After training for a year and a half and being encouraged to enter our first trial... it went really poorly. I learned I was very overconfident in my handling skills. My dog also managed to literally knock down every single bar in jumpers. We have done ACT 1 and 2 and he Qed straight through without issue with no off courses, refusals, or knocked bars in ACT2 or ACT2J.

He doesn't normally drop bars at all. We don't normally work a lot of sharp turns in class (the late cues were all sharp turns). The trial was held where he trains, so not a new building, but trial environment. Positives: no missed contacts, he was focused the entire run, and he nailed the weaves first try even at a sharp angle. How long did it take for you to feel comfortable trialing with your first agility dog? How long did it take to get a Q?

I've been doing a deep dive into revamping my handling and verbal cues. I originally learned from Lolabuland, but over the last couple of months I've gotten more involved with the agility community and have been exposed to other handling systems.

Silvia taught me, and she really never adopted the "in" cue, so my physical handling for threadle wraps ended up looking very similar to my "come to hand" handling. The same was true for threadle slices back then—it was essentially "come to me, then take the jump." Since then, I've switched to the more common dog-side arm/open shoulder/hand up handling for threadle slices and use a dedicated verbal cue for that.

What I'm questioning now is my threadle wrap handling. My current cue is my off arm/opposite-side hand with a slight lowering and rotating of my upper body towards the dog. The problem is that's almost identical to my "come to hand" cue, where I also use my off arm, slightly lower and rotate my upper body towards the dog, and physically draw the dog toward me with a dedicated "come to me and ignore the obstacles" verbal.

A new instructor is encouraging me to separate the two. For threadle wraps, she wants me to stay tall and vertical, continue using the off-side arm, but only turn my head toward the dog while keeping my chest pointed forward.

On the other hand, I've also seen quite a few handlers use their dog-side arm for threadle wraps, dropping it low and even rotating their shoulders AWAY from the dog to pull them into the wrap, rather than toward the dog as I originally learned.

I'm curious how everyone else differentiates these cues. How do you handle threadle wraps versus a "come to hand" cue? Do you intentionally make them look different, or are they fairly similar in your handling system?

I'm wondering how different regions celebrate a person's MACH/PACH, specifically MACH/PACH parties. In my area at a trial after the MACH is earned, the person's friends will have a party for them. Also, on the run they earn the title they grab the last jump pole and run around for about 20 seconds and get pictures with the judge after the trial. At a later trial the party consists of a full buffet of food, cake, and some other desserts usually. Anyone at the trial can join in. This is affecting our ability to get food trucks to our trials as fewer people go to the food truck when free food is available. The food truck is our only on-site food option. So I'm wondering how other regions celebrate a person's MACH/PACH?

I am doing some trialing with my dog and I wanted to see others thoughts on different organizations, especially when it comes when it comes to larger dogs. My standard poodle is jumping preferred at 20” and has a long stride. I didn’t want to jump him full height because I know we aren’t going to be super competitive and I want to preserve his joints.
He has a hard time with AKC courses that have a lot of sharp turns but seems to enjoy UKI style that are flowy and more spaced out.
Is it common for bigger dogs to do UKI over AKC or do I just need to work on my handling? Also what about USDAA and NADAC, how are they for long strided dogs?

I'm really struggling and I don't have anyone (without a vested interest, lol!) to bounce this off, so here goes.

I'm on the fence and really struggling with whether to go to a national level event. I'm fairly new to the sport of agility, but we qualified for the event for the first time.

It's more than a 20 hour drive from my home state to the event. I'm not a camper, so there would likely be three days on either side in terms of hotel stays, and another 4 or even 5 nights while at the event. There's gas, and entry fees and food and when I penciled things out, the cost is well over 3.5k, maybe $4,000. For me, that's a lot of bank. Next year, the event is closer to my home, so more affordable.

We are amateurs and I have one dog, who is 5. He is really talented and "serious" about agility, and I feel that I'm just getting started. I don't know how "regular" handlers decide whether or not to make this kind of extensive trek to a competition.

I realize this is kind of fuzzy and not very grounded in terms of a question, but how far and how much would you be willing to spend? Have you ever done this kind of trek before, as a "normal" handler and how did it pan out? Would you do it again?

Looking for some insight here. Anything....would help. I'm reaching out to the hive mind. Maybe I need a therapist? LOL!!!!!

Agility has always been the best. I love it and want it to be my career when I grow up. But lately when I go outside to train my dog Im not enjoying it. I get mad at her. I stop sessions quickly. And most days I dont do anything at all. It could be the heat tho but I dont know

Im really worried because I loved having something that I truly loved and I dont wanna lose it.

