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RE: Small agility/family dog? page 2This is a discussion thread · 137 replies Robin Nuttall: [nq:2]I don't know any Cavs I could imagine doing dog sports they don't seem to have much drive. But, I don't know many Cavs.[/nq][nq:1]Heh. I know 9 Cavs; 7 of them, I know because they do agility - and one of them just ... really enjoy what they're doing; although in the case of at least one of the others, the problem's the handler.[/nq] I've only seen a few cavs doing agility mostly UKC. The Paps I've seen have a lot more drive than the Cavs.
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Robin Nuttall: Yes.[nq:1]For instance, you mentioned Border Terriers. I love those little dogs. And I have been told that there are many ... think of a Border Terrier if my first interest was agility. (Although I'd probably try it if I had one!)[/nq] Border Terriers can be pretty darn soft. I see a good number in my area, most of which are okay. A very good friend and training partner has one and he's got a LOT of drive but is also soft. When he's on, he's spectacular. But he does tend to stress easily and when that happens, it's not so pretty. They've been doing a really good job of getting it together. She now has a new puppy from the same breeder and this dog is going to be dynamite she's just got tons of confidence along with a lot of common sense and calmness. There are a couple in competition that can give JRTs a run for their money too. [nq:1]I don't expect people to think of Miniature Schnauzers when they think of agility breeds. But the two we have absolutely love it. Spenser just plain loves the "doing" of it. Sassy loves playing with DH.[/nq] Again, we see a good number of them. They can be very nice, though we see a number that aren't very fast. Same with Standards they tend to have a bit of a mind of their own and stress fairly easily, but they can be fast if you get the right one! No matter what small breed you get, look for a breeder that is doing stuff with their dogs. And some breeds just aren't right for instance Lhasas really don't get into the whole agility scene for the most part. Mini Poodles and Min-Pins are two other really explosive small breeds. The biggest problem I see with the Min-Pins is that they pop contacts like corks.
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Robin Nuttall: [nq:1]I know two English bulldogs who are agility champs. They are also in the best shape that I've ever seen that breed - muscular, not fleshy like they usually are.[/nq]Agility champs? Do you mean MACH? I didn't know any English Bulldogs had a MACH. I've only seen one in competition and she was very good. But that's a breed not really built for agility. It is probably not the best sport for really heavy boned dogs that have breathing problems.
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Leah: [nq:1]Agility champs? Do you mean MACH? I didn't know any English Bulldogs had a MACH.[/nq]I don't (yet) participate in agility, so I haven't a clue. All I know is that the owner said they were "champs" or "won championships." Family Dog Trainer "It's A Dog's Life" http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/myhomepage/index.html Get Healthy, Build Your Immune System, Lose Weight http://www.re-vita.net/dfrntdrums
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Judy: (About BTs)There are a couple in competition that can [nq:1]give JRTs a run for their money too.[/nq] I think it's a definite case of the breeding. I've seen several and they are all slow and soft. But I believe that t here are others that could be great. (About miniature schnauzers) [nq:1]Again, we see a good number of them. They can be very nice, though we see a number that aren't ... a mind of their own and stress fairly easily, but they can be fast if you get the right one![/nq] Sassy is extremely fast. But she needs more experience and confidence to start to work at distance a little. But when she's feeling confident, she's a blur. When she gets concerned or worried (lack of experience for both her and DH, who handles her) then she comes right in looking for reassurance. She's an extremely athletic dog. Spenser has pretty good speed (not impresseive but good) but stresses extremely easily. He is just SO keyed in to me that it's a struggle for me to not stress him. Again, when we're "together", we make good time. And he truly loves it. But if ONE thing goes "wrong", he's stressed. We're working on that. A lot. And I have seen other schnauzers who literally walk through the course. So, you're right, there's a real gamut. But the slowest ones I see I really think are handler more than dog. If the dog speeded up, the handler would never keep up. [nq:1]No matter what small breed you get, look for a breeder that is doing stuff with their dogs.