Is anybody into dog performance trials?

[Mr._Graybeard]

I've participated in agility trials with current/former dogs for almost 20 years. I don't trial in obedience but greatly respect those who do. It ain't easy.

Here's my current teammate, a UKC agility champion (pardon the humble brag).

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/members/20620-albums174-picture2513.jpg

We also do rally, which is fun. If not for older folks, our club would be a shadow of itits current self.

 

[Helen]

That sounds fun! Do you mainly work with aussies and border collies or do you use a variety of breeds?

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I'm a longtime herding dog enthusiast, so I've worked mostly with Australian shepherds and my current guy, an English shepherd. But shelties are popular agility dogs, as are golden retrievers and may other breeds. I know a woman who does agility with basset hounds.

There are world-class agility handlers, and then there are the people with dogs they love who find it rewarding to work with them. In their case they're only competing with the handler in the mirror.

Another aspect of performance training is obedience. As I said, I have a lot of respect for people who can earn titles with their dogs in the obedience ring. In a lot of ways obedience trials are more demanding of a dog than agility (but less fun, IMO).

 

[Teacher Terry]

What a beautiful dog!!

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

What a beautiful dog!!

Thanks, Terry. Do you think he looks like has an attitude?

 

[Teacher Terry]

He definitely knows that he is royalty). My Maltese Amy is a retired show dog and she is quite the character.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

He is bossy to a fault. DW and I are out in the country, so he has a job keeping varmints away. But he needs a lot of work -- Aussies do too. That's where the training and trials have a function beyond the recreation.

My dog club offers "manners" classes to the general public that I help teach. I see a lot of wacky dogs! Many of them just need more activity to 1) burn off some energy and 2) learn their place in the social hierarchy of the home and the community. The more work a dog gets, the better they respond to commands like COME, WAIT and LEAVE IT.

It's an enriching experience for the dog. It's been an enriching experience for me too over the years.

The last several years we've seen a lot of pound dogs brought into my area from southern states. They have some farm breeds down there like the black-mouth cur (think Ol' Yeller) and catahoula leopard dog. A lot of people don't know what they're getting into when they adopt one of these dogs -- they can be as bossy as my guy, and high energy. Dogs like that need leadership, which can be a surprise to folks who expected their new pup to spend most of its time curled up on the couch.

Does it seem like I'm sold on lifelong dog training? Dog-training clubs are a nice social outlet for people too. I've made some great friends there.

 

[Teacher Terry]

My first dog as a adult I researched before getting her so that she would fit into our lifestyle. Then I got into dog rescue and was careful never to take a dog that didn’t fit energy wise. I have been hooked ever since and wouldn’t be without a dog.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Good for you. What kind of dogs have you rescued? Our club has an informal rescue network that operates by word of mouth, mostly placing dogs of owners who have died or gone into long-term care. There's a 12-YO keeshond in foster care right now.

 

[eytonxav]

Our boy is a Corgi/Aussie mix, have you encountered any Corgi's in your trials?

 

[KCGeezer]

DW has gotten involved with scent trials. It’s a great mental workout for the dogs and can be done in many environments. But what they really love is dock diving.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Mostly Maltese and one was a unsocialized, not potty trained, deaf puppy mill breeder. I flew to Texas to get her. One was a Westie mix and one a 8 year old husky/shepherd that was happily abused by the 4 little white devils). I always had 4 dogs but now living in a condo can only have 2 small dogs.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Our boy is a Corgi/Aussie mix, have you encountered any Corgi's in your trials?

Sure, a couple friends are Cardigan corgi owners. Corgis are whip-smart, they train very well for agility and obedience. They do have a stubborn streak, though, which you undoubtedly know. It takes some spunk for a dog the size of a corgi to do what they're bred for.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

DW has gotten involved with scent trials. It’s a great mental workout for the dogs and can be done in many environments. But what they really love is dock diving.

He looks spectacular! And yeah, scent trials are really taking off around here. We get hundreds of sign-ups when we hold one. It applies structure to something a dog loves to do anyway.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Mostly Maltese and one was a unsocialized, not potty trained, deaf puppy mill breeder. I flew to Texas to get her. One was a Westie mix and one a 8 year old husky/shepherd that was happily abused by the 4 little white devils). I always had 4 dogs but now living in a condo can only have 2 small dogs.

We have a puppy-mill rescue at home along with the big dog. She was more-or-less housebroken when we got her, fortunately. But she isn't people-oriented, which is unusual for an Aussie. She's slowly coming around.

DW would love to have a Westie -- we had chickens for years, though, and I was reluctant to have a terrier that might consider the birds as prey. The chickens had names too, just like the dogs. The chickens are gone now.

 

[tsdogs]

Congrats on that agility championship. That's quite an accomplishment and a lot of work/fun/teamwork. I used to do agility with my previous golden and senior mixed breed. I was also a dog trainer (manners and puppy classes) at the time yet neither dog did very wellin agility. lol. They were also registerd Therapy Dogs and that was their calling! Agility was just fun. My golden really just wanted attention and would pause at the top of the A-frame to look around at everyone watching him.

My current golden is a couch potato, probably cause he goes for long hikes daily. My dauchshund runs in weiner dog races just for fun. Perhaps my next pair will do agility. I have many happy memories from being in involved in a previous training club.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Congrats on that agility championship. That's quite an accomplishment and a lot of work/fun/teamwork. I used to do agility with my previous golden and senior mixed breed. I was also a dog trainer (manners and puppy classes) at the time yet neither dog did very wellin agility. lol. They were also registerd Therapy Dogs and that was their calling! Agility was just fun. My golden really just wanted attention and would pause at the top of the A-frame to look around at everyone watching him.

My current golden is a couch potato, probably cause he goes for long hikes daily. My dauchshund runs in weiner dog races just for fun. Perhaps my next pair will do agility. I have many happy memories from being in involved in a previous training club.

I started out with agility just for fun too (and it's still a ton of fun, maybe moreso now than ever). It was a couple-three years before I started trials. At the time we had an Aussie that set a *leisurely* pace. That made it easy for me to follow a proper line through the course. Our second and third dogs have been progressively faster, but fortunately I picked up some tricks along the way.

I've had dogs stop to admire the view on the A-frame! And I recall a former club member titling a mini dachshund. The guy looked like a little Superman clearing the bars.

Golden retrievers make great therapy dogs. My collie is totally unqualified for that role -- he's too reactive. Sounds like you're putting your current "couch potato" through paces of a different kind. A tired dog is a happy dog!

BTW, goldens are easily the most popular breed at my club.

 

[tsdogs]

I started out with agility just for fun too (and it's still a ton of fun, maybe moreso now than ever). It was a couple-three years before I started trials. At the time we had an Aussie that set a *leisurely* pace. That made it easy for me to follow a proper line through the course. Our second and third dogs have been progressively faster, but fortunately I picked up some tricks along the way.

I've had dogs stop to admire the view on the A-frame! And I recall a former club member titling a mini dachshund. The guy looked like a little Superman clearing the bars.

Golden retrievers make great therapy dogs. My collie is totally unqualified for that role -- he's too reactive. Sounds like you're putting your current "couch potato" through paces of a different kind. A tired dog is a happy dog!

BTW, goldens are easily the most popular breed at my club.

My senior mutt had a "leisurely pace", too. Always good, but S-L-O-W. And she was a border mix! But she was so happy we just went with it.

I used to tell my classes that a tired dog is a good dog, but happy is true, too.