# Great news, but still have a few questions



## Aroseshook (Aug 12, 2012)

We have two more months before Peek and I can start agility classes. The center we found will not start Foundation classes until the pup is six months old. What should we be working on before we start the foundation classes? We are doing basic obedience classes now and in the two months we will have graduated from the intermediate class, with poodle honors of course!

Also, we are new to the whole agility thing. We have never had a dog capable of doing agility. We ways adopted the older, special needs dogs from the shelter. This is our first healthy, fit, and energetic dog. I have NO idea what we are getting into with agility and are looking for ANY pointers. Thank you do much for any advice!

Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

The basic obedience of attention and taking cues from you are the best things you can do. There are a couple of things you can do that will help with agility. Work on getting the pup to know how to set up and work on your right as well as left side. I do obedience and agility. For obedience you only use your left side and we started it before agility, so I had to teach working on the right. For my dog setting up on my left side is "heel" or "get close." I use "side" to tell her to set up on my right. Remember in agility you will work to get distance from the dog and be sending the dog away from you and most obedience until the go out in utility is oriented towards the dog coming back to you, so if you can work on doing things at distance that would be good. You can set up low height jumps in your yard, but keep them very low. You can also teach the dog to target. Don't do too much specific agility stuff. You don't want to have to try to "unteach" things that are incorrect or unsafe. Good luck and have fun.


----------



## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Crate Games, Crate Games, Crate Games! Get the DVD--best investment in your agility career your could make.

I've been "training my dog for Agility" since he arrived to me at 10 weeks old.  self-control, tugging, being "operant," working on both sides, going away from me, focus forward, body awareness...there's tons you can do! Check out my "100 Days of Sugarfoot" video on YouTube (same username as here) to see what he could do by the time he was 6 months old. He's 9 months now and knows SO much more--I need to make another video!

Good luck! It's a great, fun sport!

--Q


----------



## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

Staying in the same place while you go away/wander around will be very useful. Also work on commands while the dog is away from you (lie down, sit, stand up, etc.)

Practice release command.

Pointing: this is actually one of the highest level human-dog communications there is, and most animals other than dogs can't learn it (chimps can't do it), so it can take a while for dogs to be mature enough to do it. If you point at an object, does your dog turn to look at the object, or look at your hand instead? Train this with the command _look _or similar, using toys and by hiding food. When this is established, by putting food on top of a pot or something, you can teach the dog to look and then to go ahead to the pot.

Teach your dog to follow your hand (hold out your hand at arm's length with a piece of food tucked under your thumb.

I hope you and your dog enjoy agility!


----------



## Aroseshook (Aug 12, 2012)

Thanks for all the advise. I was starting to feel that we were to far behind to catch up and be amazing but Peek seems to be wonder dog! She is a very quick learner and wants to please, I think the treats might just be a job perk for her. I am beginning to notice that she has some great service dog qualities in her which is really what had looked for when meeting with the breeder. In fact my husband and I did not pick her out ourselves. We asked the breeder to pick out her best match for us and thats what we got! Thank you do much for all the advise. Please keep it coming as we are never done learning!


----------