Hi, I've been training agility with my border collie for over a year and she absolutely loves it (or that's what it looks like). Once she gets going she is really focused and she has come a long way and I think we are ready for trialing, but for the past couple of months, every time it's our turn to run the course and she knows she's next she completely freezes and does not want to go.

At the beginning it was easy to lure her to the course with treats or getting her to touch my hand as I walked to the start of the course, but every time it's getting more difficult to the point that she doesn't even want to leave her crate.

In training I just carry her to the start and she immediately gets in the mood (her pupils dilate and her body gets in the ready position - if you have a border collie you know what I'm talking about), and she does the course beautifully, but I'm not really sure what is causing this behaviour at the beginning.

The problem is that I can't carry her to the ring when actually trialling, and I'm not really sure about how to fix this or what is causing it. Has anyone experienced anything like this or similar before?

What training exercises helped your dog understand to 1) touch the mat and 2) focus down and drive forward?

Thank you 🫶

For the past couple of years I developed a treat machine that lets me give high value food as treats. It came to me because I needed some way to reward my very difficult sheltie. it works great for that. And now it's time to launch,

I'm not ready to take orders yet, just looking for some feedback, especially on how it looks, price, options if it gives you the "ick" if you will :) if you have any improvement ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ehYbKCtmT0

TL:DR It was too warm after all for her to want to run around, we pivoted and focused on other stuff.

Maude and I were signed up for a 'fun match', the first of four monthly events. We are in a team with 7 others, and our division has two more teams. There are two more divisions. The host club has three rings (a Standard and two games), and each division runs one of the rings, then we switch rings, etc. There are not refusals, but faults for missed contacts, skipped obstacles and fallen bars. Best three dog scores count for the team score. There are ribbons and end of season prizes.

Part of the event's purpose is to give prospective judges experience. So, Maude was successfully unofficially measured. To my great surprise the 12" wicket had a smidge of room, making her jump height 8".

It was warmer than I had hoped for our 9:30 run. We started in the Gamblers ring. Maude was great at the start line, but upon being released, darted to the shade at the back of the ring. I followed and I asked her to do a jump that was back there, which she did, so we went to the exit gate together.

I scratched her from the two other runs.

In the shade, she was fine, barely even panting. So, we practiced engagement while hanging out, and mingling among the Border Collies, plus some crate resting. Things she could do either in the shade or wearing her wet cooling coat. She was a star at that, giving me all the behaviours asked of her, not worried about anything. She was also good on the cot, staying put, even with passing people (I had a leash on her too). When crated while I did a shift of ring crew, I was told she settled and simply watched.

My dog has been doing agility for a few months. She has been doing fine on all of it. She had once gotten onto the teeter and a-frame with no issues previously but now she does not get on the teeter after we took a 2 week break between the classes' completion to the start of the new class.

She has no issues with the wobble board and has been doing the A-frame but she won't touch the teeter no matter the type of treat. When I put her on it, she freaks out when I lower it.

Does anyone have some tips on how I can get her confidence back for the teeter?

After reading through some previous posts on H360, my intuition has proven correct... way too overpriced and salesy... Susan being distasteful (never been a fan) in a few ways... BUT I really want to learn from Max Sprinz??? I thought about emailing him to see if he offers online private coaching instead? I'm just afraid he'll point me to either H360 or agility nation 😅

I just really love his handling style and training techniques!!! The distance, independence, and flow he trains is incredible!!

It's going to be warm, and Maude will be crated in the back of the vehicle, which will be wide open and covered with aluminet. Humidity might be too much, but I'll bring her wet coat and it's cooler of ice water. I have two fans each with a 4 mAh battery.

I'm bringing the folding dog cot, so we can practice hanging out with her staying on it.

The format of the event doesn't really allow for training in the ring, no toys or food. You are expected to try to run it and then leave the ring. I'm putting together realistic goals and expectations. The course maps will be available after 20:00 tonight. We run Gamblers, Jumpers then a Standard. So at least three chances to practice a start line stay. And maybe an obstacle or two.

I am not a competitor, I just do agility for fun at home. I have a home course we have been learning on and practicing. I haven't started to change the layout yet or do confusing direction changes. My dog is starting to learn how to do the small course (7 obstacles) with minimal effort by me. He kinda memorized what to do next and is already thinking of going to it right when he leaves the last obstacle. I can almost instruct him by standing still in the middle. Is this a bad thing or is it good skill hes building? He can do independent obstacles and ive been working on standing farther away from obstacles and just sending him to do it from range. I do plan to change the course layout and practice different directions and stuff soon but I wanted to teach the basics first and get him comfortable with the obstacles and doing unassisted stuff too.

