Dixie doing an agility course
 

we had a clear round this day (thankfully the weave doesn't count at this level - as long as you complete it!)

Sorry the quality's not that great it was just taken with a standard camera.

I'm always amazed that Dixie manages that A-frame - it's 6' after all!

That's my dad giggling in the background. and it goes all shaky at the end because the cameraman (my sister's partner) was also giggling!

But Dixie did that in well under a minute - one of her best times yet!

O.M.G. :eek: I am truly impressed! I remember your first pics and vids of Dougal & Dixie playing in your yard, so it amazes me to see how far she's come. That was awesome! Her enthusiasm impresses me more than anything else. She was excited throughout the entire course!

It broke my heart to see her ALMOST complete the weave on the first try and have to start over.

I wish they'd cut little dogs some slack on that A frame. Six feet is a freakin' mountain for a little dog. Of course, with dogs like Dixie racing right over it, it proves it can be done.

You should be very proud. Your hard work has paid off.

Just curious: No teeter? Or, as they say in N.Z., see-saw?

Dixie's just got faster and faster over the last few months. It's great to see her enjoy it soo much!

This course is a "novice" course - so no see-saw. See-saw only comes in at the top level courses.

We're still training it tho - Dixie made a HUGE leap forward on this training the other week. She will actually run up the see-saw now, and walk past the pivot point -- if there's frankfurter at the end!

Just two weeks ago she'd walk to the pivot slowly, go into a scared crouch while it moved, then skulk off the end. I have a board with a small axle at home and that gets her used to the movement. (I still don't let it bang down. I'll get her confident with the movement then introduce the bang)

The teeter-totter is like a black hole for Eddie. He does everything with enthusiasm, and he'll even go over teeter, but as soon as it bangs, it's all over. I have a good instructor now who's sensitive to his issues. I'm hopeful we'll get over it.

I just love Dixie's enthusiasm. She was in full sprint.

I love this stuff! They are so impressive and she looks to be having so much fun! :animal37 how do you get started? Is it just like teaching a trick?

Liz is way ahead of us, but I think you're right. It is just like teaching a trick, one apparatus at a time. Over a jump. Through a tunnel. Over the dog walk. Then it just comes down to linking them together. Her experience with two dogs doing so well shows that it's not a case of just one smart Yorkie. I really think all or most Yorkies could learn that stuff with some hard work.

Hmmm. Maybe our next trick will be jump:) Walker's a smart little fellow and I am currently jobless. We've got PLENTY of time and energy to devote to learning silly new things. Both of you will be our inspirations :D

Yup Alaskayorkie's right. You just teach each obstacle at a time then string them all together. Then you work on being able to do it from further away from the dog.

A good sit, and wait are the best foundations. And getting your dog to run alongside you off leash is another good place to start.

It's taken me two years to get this far! Not that I'm a training nut but I try to do a little bit a couple of times a week. I've learnt so much about Dixie and Dougal's different personalities through training. I totally recommend it for everyone - it's addictive!

Wow I LOVED that Dixie seems to be having so much fun!

That looks great. Looks like Dixie is having a ball.

:good job:

:clapsmile:clapsmile:clapsmile:clapsmile

Thanks! I can't believe how much she LoVES agility! And she got the weave perfectly today!

Eddie started a new agility II class today. He graduated that at another school but I didn't move on because of his teeter issues. But today he did pretty well. He started shutting down (even hid in the tunnel!), but a squeaky toy snapped him out of it. He ended up having a good class.

Wow I can't wait to see some more Eddie agility vids. Dixie is much improved on the see-saw - I put it down to frankfurter! Each week a class we have a couple of goes on the see-saw and then leave it on a positive note. I try not to push it and make her do it over and over again. But I'm a shocker for going "o just one more go".

Clearly Eddie is smarter than dad - "hm, how can I get the squeaky toy? - I'm doing everything he asks but I"m not getting it -- I know dad can't fit in the tunnel I'll just stay here til he gives in!"

Exactly. Hey, I'll crawl all the way through if I can get him to behave!

There are only three things that work when training terriers:
* Bribery
* corruption
* abject humiliation.

(and we wouldn't have it any other way!):D

OMG. That was so great. I want bentley to do agility. I think he would be amazing. Do you really enjoy it? What about Dixi?

Looks like Liz signed off, but I'm sure she'll get back to you.

Speaking for myself, I love it. It's such a fun challenge for a wannabe dog trainer. Eddie has taken Agility I twice, Agility II 2 1/2 times and a jumpers class. He seems to enjoy everything about class except the banging of the teeter. When that happens, he stresses out. I quit after the first round of Agility I and II because we couldn't get over that hump.

