Handling a slow dog vs.a fast dog

[Sharon]

Agility

Once I overheard discussion among "serious" competitors " if this dog is not fast enough I am going to return it".... kinda deflated the bubble I want to live in
as for fast vs slow dog... my friend let me run her girlie and it is humbling to be faster than the dog in the ring, unnerving too but then again- you run the dog you with...
My 2 cents-each dog comes with their own set of challenges and adjustments to handling, speed is only part of the whole.

I doubt they would return the dog.

 

[corbinam]

Once I overheard discussion among "serious" competitors " if this dog is not fast enough I am going to return it".... kinda deflated the bubble I want to live in

Unfortunately there are people like this that ruin it for everyone. I certainly have seen a few people that just seem to toss aside dogs with less drive, or even just as they age. But I think that these people are few and far between and certainly don't think anyone on this forum would fall into that category.

My 2 cents-each dog comes with their own set of challenges and adjustments to handling, speed is only part of the whole.

This is true. Timing is much harder with a fast dog, sometimes obstacle performance is harder to teach with a drivey dog that wants to go go go, but motivation and speed are also hard to teach to a slower less drivey dog. The key is to find what motivates your dog to work with you--each dog has its own individual challenges, and most dogs don't fit just into one stereotype or the other.

 

[helps]

I don't own or run any other dog than my own, but I've tried running friend's schauzner who doesn't really run too fast and the difference is huge. My dog is crazy runner and I try to be ahead all the time, but he's catching up quickly. I felt like you can relax a bit with slower dog, you might even think while moving. Sometimes you realize your mistake with slower dog and you still can make it right. No such a thing with fast dog. Big disadvantage is that you usually have to keep talking and cheering while running slower dog (like all the time), so yea, it gets you worn out.
On the other hand, there's a lot of pressure while running the fast dog, a lot of adrenaline. You got just one chance and one tiny movement in the wrong direction is fatal. Little delay and you're out. Timing with fast dog must be precise, you can't slow down for a sec, you have to keep running and execute all the turns etc in great speed. I'm still struggling with timing and just moving around the ring. I think it's really challenging. Luckily for me, even when my dog is really fast, he still keeps an eye on me. He's very attentive. Yea, it means I need to do everything right, because he follows my lead, but at least we don't get disqualified too often.
Interesting fact - my friend's sheltie used to be rather slow dog. She spent a lot of time motivating the dog, playing with him etc etc. Like three months ago, he became faster and now she's telling me she needs more training and classes with more experienced trainers, also that she needs to improve her handling, because since the dog got faster, she can't keep up and execute handling manoeuvres on time.

So I guess both type of dogs have its challenges but I personally think that it's harder to handle fast dog.

 

[Sharon]

fast vs slow

I just get tired watching people trying to run the slow dog.It takes alot of effort to just get them through it.To me these are the dogs who don't like agility.

 

[romeosangiovese]

I have a fast dog and a "slow" dog! They each have their problems!

With Juliet who is fast, I HAVE to run fast to get to the right position. But she is a little know-it-all, so isn't as observant with my cues.

With Romeo who is usually "slow" (ie. not so drive-y, needs more motivating), I get tired from being overly enthusiastic and yelling out motivational speeches (alot of clapping, alot of high-pitched praise, alot of "Wooo! Yay!"). But he's very forgiving with my terrible handling and reads me very well, so that always makes up for all the work I have to do!!

Incidentally over the weekend, my trainer did a test. She said I run faster without Romeo, but at the same time he will run faster if I did too. But I am afraid of going too fast - I usually "wait" for him to commit to an obstacle before I move ahead. I don't know what to make of it!

 

[ortegah]

I doubt they would return the dog.

don't bet on it! I know multiple people that have returned dogs because they didn't live up to their expectations for drive and agility potential

 

[nellie123]

Nellie's fast, and that's the way I want it. I love to race through a course fast (and well completed) and Nellie gives me just that.

I just get tired watching people trying to run the slow dog.It takes alot of effort to just get them through it.To me these are the dogs who don't like agility.

Not always. My friend's mini schnauzer Zelda trots around the course and has to be cheered on the whole way but she LOVES agility, she just can't run fast and runs even slower on hot days.

 

[HopeShelties]

While it might seem like a foreign concept to agility people, what do you think the conformation people do when a dog doesn't turn out? They can't just keep holding on to dogs that don't meet what they are looking to do. If they did, they would be overloaded with dogs and unable to give any of them the attention they deserve.
I guess with my background in horses, where in the show horse world you sell and buy a new horse when you have outgrown the one you have, and a foot in each door in agility and conformation, I don't see it as a big deal. Why keep a dog to run in agility who isn't a good fit for that handler? A slow, low drive dog could make a handler just looking to have fun really happy, but a handler who is looking to go further may be disappointed in the dog they have. Why not find someone the dog would be better suited for? Let's be honest... how many of you who are more competitive types would be happy running a dog for its lifetime who only trotted the course and either barely made course time, or didn't make course time at all in masters/excellent b after having that fast dog (having one before you get a fast dog is a bit different... once you have had that fast dog, you dont really want to go back to only owning a slow dog)? Yes, there is a lot you can do to improve a slow/low drive dog, but let's assume all has been done and the dog is still slow. Is that something you would want? Would those of you who are used to having a fast dog be able to be happy with that being what you had to work with?
It also goes back to what Sharon has said in the past about dogs who are slow not enjoying agility. Would you want to keep a dog who really didn't enjoy it and force that dog to do agility when that is the dog sport you really wanted to do? Why, when you could find that dog a home where it could do something it enjoyed more... maybe herding, or obedience/rally, or even a good pet home? What if you could only have one or two dogs? Would you give up on your dream to keep a dog who wanted little to no part of it?

 

[Sharon]

Slow vs.Fast

Nellie's fast, and that's the way I want it. I love to race through a course fast (and well completed) and Nellie gives me just that.


Not always. My friend's mini schnauzer Zelda trots around the course and has to be cheered on the whole way but she LOVES agility, she just can't run fast and runs even slower on hot days.

I don't buy that the dog likes agility.Sounds like she is stressed.This is JMO.I see people all the time begging their dogs to move. Dogs either shut down or move slower.If they are doing it for fun and they have money to burn to waste on the entries then I say go for it.

 

[SheltieChe]

I don't buy that the dog likes agility.Sounds like she is stressed.This is JMO.I see people all the time begging their dogs to move. Dogs either shut down or move slower.If they are doing it for fun and they have money to burn to waste on the entries then I say go for it.

Thinking that dog that does not run fast equals to dog not liking agility is not something I subscribe to. If we follow this train of thought, lots of ridiculous statements can follow... because how fast is fast? What is definition? So if dog in top 50 at nationals lets say it is fast and anything below slow and therefore they do not like agility? If my dogs run faster than me but sure nowhere near what I have seen lets say European Open- are they fast? are they slow? do the like agility?
While I agree one can clearly see some dogs that would rather be anywhere than on agility field my thinking it involves far more than just speed equals love for agility... level of confidence, ability to handle stress, understanding of the job asked, experience of the handler, ability of the handler to ask and support clear criteria that only fast run over DW AF et is being rewarded...