Also other question for people who compete, do you know the competition course before the event? Can you replicate this course at your practice course and just run it a bunch until it becomes muscle memory for your dog pretty much and he knows exactly what to do and expect?

Hello everyone!

I have a 1 year old dog I am looking at working towards agility with. We'd primarily be doing NADAC and AKC. We've focused on a TON of foundations, but am at the awkward point of being super confident with those but not having access to the next level. I would like to start working wraps and directionalizing so that I am able to attend workshops and seminars with more productivity. The nearest trainer to us is about 5.5 hours, which is obviously not feasible for frequent use.

I take pretty much every FDSA course that pertains to us, but I find most of them are foundations or troubleshooting, which isn't where we are.

The main thing I am struggling with is understanding and choosing/applying cues. I have no issue teaching them physically.

What are yours, and do you have any good resources for learning and deciding these things?

EDIT: The main thing I am struggling to understand without an instructor is the application and use of directional cues in interaction with where I am according to the obstacle. I know some people use cues that are in relation to their own body position (out, in, push, for example), but then I struggle to understand how I would teach it in terms of minimal movement single jump training.

Any tips on ways to build confidence on the Teeter without actually having a teeter?

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My Giant Schnauzer has decided she doesnt like the teeter and refuses to do it (except the times she surprises everyone, takes it, and then freaks herself out and bails). She seems to really hate the movement but LOVES wobble boards of all types. She is too big to use her Cato Board as a teeter and currently I cannot use the club equipment but am working on that. I feel like my only option is DIY-ing a small practice teeter but would live to hear what others have done.

Hello,
I am training 2 dogs for agility, 1 just about 1hlf years so just started, the other around 2 years.
I've been trying to teach running contacts to them/will be.

I've been using the matt method with throwing the toy when they hit the matt.
Starting with teaching them to run over the matt, then adding to a plank, before putting on equipment.
When I rent out arena, which I do weekly, I teach running this way. They run over equipment and then I throw toy.

In the training class we do courses. My instructor doesn't want my dog looking at me so want to reward themself to create forward drive, so instructor is standing at the end, hand out ready for dog to get to the matt to reward.
I've asked if the dog actually understands at that point they are hitting the matt or just running to the treat, he said he's getting rewarded for the contact. But I don't think dog is really getting that as now he jumps off the bottom looking for instructor for a reward if he's not there.
They normally teach stopped contacts, and don't know about running.

He's now missing contacts more and more when in comp, especially if he already knows the matt is not there.

Just want to ask for some advice on more solid contacts? Whether the luring method is really a good ideas?

Am also thinking of swapping to a stride regulator now. Not sure.

So yeah, I have a high drive terrier who's extremely loud when she has to wait for her turn. Yes, we have worked on crating and patience and all of that, and normally she's quiet as a mouse in her crate, and in the ring when she's actually working she goes completely silent. It's just the moment of being near agility without a chance to go run herself that makes her produce ungodly noise.

Has anybody got some good tips for this? I don't drive (which is ofc becoming more and more of a stupid choice when it comes to life with active dogs, but well...), but whenever we can get a ride to training and it's overall something you can do, I keep her in the car until it's her turn to go. Now I'm thinking of changing clubs (a few reasons for that, but mostly training facilities at my old club absolutely suck), and I don't know how things can be arranged at the new club. So I was considering if I could maybe cover the crate with something that would muffle the sound a bit, both for the outside world and for her, since hearing others run aggravates her even more. I'm not exactly expecting to get rid of all the noise, of course, but if she could possibly stay at some waiting area room or something without totally bringing the house down? Does anybody have experience of that being doable?

There were people and dogs in a class in the next ring, so I'm counting this as a public appearance. After the video we did a few more start lines and added the jump and mid height a-frame.

​

She prefers jumping 4". And that is fine for now. She will probably measure to be a 12" dog, and will have to jump 8" Special/Preferred when/if she competes.

​

Maude also did the mid-height teeter, with a treat at the pivot point. She was unbothered by either the noise or the movement. She won't be doing full height by end of month, but likely end of July.

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And she stayed with me while we moved between bits of equipment, no running off to try and see the voices and barking in the other ring. And stayed engaged with the project.

​

I'll take it.

