Agility Enthusiasts

Comment by Kristina on July 7, 2010 at 8:40am

Pauliina, never the less. No one in my country (Slovenia) never ever lets their dogs no matter what breed to jump when the dogs are still growing. Why such a hurry? Any dog can jump. Train it to go thugh obsticle without jumping.

Comment by Pauliina Artiola on July 7, 2010 at 9:46am

Really? Don`t you let your dogs to run free in the forests? They sure do jump a lot more than 10 cm (less than 4 inches) jumps running free. If my 6 months old puppy jumps 10 cm/ 4 inch. jumps like ten times every now and then it won`t definately do any harm. If she didn`t want exactly to do a jump on that fence she could have run thru between it - her step in a run is higher than the obstacle.

I really appreciate your concern and would accept it if I was practising full jumps with her - I still don`t do that now that she is 16 months. I´ve been competing and training for more than 10 years now and haven`t managed to spoil or break any of my dogs. l.

Comment by Kristina on July 7, 2010 at 10:07am

Fine, do as you like, after all it is your dog. But, anwser me one question: Why? Why do you have to do jumps with such young pupy? Is there any good reason? You can do agility trainings without jumps. So why force your puppy? I belive the dog likes to jump, it is your obligation as a owner to be smarter than that and not alowing it.

I might not be in agility for ten years, but I know people who are in it much longer than that and no one ever lets their dog do jumps until the dog is one year or year and a half old. Don`t belive me, go on youthube and look for yourself.

I started to do agility with my bich who was at the time 3 years old, she is now 4 years and she still doesn`t jump at the higest level.

Yes, I let my dog run free, but no jumping and no stairs at that age. ;-)

Comment by Pauliina Artiola on July 7, 2010 at 10:31am

Of course I do what I like. And I believe that I know what I´m doing.

Is there any good reason why I wouldn`t let my dog to jump 10 cm high - even at 6 months of age? As I said - I would understand your concern if we were talking high jumps. If I was so worried I wouldn`t let her run at all. But that is not even a jump. Not even to a puppy of that age.

If it was too much for her - I think I would notice. If she does like 5 minutes of practising (which means having fun in the field at young age) like couple of times a month it won`t break the dog. There is absolutely no way I could reject her from jumping on the rocks and over the roots in the forest if I let her run free. There must be something wrong with the dog`s structure if she couldn`t take that.

The dog is now 16 months. She has absolutely great coordination and muscles. Her bones (hips and elbows) are healthy. And she loves agility.

That is very nice if they are keeping the dogs away from jumps for year or year and half in your country - that is their way. As far as I know Finland is not full of beginners in agility if we look world wide. So I believe these people here know what they are doing and they know what they could recommend the dogs in their training groups to do. I don`t need to go to the Youtube to find information. I`ve been following this sports from the day I got my first dog in 1997 - he wasn`t much of an agility dog with him I started.

Sory if you think that I don`t know what I´m doing and you are worried for my dog. She does what she really enjoys and I have no intentions to break her with too much of a practise.

Comment by Pauliina Artiola on July 7, 2010 at 11:04am

And for sure I´m not saying that my way to do this is the only right way.
But as long as I´m working on the conditions of the dog and her age considered I really can`t see why to change the way.

This shouldn`t be such a shocking video ;) This is my Ami at 9 years of age running a short run. She loved this sport so much. She was so precious.
At the age of 8 years she was placed 8th in the Open Finnish Championship competition - leaving a bordercollie World Championship bronze medalist in 2008 behind her ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAWd1TBEhQA

Comment by Jo Ottinger on July 7, 2010 at 11:39am

Lovely video Pauliina, must be proud of your girl. You can tell she loves it. Hawk is very uncordinated in his back end so that is one reason I have not started him jumping once he learns where his back feet are it should help with his jumping.

Comment by Pauliina Artiola on July 7, 2010 at 12:38pm

Thank you Jo! She really was a nice dog to do stuff with. Always so happy and tail wagging.

And that is well thought. I think that everything needs to be done on the terms of the dog. Some setters seem to "find" their hind legs later than the others. My young girl has been very well cordinated all the time during her growth; she is quite small and awfully quick :)

Have fun with Hawk!

Comment by Jo Ottinger on July 7, 2010 at 1:08pm

True they do grow at there own rate. Hawk did a lovely head over heals the other day running in the field never seen anything like it. Was quite lovely to see him flip like that and git up and keep running.

Comment by Pauliina Artiola on July 8, 2010 at 12:09am

Hi Fran

"My view is for the dog to have a happy healthy agility career for many years, not to burn them out within 2 years. I know plenty of people in agility with small and large dogs who have burned them out with their joints, by giving them far too much to do too soon"

I so totally agree with you!
I´ve seen it happening to some dogs who`s owners were too much into getting the dogs all ready by young age.

But short practises so that the young dog does not get tired are very much fun for both of the parties and very usefull in doing stuff together. And always on the terms of the dog - if they feel tired then they need to rest and if there is something different on the way they jump or run then one should check their muscles for tensions etc.

This is my first dog I´m using a clicker with. And it has been so much fun and makes so many things so much easier. Loved it!

Melba is having her mouse mat for "touch". Here is a short video where she is practising to touch - the very first practise we did. She is a very young puppy in this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNHlqzvv1nY

Now the mat has been moved to the end of dog walk - she only does the very end of the dog walk to get 10 of 10 right every time we try it before I do the whole dog walk with her.

Comment by Pauliina Artiola on July 11, 2010 at 2:40pm

It is too hot in here as well!
32 today in shade.

We don`t practise in more than 25 C. And on the winter time if it goes below -10 ( next winter our agility hall will have warming so we don`t have to care about cold anymore!)

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