Dog Training and Dog Care advice from UK Professionals

Dog Agility Madness!


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A typical Dog Agility Day Out

I do think you have to be slightly mad to be a keen Dog Agility enthusiast! Why else would I get up at 4.00 a.m. to drive sixty miles for last Saturday's competition?

Dog Agility Madness We arrived at the Dog Agility venue in good time and I would say there were around fifty like-minded people already parked up and helping to set up the different rings.

Heavy fog shrouded the field and it was freezing cold. There was much huffing and puffing and blowing on cold fingers as well as the occasional curse as someone struggled with the heavy equipment. Many hands make light work however and in no time at all everything was up and ready, even the official's tent in which the newly arrived judges and kennel club bigwigs were being served tea.

Trophies and rosettes adorned the table and I gazed longingly at them hoping that by the end of the day one would be coming home with me. People were milling around, dogs were being warmed up in readiness and of course there was the usual barking and bedlam which is expected when you get hundreds of Border Collies and other dogs mingling together.

The smell of bacon wafted across the field as the caterers in their van had succeeded in getting their gas bottles to work and were now busy feeding the waiting queue of hungry people.

I collected my Border Collie and joined the end of the breakfast line. In no time at all I was clutching the biggest bap ever, filled with an egg and rashers of crispy fried bacon and trying not to think of my waistline or my new year's resolution which was to eat only healthy food! Oh well I would be sure to work off the calories later as I raced round the agility circuit with my firey Collie. I sat in the open boot of the car with egg yolk dripping between my greasy fingers, trying not to notice the pleading eyes of the dogs as they followed my every move as the bap got smaller and smaller. Yes I know I shouldn't but somehow the last few mouthfuls ended up in the dog's mouths and not mine.

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The fog lifted and the weak early morning sunshine was beginning to warm up everyone's spirits. Competitors were walking around each circuit to check out the numbered obstacles and working out the best way to get round without knocking anything over. My Border Collie is new on the competition scene so we were in the novice ring. I walked the course, mentally working out how I would position myself to get my dog round in the quickest time possible and without a fault.

At 8 a.m. on the dot, the action began. I had my running order and knew I wouldn't be going on for an hour or so. I used my time wisely and squeezed myself as near to the ring as possible to get a good look at the competition. Gulp! There were some really fast dogs with equally fast handlers. This was going to be a tough one. Time soon came to line up in readiness. My young Collie was taking it all in his stride as though he was an old timer instead of being new on the scene.

It is not easy to stand in the line. The dogs can see what is happening on the course and there is so much pulling on the lead and frantic barking. The woman in front of me was trying to stop her yapping dog from taking a bite out of my dog's nose and he was ignoring her as his eyes were glued to a Belgian Shepherd bitch just behind.

It was a tough course as they were running novice and starter's agility in the same ring. Suddenly we were at the front of the line and before I could take a breath, the dog was going forward and off we flew.

I cannot describe what it is like on an agility course. The only thing I can say is there isn't time to think. You just have to concentrate on keeping up with your dog and praying that you don't get in his way. If your body, the line of your shoulders or your hands just move slightly in the wrong direction you've had it. The dog will follow your signal and go running off the wrong way or take a jump that he shouldn't.

All the training I had done from when my dog was old enough to jump ensured that we worked as a good team. It is not usually him that makes mistakes, but me. My hands may be flapping around or I get in his way as he comes off a jump and he cannot turn swiftly to clear the next obstacle. Anyway, I digress; we got round the course in good enough time but did pick up two faults on the way. One was my fault as I was in the dog's way as he exited the tunnel but the other one when he ignored the weave poles, I swear was down to that Belgian Shepherd bitch. She lifted her tail and my previously focused dog lost concentration, forgetting the task in hand whilst giving the Shepherd a flirty grin!

So no trophy for us that day. My other Collie, a female, decided to have the runs just before her name was called. That'll teach me not to give in to her begging eyes and feed her egg and bacon bap! Ah well, it's the Norfolk Show at Easter so we will be once again chugging down the motorway at the crack of dawn. There is always another day, and anyway, I took home the best dogs in the show as far as I am concerned!

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