Victory!
- Thread starter Thorn
- Start date
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Guest
Oh, Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!Barley and I competed this weekend in Novice Agility. We came home today with a first place ribbon in the Standard course (the one with all the obstacles). This was our first qualifying score!
Barley and I competed this weekend in Novice Agility. We came home today with a first place ribbon in the Standard course (the one with all the obstacles). This was our first qualifying score!
This is awesome.
Give Barley a pat on the head for me.
In other dog news, I got a ticket for letting my puppy ride in my lap in the car.
Guess I'll have to tie her to the roof, like Mitt Romney does.
W
WinterBorn
Guest
Barley and I competed this weekend in Novice Agility. We came home today with a first place ribbon in the Standard course (the one with all the obstacles). This was our first qualifying score!
WELL DONE Thorn & Barley!!!!!!
W
WinterBorn
Guest
Thank you! Here's my boy in an earlier competion, photo by Evershots (with permission):
A happy dog doing what he loves to do.
And, no doubt, a happy owner watching him.
Thorn
Member
LOL! Watching, nothing -- I have to run with him. That's how he knows what to do next, because the courses change constantly. He's so fast that I wasn't even sure yesterday that we'd had a clean run until everybody started hugging us.
It's finally sinking in that we really did it! I checked the info on the tag attached to the ribbon -- our time was 39.6 seconds, or about half the allotted time for that course.
Thorn
Member
They're great dogs, and don't let the little legs hold you back. A good friend of mine runs a Corgi in Agility and they do really well. I love that little guy, too, he's just about the sweetest little dog there is (next to mine that is!). It's typical of the herding breeds to need a "job" and this is one of the best there are.
You'll want to go through some basic Obedience training before you start Agility; you really need good recall to start with. You can start on some of the contact stuff when he's young as it doesn't stress his limbs or joints, but you'll want to wait 'til he's at least a year old before you start him jumping. This is such a fun sport, and the people who do it are really great. Perhaps one day we'll see you at one of the trials!
Socrtease
Verified User
Ok, question: Are mixed breeds allowed to compete?They're great dogs, and don't let the little legs hold you back. A good friend of mine runs a Corgi in Agility and they do really well. I love that little guy, too, he's just about the sweetest little dog there is (next to mine that is!). It's typical of the herding breeds to need a "job" and this is one of the best there are.
You'll want to go through some basic Obedience training before you start Agility; you really need good recall to start with. You can start on some of the contact stuff when he's young as it doesn't stress his limbs or joints, but you'll want to wait 'til he's at least a year old before you start him jumping. This is such a fun sport, and the people who do it are really great. Perhaps one day we'll see you at one of the trials!
As for obedience, I worked for a dog trainer for 6 years long time ago. I trained my German Shepherd to his CD, CDX, TD, TDX, UD and Sch. III. I am giving my new dog a few more months to get really used to me before I start obedience training, and he is a shelter save so he is already about 1yr old.
Thorn
Member
Aha -- OK, you're far, far ahead of where I was when I first started!
The AKC is changing its rules so that mixed breeds may compete in all events other than conformation. That may actually begin next year. I think that technically they'll compete against other mixed breeds, but in the same sessions as the purebreds. ASCA and USDAA may already have mixed breeds included in their competitions, so if you live somewhere where you can access those venues it's a broader opportunity. The Cloudcroft competition this year was fabulous; what a beautiful place!
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Barley's lucky. At most animal competitions the winner is served at the victory dinner!!Barley and I competed this weekend in Novice Agility. We came home today with a first place ribbon in the Standard course (the one with all the obstacles). This was our first qualifying score!
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
What did Thorn do? Barley did all the work!!WELL DONE Thorn & Barley!!!!!!
Thorn
Member
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Thorn;
I'm wondering if the truth is more along the lines of me and my Labrador. It took him 2 seasons to train me how to hunt.
I'm wondering if the truth is more along the lines of me and my Labrador. It took him 2 seasons to train me how to hunt.
Thorn
Member
LOL! Well, we've been training for a while now, including private lessons and an Agility setup in the back yard. He's a very smart, very fast little guy, and I've had to learn how to communicate best to him what he's supposed to do, one obstacle at a time. I was really focused in that mode, and didn't even realize that we'd actually done a clean run til everybody started cheering and hugging us. A friend recorded the run and we'll have a DVD at some time later.
Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
Oh sure, go ahead and steal some of Barley's glory! What did you do? Run along beside him gesticulating, making a general fool of yourself while trying not to thump over with a coronary? Barley probably would of had a PB 6 months ago if he didn't have to slow down to train you, right?You're kidding, right?
Thorn
Member
Oh sure, go ahead and steal some of Barley's glory! What did you do? Run along beside him gesticulating, making a general fool of yourself while trying not to thump over with a coronary? Barley probably would of had a PB 6 months ago if he didn't have to slow down to train you, right?
That's about right.
Actually as we entered the ring for the Jumper's course that morning, he was so eager that he pulled me to my knees as we entered the ring. And he only weighs 42 lbs. Luckily the ground was soft so the only "damage" was a couple of dirt spots on the knees of my jeans.
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Mott the Hoople
Sweet Jane
BTW, you get a ribbon and/or a trophy brownie points and all that. What did Barley get? I hople he got more then some lame pat on the head!That's about right.
I always had a deal with Shagrat (my lab). Whatever I shot, he got some for dinner (ussually the left overs but that was just fine with him.
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