But I missed it. And Eddie really seemed to enjoy practicing on our own in the backyard. He got real good too.

So we're trying it again at a different school with an instructor who is sensitive to Eddie's little-dog issues. I think as long as you keep it in perspective and just do it for fun, it can be rewarding for both dog and handler.

I was holding my breath the whole time! It's amazing how your little one completed the entire agility course. Congratulations on the great training job.

Hi ya - agility is great for building a really super relationship with your dog. I got to know my two guys so much better through training. And both D&D really really enjoy it. Dixie is so excited when we arrive at agility class or comps and will barely wait on the start line cos she's SO eager to go.

wow, that's impressive!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

wow look at her go well done!!!

I have a few acres and would love to put some equip on it. Not necessarily for competition, but just for fun for me and the babies. Do you have any recommended reasonable sites for purchasing such equipment? :)

OMG I can't believe I'm just seeing this. Hi guys!! I'm always excited to see our Yorkies doing Agility.

Dixie...Izzy and I are so proud of you. Very rewarding that's for sure.

I took Izzy to an intro Agility a few months ago and we loved it. It was just a two-week intro course to get them used to the equipment. It truly is amazing what our little buddies can do. She was not afraid of the A-frame or tunnerl or even the ramp that's 6 feet off the ground. But she was afraid of the chute..lol. When we trained we held the shoot up with our hands on the other end and had them go through..it was fine until the end when we let the shoot fall down on her - then I saw this lump just freeze and try to run out the other end..lol. That we have to work on so what I am doing at home is when I make the bed and she's on it I lightly toss the sheet on top of her and play a game of where are you. It's working somewhat.:rolleyes:

I know that it's tough for out little guys since the equipment is standard. But I found this site that's just for small dogs for Agility and if you can find a local training place that has the smaller equipment that would be great. I might try this again in Spring since Izzy liked it or get some equipment to train on in our back yard first.:D

Mighty Mite Small Dog Sports Forum: Dog Shows, Training, & Dog Sports for Little Dogs (Powered by Invision Power Board)

That was fantastic

Ah don't buy anything! Jumps can be made from a couple of plastic flower pots and a PVC pipe. Weave poles are a garden stake with a bit of PVC pole over the top - check the specs for how far apart they should be in the US in NZ it's 60mm. Get a sheet or towel to practice the chute. Get a bicycle tyre for the tyre (I made a pVC frame for mine). It just takes a bit of lateral thinking.

I really recommend training classes - there's heaps to learn and it's not all about equipment - it's about what you, as the handler, do between each obstacle that makes agility.

I think the full size equipment just has different challenges for our guys - have you seen those big dog owners try to train the tunnel?! It really slows some dogs down. Also with the A-frame it's harder for our guys going up but it's harder for a big dog to go down the other side and hit the contact - I don't have to work the contacts nearly as hard as the big dogs and we've NEVER missed an up contact! LOL. I've also seen big dogs get tangled in the chute - which is never a problem for Dixie!

And the weave has totally different challenges! Dixie has tripped over the metal supporting bits of the weave base, Dougal's just big enough that he can do the "bounce" between the poles but Dixie can't.

Considering how anti- small dog most agiliteers have been about the wee dogs I never make an excuse for my guys - I only insist that the jumps are put down. I refuse to make D&D jump 38mm (Which is the lowest legitimate jump height in NZ).

That's great!!! I'm hoping to train Paddy in agility this spring, but I'm a little nervous. He still bolts if he's off leash and knows he can get away, and I know he won't like the tunnel. I think he'll be good at the jumps though.

Thanks for posting the tips about using PVC pipe and other things rather than buying all the expensive equipment! I'm SO hoping that we'll have obedience fine tuned by the spring, and he'll have the maturity to start learning how to run a course. I tried to enroll him in an agility class, but the trainer suggested I come back when he is more mature. I agree with him, though, and I'm glad he was honest instead of just trying to take our money!

We didn't start doing agility til Dougal was about three. I think it takes longer for long-lived dogs to mature anyway. Dougal used to run off all the time - the trick is bribery! Carry really good treats to agility training. Practice your recall at the park. When your dog runs off - run away from him and make exciting noises he'll come and check you out - then reward reward reward for coming to you.

Practice the tunnel at home - get a kids' play tunnel and be really positive when your dog has the slightest interest in the tunnel.

I found that my dogs love agility soo much they don't run off during a course. (well dougal doesn't now that his back's better and it doesn't hurt).

The key to agility training is having fun - both you and the dog. People like to see my runs because I'm cheerleading my dogs the whole way - o yeah and D&D are the cutest little agility dogs in town!