Agility Focus

[Dawn Hall]

Hello from Canberra Australia. By the way the weather has changed here it feels like Antartica.

Would love to hear how you managed to calm your boy down. My male sheltie gets too excited at agility and keeps trying to herd me instead of focusing on the course.

Lerwick has the most fantastic focus, regardless, of whether he is doing agility at break neck speed and enthusiasm, or providing the correct behaviours perfectly in the obedience ring!! He is an inquisitive dog, always in your face, demanding attention and to be shown new things - nothing fazes him. A fire cracker will go off next to him, and if you tell him "find it" he will go and bring back the debris! We are blessed with a wonderful dog.
I do believe the games & foundation work that we concentrated on as a puppy, satisfying his inquisitiveness has helped.

The only 'easy information' I can share, is to teach your boy one obstacle at a time, so that he understands the function properly. [We did that, otherwise Lerwick dashed around like a maniac trying everything] - as soon as he realized what his job was, & what was expected of each obstacle and how to start, execute, and complete each one correctly, he became a star!

I know I am bragging, but the very hard work [more from my husband Ian, than me] is paying dividends

 

[ryanelguiri]

Also, just learn your dog and how they work.

Ella preforms the best when I take her for about 15 minute walk before we get in the car for agility. And, when we get to our classes, our trainer lets allthe dogs run off leash in the ring for about 5 minutes to 'get the sillies out' (as I used to say with the kids).

All dogs focus better for some sort of cue. Ella focuses the best when I use her tug toy as a reward. She is also so agility driven that she focuses so she can learn how do it right, I´m lucky in that respect.

 

[Caro]

I think part of the problem with Deska is I dont run that much so its exciting for him to see me run.

At the moment I am training both dogs in the same class so I really need them to focus as its hard enough switching between the two of them. It means I have less time to focus or do anything individually between runs because in between I am swapping dogs in crates.

 

[Marco]

I also train with two dogs, and found out that the best way of doing so is one day for each. then you can use all your focus on one dog I have the opposite problem with Marco, sometimes he cant focus at all, just sticking his nose to the ground and stroll away.

 

[corbinam]

Set goals

My recommendation would be to set small, attainable goals so that your dog can succeed. Most of the time shelties want to please, so they want to do what we ask them. When they start to herd, it's because they either don't understand what we're asking, or can't do it and become frustrated (at least that's the case that I've seen).

Try just doing a couple things at a time. If running next to your sheltie sets him off and he starts to herd you, try teaching him to just drive towards a target plate. His drive (once he knows what is expected) should outweigh the herding part of him.

 

[Caro]

Unfortunately where I live the dog clubs are only small and agility training is on the same night. At training last night someone kept throwing a ball while I was running Tully and Tully kept going after the ball. So in the end she stayed tied to the fence while I ran Deska and was miserable. I think from next week I will alternate them so I can focus entirely on one dog for the whole class.

We were aiming for Sheltie Nationals in August - it only happens every 3years so its a big disappointment not to have them ready in time. Tully is fluffing her weaves again (when she will focus) altho I did manage 1 clean run from Deska last night.

When you are competing with multiple dogs (in the same comp) do you find it difficult?