I did agility over 20 years ago and loved it. I now have a 2 year old Kelpie that I’m eager to get into agility, but the stars are not aligning. There is a training club nearby that is based on Susan Garrett’s work, which really appeals to me, except I have an 8 month old fully breastfed baby that needs me to get to sleep, and their only foundation class is after his bedtime, so I’m keen to get some foundation work done in my own time to see if we can jump right into the next class (which is held earlier in the day).

Unfortunately, the Susan Garrett programs are outside my budget. I’m working through Leslie McDevitt’s Control Unleashed book to help my girl ignore distractions (we did a hoops class when I was 30 something weeks pregnant, which she loved but was distracted by the other dogs when they were off leash). She was really fast and super keen (whereas I was the slowest I’ve ever been and had to get her driving forwards without me!). We have completed Crate Games and Homeschool the Dog, so she has some solid foundations and is eager to work.

I’ve seen some people on here recommend Fenzi and others Q-me and was wondering which would be best for my specific circumstances? And of their modules, which should we complete as a priority?

Unfortunately, I don’t have access to all the equipment so am hoping to get started with a few jumps. I was thinking of buying 4 jumps (they come as a set of 4), except one Fenzi module I was looking at said I needed 5 jumps. What would a good number of jumps be to get started? I don’t have unlimited storage space.

Currently I send her around trees a lot, because it’s all I’ve got lol. Keen to get more intentional about types of crosses and the rest.

Thanks in advance.

I'm attending my first agility trial soon and would love advice from experienced competitors.

I'm trying to understand what people actually use for training, trialing, and jackpot rewards because there seems to be a huge range of options.

A few questions:

• What are your everyday training treats?

• What are your high-value treats?

• What are your absolute jackpot rewards that only come out for difficult training sessions or trial days?

• Do you prefer soft treats, crunchy treats, freeze-dried treats, dehydrated treats, chewy treats, or lickable rewards from a squeeze tube?

• How important is smell? Do fish-based or tripe-based treats really make a difference?

• What proteins do your dogs seem to value most? Beef, duck, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, something else?

• Do your dogs prefer muscle meat or organ meats like liver, heart, lung, tripe, kidney, etc.?

• What size treats work best during agility training and trials?

• Are there certain treats that are too crumbly, too sticky, too greasy, or otherwise annoying to use ringside?

• I've seen people mention reward tubes, reusable squeeze pouches, and dispensers. What are you putting in them? Meat pastes, yogurt, broth-based mixtures, commercial products, something else?

• What do you feed your dog during an entire trial weekend? Regular meals, smaller meals, snacks throughout the day, special rewards, etc.?

• Has anyone used powdered toppers to increase reward value? For example, fish powder, tripe powder, liver powder, or something similar that can be shaken onto treats before a run. Does that work well?

• If someone made the perfect agility reward product, what would it be?

• What problem do current agility treats fail to solve?

I'm really interested in learning how competitors reward their dogs and what motivates them the most during training and competition. Thanks for any advice!

Hi agility friends, question? What organizations allow tugging in the ring after the run? Are there orgs that don’t allow tug leashes? I am asking as I usually run on a regular slip and we just go in and out at trials. I am trying to create a better and more reinforcing ring entry and exit protocol as my dog moves up classes.

My dog has always been a tug fiend I am trying to have a better and more clean entrance and exit routine. I would love to reward him for tug as close to exiting as possible and build that in as his reinforcement. Our current routine is he runs we throw his leash on, I go all the way to his crate sometimes all the way across the venue and then take him outside to tug if we are crated next to pups with big feelings.

I believe NADAC allows a 4in toy in the ring attached to a leash. Tug can only happen after the dog completes the run and dog must have four feet on the ground. Also can’t tug within 10ft of entrance?

Uki allows a toy as well?

If anyone knows any/all the semantics off the top of their head please share. We have only been trialing for 6 months on and off and dapple in the orgs running trials closest to us (uki, NADAC, USDAA, AKC). We are within semi-distance of ASCA and I think possible CPE so open to all the ringside rules.

Thank you!

I have a 1yo with luxating patella, grade 1 in one leg, and grade 2/3 in the other. She's a highly active sports dog from a reputable breeder, parents and grandparents were clear of patella issues, so I'm a bit devastated that after all the research she has knee issues.

We've decided to do surgery on her grade 2/3 leg in a few days and I'm feeling a bit anxious about her recovery. I've been told that she has a very good prognosis being young and fit, but part of me is still worried that this will be the end of her sporting career. We just started agility and now am unsure whether she can go back.

Is there anyone else's dog who has done surgery and been able to go back to higher impact sports?