doesnt help. Most of d work n training hv 2 b done on our own. Really hope 2 c it growing here coz its an exciting dog sport. Guess v really envy u guys in d US, with d abundance of dog sports available each weekend, ranging from agility trials 2 flyball 2 earth dog trials. Cool. V havent reached d stage where u hv many different class sizes 4 different dogs n at d moment its only small or large.

I hv a JRT with lots of energy 2 burn so he’s pretty keen on agility. Yup dun b fooled by d size. Hv seen a tiny Silky who can run d pants off most dogs (S-L) n he seems suited 4 agility as well. 4 agility, I wld go 4 dogs with a never say die attitude n plenty of play/ work drive, as u’ve said…typical terriers or dose from d pastoral group.

R dose ur Yorkies on d avatar? Dey look pretty neat. Do u only run Yorkies on d agility course? Nice 2 hear from d other side of d world. Cool



mightymite
Novice


Aug 26, 2005, 5:42 AM

Post #32 of 35 (6342 views)
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Re: [groovemaster] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

There’s really no reason why you can’t make your own equipment. Please let me know if you need help locating websites with instructions on how to make equipment – as there are many U.S. sites that have this info free of charge. “Cleanrun” also sells a book with equipment diagragrams: www.cleanrun.com



I also should add here that my own business started out in my backyard, selling on “ebay.” Many of the equipment manufacturers in America are what you could call “mom and pop” stores. A husband who knows how to use a saw and some PVC pipe is all you really need. If there are people in your country who have some skill with buildings things, you should start to see new “businesses” springing up!



I do find it ironic though that so much stuff is exported from Asia for sale in America, including agility equipment – but the people who live in Asia don’t have access to this equipment!


mightymite
Novice


Aug 26, 2005, 5:48 AM

Post #33 of 35 (6341 views)
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Re: [mightymite] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

There's a ton of info on the interent, here's a link to an agility encyclopedia entry with cross links and also a thread on affordable agility equipment and sources of agility equipment info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_agility
www.webpagetutor.com/mightymite/viewtopic.php?t=397


(This post was edited by mightymite on Aug 26, 2005, 5:52 AM)


RealityDreamer
Doggyman


Aug 28, 2005, 6:09 AM

Post #34 of 35 (6318 views)
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Re: [mightymite] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

Heya MightyMite,
Thanks for popping by. U've been really helpful! Smile
Do u mind posting up those websites on building agility equipment?
Thanks in advance
,-._,-.
\/)"(\/
(_o_)



mightymite
Novice


Aug 30, 2005, 5:33 AM

Post #35 of 35 (6310 views)
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Re: [RealityDreamer] Contact obstacles [In reply to] Can't Post

Sure!

Here you go:



Agility Equipment Plans:



Max’s Free Agility Equipment plans:

futuremach.baka.com/equip.html



Agility Basset’s Equipment Plans:

www.agilitybassets.com/agileplans.htm



Peak Agility Equipment Plans:

www.peak.org/~helix/Agility/



Camp Bandy – Do it yourself equipment:

www.campbandy.com/store/build.htm



“Do It Yourself Equipment Plans” – a book from CleanRun Productions

www.cleanrun.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=1070?&aff=73445



Other Sources of Agility Information:

Agility Equipment Links (very comprehensive list from Parahelion):

www.parhelion.us/agility_equipment_links.htm



My own website’s info page

www.mightymitedoggear.com/links.html



Northwest agility’s links page

www.nwagility.com/links.php



Medina Swarm – great agility club’s website with tons of info on agility

www.medinaswarm.com/agilityrelatedlinks.html



A-Z agility links from Agilitynet (a UK site)

www.agilitynet.com/links/sites_name.htm



International Agility Links:

users.pandora.be/blancke/links.htm





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