Agility - starting soon & v excited.

[StrawberryFizz26]

I've been to quite a few dog shows over the summer with ddog (he was 1 in July) and he's been an absolute natural at agility so we start an 8 week course on Thursday. I'm so excited!!

I know we're both going to love it and it seems like a really friendly, social club. I'm really looking forward to it and hope it's the start of a great new hobby.

Does anyone compete? Have any tips or stories to share?

Picture cos it's the law

Have fun whereabouts in the country are you? My dog would love agility but none near us.

We compete (a lot) it does get pretty addictive

Having a good trained wait in your dog is useful beore you start training. Get your dog to love playing with toys as well.

Have fun and enjoy

Aria20 I'm Cheshire way.

pollyroullson that's great to know. I'll defo do some wait training before Thursday, he's got the basics but more work won't do any harm.

How often do you compete?

The club owner also said it was addictive.

Aria20 most of us have to travel quite a distance to get to a good trainer unfortunately. Distance becomes irrelevant once you have got the bug

Strawberryizz26 I compete most weekends in the summer and usually once a month in the winter. You will be looking at vans and caravans in a new light by this time next year......

Haha! I really can't wait to get started.

Do you stay over at the shows quite a lot? I bloody hate camping

I've been thinking of starting something like this to give my dog something more challenging to do (than destroy cardboard boxes etc). What age should we start them at though? mine's 2 - am i too late? thanks

Ahh the good old days! I used to compete.
You'll travel a lot! And yes to staying over at shows. The daytime is for the dogs but once they are safely snoozing in their beds, the real fun starts. I always enjoyed the social side as well as the competing.

StrawberryFizz26 Yes I do camp quite a lot not always because the comps are that far away but the courses need to be walked at 8.30 usually so I prefer to camp than have to get up at silly oc'clock to get there. Local shows I will just go for the day. However it is very social (if you want it to be) so the weekends are good fun. Camping is not too hardcore in that you are usually in a flat field etc. Although we often have to go towed off it is wet!

There is no obligation to compete that much many people set aside a few favourite shows and go less frequently.

Where abouts in the country are you? You can be vague but obviously some areas are nearer to the shows than others. It will take a while for your dog to be ready to compete and there is no rush at all. A lot of fun can be had at training and most training clubs run their own competitions which are good to do. The most important thing is to go at your dogs pace and enjoy it

AuxiliaryFanbelt no 2 is not too late to start Agility

Oh, I'm jealous. All our local classes are full and I have a young dog who would love it.

@StrawberryFizz26
Hi pls could I message you for the name of the course?

dogsdogsgods

Of course

polly I'm in Cheshire, not that far from Knutsford.

I know it will take a good while to get to competion level, I'm excited to put the work in and to watch him learn it. Plus, hopefully making new friends.

He really is a clever little thing and picks things up quickly.

It's going to be so much fun!

We’ve been training for a few years but don’t compete (pregnancy, baby, pregnant again). It’s my time when I’m not mum and both doggo and I love it.

Thank you @StrawberryFizz26
I've messaged you