[/nq] In our case, the breeder wasn't doing it herself. She's already at 30 or more shows a year just doing conformation. But she had a list of her puppies who were doing everything. And she highly encourages it for all her dogs. (And she did do some agility and obedience in the past. Just has no hours left in the day.) So I feel pretty confident that the genetics are likely in there. [nq:1]And some breeds just aren't right for instance Lhasas really don't get into the whole agility scene for the most part.[/nq] My favorite dog to watch a year ago was a rescued Basset. I only saw her at NADAC but she would have ILP'd easily. She was in good shape and made good time on the course until she got to the weaves. Then she barely moved. Extremely accurate but slower than you would have a thought a dog could move. Once through them, she'd speed right back up to a decent pace. But the weaves would have always kept her from Qs. And back to the Cavs - I only see a couple here and there but there is one that does extremely well. I remember her because she quite often runs either just before or after us. Probably next year, she'll be up a level and we won't see her in line. ~~Judy
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J1Boss: [nq:1]If the dog speeded up, the handler would never keep up.[/nq]I'm beginning to think that agility may not be the game for me. Unless I get distance handling down a whole lot better (instead of "I did that, now I come to you and THEN go to the next obstacle"), I'm doomed. I have trouble getting the next command out fast enough (and remembering what is should be!). I probably should have started to learn agility with a more moderate dog like Lucy, and THEN tried it with "Speed Racer". I'm exhausted trying to not run into equipment, keep my eyes on my dogs, AND attempt to keep up with him (futile I might add - I don't think I can beat him to the other side of the dogwalk unless I don't have to go to another obstacle afterward). On topic - I know several CKCS who do agility and a few who do flyball. Not high drive, but nice little workers who seem to be having fun. Janet Boss http://bestfriendsdogobedience.com /
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KWBrown: [nq:1]I probably should have started to learn agility with a more moderate dog like Lucy, and THEN tried it with ... can beat him to the other side of the dogwalk unless I don't have to go to another obstacle afterward).[/nq]I've crashed my share of jumps while trying to focus on working Storm through a complicated training pattern. I got a standing ovation once last year when I yelled "Over!" to Storm, looked down, saw a jump directly in front of me, and went over it before landing face-first in the arena floor. (didn't drop the bar, though :-) Kate and Storm the FCR
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Robin Nuttall: [nq:1]I'm beginning to think that agility may not be the game for me. Unless I get distance handling down a ... can beat him to the other side of the dogwalk unless I don't have to go to another obstacle afterward).[/nq]Well it certainly sounds like you're a bit overwhelmed at the moment. But I highly doubt you're doomed, I just wonder if you're being asked to do too much too soon. In our classes, you don't really start running with your dog and doing sequences until well into the series. Our Foundation, Contacts, and Weaves classes all concentrate on dog skills, and we get those first. Then we start the sequencing classes, which work on people handling skills. By this time the dog should be pretty good at what he does. Timing is very difficult, but there are some things you can do to help. First, you should whet your timing on a jump chute or a simple curve of jumps before doing anything more complex. Have your instructor clap when you are supposed to be getting the word out. Practice it yourself by running the line without the dog and saying the commands. You shouldn't have to be dodging equipment at this point, the sequences should be too simple for that. If not, then share your difficulty and ask for things to be slowed down a bit! Nobody with a halfway decently fast dog can keep up. So don't feel you can't do agility because you can't keep up with your dog. Distance skills can be trained. Do you have the agilityinmotion DVDs? They're very inexpensive and well worth it!
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Christy: [nq:2]Agility champs? Do you mean MACH? I didn't know any English Bulldogs had a MACH.[/nq][nq:1]I don't (yet) participate in agility, so I haven't a clue. All I know isthat the owner said they were "champs" or "won championships."[/nq] Well, my mom tells everyone my dogs are "champions" too, though they are not.  I don't think there are actually any English type Bulldogs who have agility champion titles, though I know of one with high titles in AKC. It is possible that there might be bulldog breeds (American Bulldog, for example) who have CH titles in venues besides AKC, but those dogs are not built like the AKC Bulldog breed. Christy
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