# I think my little girl would love agility but...



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

In the beginning classes you basically walk around. We train indoors, I find grass too uneven to walk or run on myself. 

However I don’t think it’s realistic if you aren’t willing to train. Agility takes a lot of training, serious training, and continuous ongoing training. Daily short training sessions at home, weekly classes on competition grade equipment in large spaces and sometimes private lessons to work on specifics. It’s a real commitment. 

Sounds like you need some exercise games to play with your dog as well s some brain games. I recommend taking obedience classes and once you have the basics you might want to take a tricks class for fun. Lots of things you can do know such as feeding your dog using food puzzles where the dog has to work to get their food. Play fetch and play with a flirt pole. Lots of fun things you can do at home that don’t require much physical effort on your part.


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

I agree with everything you said, my problem is that I’m pretty much home bound, I can get in a car and go somewhere and sit inboeachers or chairs, but I can’t walk for even a minute before my back starts to crumble. I would love to have someone who is interested in pairing with a dog to train have all the fun in the world with Stella. I would be there every step of the way to cheer them on. I just want what’s best for her and I just see such potential. Please don’t think that because I can’t do it with her that I’m probably not a great owner. I play plenty of games with her both physical and mind, that I can do right here in my home.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I have a better understanding of your situation with the additional information you provided here. That said you will not be able to hand your girl off to someone to run in competitive agility without their being a daily training regime for things like weave poles and contact obstacle exits. I am sorry you are so physically limited, but I agree with Skylar that there are things you can do with your girl that aren't out of your physical abilities. I would play lots of thinking games with her and also think you could probably teach her a ton of tricks that she could do with you sitting. 

I did have someone else run Lily in agility at a time when I couldn't because of a knee injury, but that person was the young woman who I did my private agility training with. Lily knew her well and Stef knew my handling style and commands. To have handed her off to anyone else would not have worked.


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

lily cd re said:


> . To have handed her off to anyone else would not have worked.




And that I guess is what I needed to know. But I wasn’t speaking of agility for shows... just her having the fun learning and going a couple of times a week where she could learn new things each time, do things she knows and loves. I just love her so much I just want her to be happy. That being said I keep up with her energy level here pretty well, and challenge her mentally and physically. I am having a ball with her. So thank you so much for saying that. I’ll let that idea go. If she’s anything like Zeke she’ll have plenty of her own ideas [emoji1][emoji14]


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Okay well agility for fun still needs some structure to have it be safe for the dogs. I think a little creative thinking will keep her well and having tons of fun.


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

It’s ok. I really am having fun with her. She loves playing ball more than anything! When we are players no, which is much of the day, I will hide the ball in the chair I am sitting in, hide it in the toy box with other balls to see if she’ll find the right one, give her a toy that looks like a ball, but has different ways of squeaking it than just biting down, things like that. I haven’t had her very long so we are still camping up with ways to play with each other. I am looking forward to many years of new things with all my dogs. 


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

jojogal001 said:


> It’s ok. I really am having fun with her. She loves playing ball more than anything! When we are players no, which is much of the day, I will hide the ball in the chair I am sitting in, hide it in the toy box with other balls to see if she’ll find the right one, give her a toy that looks like a ball, but has different ways of squeaking it than just biting down, things like that. I haven’t had her very long so we are still camping up with ways to play with each other. I am looking forward to many years of new things with all my dogs.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Hmm, since she likes to find things, what about Nosework type games? My dogs LOVE that. Even my 'broken' dog (she has a chronic neck injury and mobility issues, but wants to be active) enjoys doing that. I bought the nosework kit, but you can fake it yourself. These may be able to give you some ideas. 
(BTW, Oh my gosh! She's so cute!!)


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

It sounds to me as if she has the makings of an assistance dog, finding and fetching things for you. It might be worth considering working towards that.

There are lots of games you can play sitting down, and lots of training too. Clicker training may be a good idea - you can mark the behaviour you want even at a distance that way. Nosework is great fun: my dogs love a simple Hunt the Treat game - have the dog wait, toss tiny treats around the room, release the dog to find them, starting with the treats close by and obvious, and work up to more distant and difficult spots. Do you have a mobility scooter? A great aid for getting you both out in the fresh air if you can manage one. And I would ask around local training and agility clubs to see if there is anyone prepared to work with you - you never know, and it could open up a new social circle for you as well as Stella.


