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Sunday, January 6, 2013

Agility Time

Happy Monday my friends! :-)

Well, yesterday was my very first agility class...I was a bit nervous, but I ended up having a pretty darn fun time!

My instructor, Miss Rachel, is super nice, way up-beat, and totally knows what she's talking about! My class was full with 8 pups in total: there was a hound, a cattle/lab, a sheepdog (who was soooo smart and got everything on the first try...hm, showoff!), a corgi-basset, a pittie, a doodle (that looked exactly like my friend, Murphy), and a pretty retriever mix!! I was definitely the smallest pup there, but not the youngest! ;-)

We have a lot of over-achievers in class, so I have a lot to catch up on and practice!

Freckles the Dog

There wasn't enough time to take photos in class, but this one is from their website and shows the continuing agility class (the one after mine). Just look at that pup!! :-D

Miss Rachel has an interesting philosophy, she says that agility must be the dog's idea! So everything that we do and learn must be initiated by us...certainly different from obedience class, cause if that was their way, I would have just eaten the bag of treats and sat my butt on the ground! ;-)

Freckles the Dog
That's Pepper's (the sheepdog) Pop

So, the first thing that we practiced was the "table", but since we didn't have more than one table, this meant that we used Kuranda doggie beds instead. All Domeek was supposed to do was to stand by the "table" and just wait for me to either look at, touch, or get on the "table", then throw a treat on the "table"...needless to say, since she didn't use a word or lure me into position, it took a couple of minutes for me to get it (I've also never stood on one of those beds, which was kind of weird feeling under my paws). By the end of that part of class though, I was hoping on the "table" and sitting for a treat!! Most of my other classmates, hm ok all of them, were in a down position by the end of the session, but I don't do down! ;-) That's the terrier in me! :-P

Then we had to practice agility walking/trotting; apparently by the end of the five weeks we should be able to go in straight and curved lines and on both sides of our parent! This meant that we all looked like idiots, trotting around in circles and then switching directions (which was a little complicated for my poor, pathetic Domeek and not for me, hahaha)! The thing with agility is that it's a modest sport (Miss Rachel's words), cause pups aren't supposed to look at their human's butt (muahahaha)...we should always be in the eye sight of our parent!

Freckles the Dog
I helped to clean up after class

Domeek and me, this week, have to work on both the "table" (actually a mat or a towel at home) and walking for homework...sounds pretty easy, but I'm sure it will be more difficult than expected, especially when I don't want to do it! Hehehe!

We will be learning a new apparatus each week, more if the class progresses quickly, and by the end we will know how to correctly go through 5 different stations, walk in different directions, and two different paths! WooHoo! I can't wait!

I'm a bit worried about a couple of the jumping ones, cause of the bad knee, but we'll play it by ear and hope that my knee behaves itself! :-D

Have an awesome day everyone!!


14 comments:

  1. Wow, Goose! That is pretty impressive. I am sure you are going to be a pro by the time you finish your class. I hope you get lots of treats for all that learning.
    Kelsey

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  2. We are SO proud of you!! There is NO way mom would be able to get us to do any of that stuff - we barely made it through puppy socialisation classes *BOL*.

    Mom asks please take a pic of the corgi-basset (they are 2 of her favourite dogs - other than Scotties - and she'd love to see a cross).

    Arroooos
    Wally & Sammy

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  3. You will get it in now time...and don't forget to practice at home. I loved my agility but of coarse being a Sheltie I was excellent at it !!! (Yeah....i am modest too). We have some links on my blog (look on the right hand side) on how you can make some agility stuff yourself for at home .....way cheaper then buying it.

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  4. I think you are off to a great start. Sitting on a table. I am down for that. I like sitting at the table for dinner. hehhehe.
    Blessings,
    Goose

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  5. Good for you! Our Callie tried agility but it wasn't really our "thing".

    Hopefully you can get some pictures of you in action to share with us!

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  6. Oh, that sounds like such fun!! I'll do almost anything for a treat!!

    Try and get photos next time. I want to see you in action!

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  7. Something about small dogs jumping is just SO ADORABLE. You go, Goose!

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  8. That looks like great fun but you are wise to be careful of that knee cuz jumping is hard on a knee. I wish I could go to the class with you and I could meet my "sister-twin". She must be beautiful BOL!

    Keep Calm & Bark On,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  9. I am glad you are having fun with agility! Blueberry also enjoys it! We haven't had any classes though - there don't seem to be any near here.

    Remember, don't bust your knee! I have to be careful with Blueberry on the high platform cause she wants to jump from that high place instead of walking down the ramp. With her bum knee and bum hips - not a good idea! So play it safe Goose, we don't want to hear about any injuries. I bet you will surpass those over-achievers in no time! ;)

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  10. Oh Goose ~ you are one amazin' pups!! Oooo, I see a TUNNEL!!! Oh, that would be my favorite! I love running FULL SPEED through mine! It's really funs. You sound like you have a great teacher and a great class! I knew you would be the STAR!!
    Kisses,
    Ruby

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  11. We loved our first taste of agility. Enjoy!

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  12. I love agility! I like the triple bar jump and the tunnel best
    Nola

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  13. Gosh,that sounds like so much fun, Goose! It sounds like you did a really good job too -- I bet that sheepdog has practiced some of this stuff before. I cannot wait to hear about your next class!

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  14. That sounds really cool Goose! Don't worry, my dog doesn't do down either. OK, she knows how but she usually doesn't do it because she doesn't want to. Must be the terrier in her too.

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