Agility: Competitive or for fun?

[LilygirlCO]

We are getting ready to sign up Lily for agility lessons and we are having a tough time deciding whether we want to take the competitive route or the just for fun route. There is sooo many clubs around here and they are either one or the other.

What does everyone have their Boxer do? Have any pros or cons?

Thanks for any input in advance!!

 

[agilityboxer]

re:For fun or Competitive

I would go out to a couple of classes and just watch. Find an instructor that you like. I found that watching the beginner classes the instructors had more students who needed, well umm…… creative help to get their dogs on track.

The agility school I attend is probably considered a “competitive” club but we have tons of fun. Our instructor is focused on training the “fast” way from the very beginning. So everyone is training it right even if they do not want to compete. Because lets face it, we are never exactly sure what we are going to want down the road.

Ok, so I went on and on. My vote is to find an instructor you like and take more of a competitive route.

Hope that helps!

Kelly
Keagen, Kendall and Austin (The Wonder Dog)

 

[Gypsy'sMom]

I have to agree with Kelly. If you can do it - go and observe different instructors. We got started this summer as a fun thing to help out a boxer friend who is starting her own training center. It was outside, Gypsy was having fun, but we needed to find an indoor place. So I found a 4 week class that was starting right when our outdoor sessions were ending. The teacher of the 4 week class was very unfriendly. There were several times where she set Gypsy up to fail. I don't think she liked the fact that we had not been in her beginner class, and I'm not sure she likes boxers much either.

So, it was on to another training center for her current class. Tonight we finish our pre-novice class and have already signed up to start novice next week.

If you can't go and observe the classes, try and at least talk to the instructors. Tell them you have a boxer, see what kind of response you get. Gypsy was slow to start out on the contact equipment, but now is pretty good about doing everything.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how Lily is doing with it.

 

[Kerry Jane]

I would definately suggest finding an agility club, where you like the instructor, where the instructor actually competes with their dogs, and where you have the option to join the club at some point. So, I assume that this would equate to more of the competitive approach. Take the classes and then decide what you want to do. If you don't decide to compete you can always still keep attending classes, or maybe they have club night where you can go and practise etc.
This will make sure that you are training with someone who knows what they are doing and you are learning things correctly to start with. I would NOT attend classes where the instructor does not compete and have some titles with their dogs.
I have been going to classes for 2 years now - and there has never been a differentiation between competing or just having fun. Every class it is about having fun with your dog and learning at the same time. Some people in our classes compete and some don't. However, we all learn the same things.

 

[Brutus and Amaya's Mom]

I say start in competitve. You can always go to fun if you want but it is harder to start saying you are only out to have fun and then change.

I think you may miss some of the fundamentals for competing if you go that route and then have to re-train for competition.

A beginning class is usually just obstacles and getting used to things so I think it should give you an idea if the dog likes it regardless of which class you choose.

 

[LilygirlCO]

Well, I joined a Yahoo group for Colorado agility and started reading the message boards and think I might have found a club. We are starting competitive training this Tues! I didn't interview the trainer... hope all goes well! I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[LilygirlCO]

This morning was our first lesson and it was great!! I loved it and Lily loved it except for the teetor-tooter, that was scary! There was another 6 month old Boxer in our class and she was fantastic at it!! She wasn't afraid of anything and had lots of drive! Hopefully Lily will get there.

Our trainer was great and uses lots and lots of positive reinforcement to make it fun!

 

[Kerry Jane]

Glad to hear you had a fun time!

Star hated the teeter for a long time - but now she loves it. Some things just take time and lots and lots of practise.