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| KellyGSDOwner |
 Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:51 pm |
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Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Posts: 54
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I have been training my GSD, Abby, in dog agility. It has been a great way to bond with her and to give her something challenging to think about.
I am a member of the Greater St. Louis Dog Agility Club (www.stlouisagility.org) and we hold our practices every week at Dog Sports at Kim's (www.dogsportsatkims.com). I am hoping to compete Abby at agility trials later on in the year.
Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions about agility or are interested in coming to one of our practices. |
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| angela22 |
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:36 am |
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Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 26
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| i think that agility is an awesome sport. i live in chicago. i was wondering how you got into agility in the first place. im thinking of finding a ring and maybe renting for a half hour or an hour just to see how lady would do. |
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| toddwilliford |
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:43 am |
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 27
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| I think it would be fun as well however my dog is about as agile as a bull in a china shop. |
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| KellyGSDOwner |
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:44 am |
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Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Posts: 54
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When I decided to get involved in agility, I did a lot of research to find reputable trainers and clubs in my area. Check out the following websites to find out more about agility in your area.
AKC www.akc.org
CPE www.k9cpe.com
NADAC www.nadac.com
USDAA www.usdaa.com |
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| angela22 |
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:47 pm |
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Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 26
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| thank you very much. right now i kind of just want to rent a ring and see how she does and then take it from there. i know that some of the obstacles she'll be scared, like the a frame and teeter totter. but im guessing most dogs starting out are nervous with those. |
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| KellyGSDOwner |
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:58 pm |
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Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Posts: 54
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I think the teeter and the weave poles are the hardest to teach dogs. Those take lots of practice for a dog to perfect. Everything else seemed to come naturally to Abby.
The best way to gain confidence is to play "catch" with your dog and another person. A friend would hold my dog at one end of the tunnel, and I would be at the other end waiting for her with treats and praise once she got through. This also worked for jumps, the shoot, the A frame, the dog walk, etc. It builds their confidence and lets them see the obstacles as fun instead of stressful.
Good luck and have fun! Let me know how it goes! |
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| bahamutt99 |
| Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 4:47 pm |
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Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Location: NE Oklahoma
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Don't forget UKC agility. It may not be as fast-paced as the others, but its still enjoyable.
UKC Agility page |
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| Jennifer K |
| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 9:34 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2008
Posts: 30
Location: Smithton, IL
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| I think my dog would like agility training because he's so athletic, energetic and smart. My issue is not having time to go to Kim's in Caseyville since I have very short evenings during the week due to long work days. I saw something on TV that looked cool - a group of people get together periodically & each brings their dog and a piece of agility equipment. Alot of the equipment was homemade. I think the best thing for me right now is to make some equipment or buy it used/cheap and try it out at home to determine whether it's really something we'd like to invest time into. Seems like it's a time-consuming and potentially expensive hobby? |
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| k9ezra |
| Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 9:40 am |
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Site Admin
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
Posts: 144
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Jennifer,
I've made just about all of the pieces of equipment at one time or another. I used PVC piping. Works good! |
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| TeamTholozan |
| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:44 pm |
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Joined: 06 Apr 2008
Posts: 7
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| I found a number of things available on e-bay for a reasonable price. However, I'm going to check out Kelly's club first to see if the hounds even like it! |
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