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

BorderKelpie and fjm this is really such an awesome idea! The only problem is that Stella is not food driven at all! I will, however, try different treats to see if I can find one that excites her and do some of these things. But I can always hide hr ball! I am loving the ideas and other great ideas would be welcome too.! Thank you!


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I agree with the idea of calling around to local training clubs, explaining your situation, and see what they can offer. I have found that clubs have different philosophical approaches, and different interpretations on what training teams are suitable for agility, obedience, etc. You probably won’t be able to send her off and have someone else do the training...but you may find a place that works within your abilities. 

The service dog training sounds interesting...or maybe obedience or trick classes, there are lots of options.

The agility center I’ve been going to for a while actually offers classes for handicapped folks, and people come in scooters, wheelchairs, etc. The owner is part of the training, it’s just a different kind of training. Not everyone has to do competitive agility, it can just be fun. 

Whatever you wind up doing, be it home based or more formal, enjoy her, she’s a cutie!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I personally know how you feel as I am mobily impaired and use a scooter! I have taught my Molly many things by sitting on the livingroom floor LOL! A small child's play tunnel to run thru, a hula hoop to jump thru and boxes with hidden treats are some of our indoor games. There is a book called 'The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook' by Kyra Sundance that I recommend! (You can find a used copy on Alibris.com)..... Very easy to use as every trick or command you want to teach is on a card with easy step by step instructions! Just have fun!


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

Carolinek said:


> I agree with the idea of calling around to local training clubs, explaining your situation, and see what they can offer. I have found that clubs have different philosophical approaches, and different interpretations on what training teams are suitable for agility, obedience, etc. You probably won’t be able to send her off and have someone else do the training...but you may find a place that works within your abilities.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Thank you so much for the info! I’ll definitely look into it and see just what I can do with her. At home I’ll try to use my walker with her and see how long I can work with her. Thanks for the hope!


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

MollyMuiMa said:


> I personally know how you feel as I am mobily impaired and use a scooter! I have taught my Molly many things by sitting on the livingroom floor LOL! A small child's play tunnel to run thru, a hula hoop to jump thru and boxes with hidden treats are some of our indoor games. There is a book called 'The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook' by Kyra Sundance that I recommend! (You can find a used copy on Alibris.com)..... Very easy to use as every trick or command you want to teach is on a card with easy step by step instructions! Just have fun!




Thank you for your ideas too! I’ll look into that getting that book, and take your. And other suggestions I hear. 


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Good luck and above all else, have fun!


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

fjm said:


> It sounds to me as if she has the makings of an assistance dog, finding and fetching things for you. It might be worth considering working towards that.
> 
> There are lots of games you can play sitting down, and lots of training too. Clicker training may be a good idea - you can mark the behaviour you want even at a distance that way. Nosework is great fun: my dogs love a simple Hunt the Treat game - have the dog wait, toss tiny treats around the room, release the dog to find them, starting with the treats close by and obvious, and work up to more distant and difficult spots. Do you have a mobility scooter? A great aid for getting you both out in the fresh air if you can manage one. And I would ask around local training and agility clubs to see if there is anyone prepared to work with you - you never know, and it could open up a new social circle for you as well as Stella.




I wish I had a scooter. I live upstairs and if left on the back of my car I wouldn’t have it very long. Maybe I can find an alternative to owning one. 

As for treat play, I have a treat launcher which shoots 2 or 3 treats at a time. The dogs have to listen for where they hit and then try to ding where they end up. It’s great fun for all of us!

Thank you for your ideas! Many good ones are being tossed out, and it gives me things to look in to and to try!


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Did you say Stella is 7? She does sound like she potentially has the makings of a Service Dog, but that is really late to start training one, especially for public access as it can take a couple of years and they normally retire about 10. But you could certainly train her to help you by learning to bring you things! 

She is kind of small to bring heavy things, but I have trained mine to bring me my cell phone, my car keys, a bottle of water from the refrigerator, my slippers, my gloves, and to take laundry that I am not worrying about getting an occasional snag from the bathroom, bedroom, etc to the laundry room. These are just some examples 

In the process they learn new vocabulary, locations, etc. My SD loves to 'work' and he also is a fetcher and ball lover.


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