What makes a dog a good candidate for agility?
Jane M asked:
I’m interested in starting my dog in agility training b/c I’ve noticed how fast he picks things up and I want to bond with him more. I wouldn’t put him in competitions or anything, just a backyard thing. I just don’t want to buy the stuff and it turns out its not his thing. What characteristic do most agility dogs have that make them good at what they do?
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I’m interested in starting my dog in agility training b/c I’ve noticed how fast he picks things up and I want to bond with him more. I wouldn’t put him in competitions or anything, just a backyard thing. I just don’t want to buy the stuff and it turns out its not his thing. What characteristic do most agility dogs have that make them good at what they do?
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Agile, of course! Also, energetic and easily trained.
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Fast. Agile. Strong. Fantastic co-ordination and balance.
I asked a question earlier about some Agility trails in the UK that have banned border collies from entering as they pretty much just out perform every other dog there. The dogs who compete at those shows look in fantastic condition and like they’re really having fun with it, any breed of dog or type of dog can enter into agility. If anyone is looking to go national or looking to win championships then a border collie is pretty much essential.
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Any dog can do well at agility. If you want to be super competitive at a national level, then a border collie, australian shepherd, sheltie, etc those kinds of dogs are just plain fast. The best agility dogs are biddable, trainable, smart and willing to work and please their handlers.
MANY of those attributes can be environmental factors, I have seen breeds from chihuahuas to mastiffs do agility. Sure, not many of them blow through courses like a border collie, but you can tell that they are having a great time with their handlers. In the end, when the competition is over, having a great time is all that matters!
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Confidence, attentiveness, curiosity, willingness to please, high energy, physical grace. He should do well. Good Luck.
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Just about any dog can do very well in agility. My Pomeranian loves doing agility, and my Aussie loves it as well (though, we just started training her this past weekend). To compete and win you will/would need a dog that is fast, easily picks up commands, quick learner, and very smart. Most herding dogs do great at agility, though I’ve seen just about all types of dogs excel in it.
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Go along to your local agility club and try him. As long as you use a happy voice your dog will probably love it.
You do need the basic obedience eg; come, over, wait.
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Any dog can be great at agility! Most agility dogs are quick, enjoy the sport, and love to learn new tasks. If you aren’t competing though, then all that matters is that you and your dog are both having fun. I’d recommend enrolling in a beginning agility class at your local dog club to try it out before you buy any equipment.
Also, to save money, you can make your own obstacles. I used broomsticks over chairs for years before I finally made jumps out of PVC piping.
Just PLEASE be sure you are safe in what you are doing with your dog. Dogs must be at least 1 year old before doing any serious jumping, weaving, etc. to ensure their growth plates aren’t damaged. Have your vet clear you for that kind of exercise before you start if you aren’t sure.
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a good handler/trainer (you!) Watch the top handlers, and they consistently turn out good dogs, because they are consistent about their training and expectations, and also are consistent with their handling.
Most dogs can learn to enjoy agility, though the level of enjoyment and ability to handle classes and competitions will vary. But being able to work with you, and what you learn about each other, can be incredibly rewarding for both of you.
Don’t be so quick to dismiss competition- agility is addictive and competing can be a lot of fun.
Things I try to develop in an agility prospect before I ever start training the obstacles:
ability to focus and work with me in a class setting without getting too distracted by other dogs and people working nearby, and other dogs getting reinforced.
ability to relax in that same type of environment.
ability to switch between reinforcers depending on what I have available and want to reinforce with (dog will take both treats and toys, and switch between them) – this may seem silly, but is incredibly important.
enthusiasm for doing something interactive with me, such as tugging.
willingness to work both close by me and at a distance, under control
balance work (yoga ball, balance discs, tippy board, etc.) and good core strength.
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Dogs that enjoy Agility are healthy of mind & body. Agility dogs have to love to move quickly & jump. And be physically capable of doing so. They are confident & enjoy working with their handler & learning new things. And they have a handler that makes learning fun. Most training centers will start dogs with very beginning Agility training (low hock-height jumps, no straight up weaves, lower contact equipment) at 6-12 months. If your dog has a solid sit, down, stay & recall all with distractions you would be ready to try a beginning Agility class. You can usually tell by that if the dog enjoys learning & jumping & working the obstacles. You will get a taste if you & your dog enjoy Agility or not.
And there are plenty of dogs out there that are not Border Collies, and not even from the Herding breeds that enjoy & do very well at Agility. There are Agility Champions of all different kinds of breeds. There aren’t any Border Collies running at 8″ or 12″, but there are National Champions crowned at these heights every year! Don’t let not having a BC stop anybody from excelling at Agility!
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Some of the answers you got on this question (agile, fast) are just nonsense–really bad answers. And probably from people who aren’t serious competitors. You also got a couple of pretty good responses as well from people who know their agility.
Let’s cover a couple of issues:
1. Skip all the answers about breeds, especially Border Collies. Agility, like all sports, tends to have a herd mentality. The joke in the UK is that there are only two breeds that compete: Border Collies and ABCs (anything but border collies). It’s true that in the UK you see mostly BCs at the higher jump heights. But, um….do you know how many English handlers won at Worlds this past year? None. There are lots of dogs that do well at agility (if we define “well” as “compete at the highest level and win trophies) that are NOT Border Collies. And there are plenty of BCs who are terrible at agility.
It’s not about the breed, it’s never about the breed. It’s mostly about the handler and the relationship. Besides, at jumps heights below 20″, you aren’t going to find a BC that small to jump 16″. And anyway, you’ve already got a dog.
2. Here is what determines if a dog is a good candidate for agility:
–does the dog have drive? This means, when your dog sets his mind to something (to get a squirrel, to fetch a ball, to get that piece of kibble you dropped), is he easily discouraged or will he run through a wall to get it? A dog with drive is a dog that will be fast, won’t quit and once turned on to agility will be a demon on the course. A fast dog can be slow on the course for a gazillion reasons. But a dog will drive always has hope.
–does the dog like to work with you/like to please you? If so, and you want to do agility than your dog will be eager to do what you do. Your dog will got into spasms of joy for doing well at something you care about it.
That’s it: drive and desire to work/play with you.
It’s not about particular size or speed or jumping ability or “being agile” or muscles or even skill at particular obstacles. You can train all of that. And with exception of a couple of breeds like bulldog or Irish wolfhound or dachshund, any breed produces some dogs with all the traits you’d want in a good agility dog and some examples of dogs that don’t take to the sport.
3. Here are some hints at finding out if your dog has drive and a desire to work/play with you:
–get into tricks. If your dog is eager for more and just can’t get enough, then your dog has some drive and a real desire to play with you.
–look at other activities (when you give your dog a command, when he chases a squirrel or fetches a ball). Does he give up easy or does he drive you crazy with how he won’t take “no” for an answer? If your dog seems stubborn and just won’t quit then he’s high drive. And for agility that’s darn good.
—does your dog like to hang around with you, sleep/nap next to you? Then you’ve probably got a dog that views being around you as the best thing in the world.
–do you do a great job reading your dog’s moods and messages? Does your dog seem to read how you’re feeling or when you need a “pick me up”. Then you’ve probably got a strong relationship.
As for the cost of equipment, for $50 you can buy enough PVC, PVC joints and a PVC Cutter to make 6 weave poles and a bunch of jumps. But it’s best to sign up for an intro lesson. Because a poor handler (and if you haven’t been trained, than you’re definitely a poor handler) will take a championship dog and frustrate them–turn them off to agility.