Does anyone out there do competitive dog obedience or agility or has in the past?

Question

My Sheltie puppy is doing extraordinarly well in her obedience class and will soon start agility. Do you like competing? Are people in these competitions generally nice? I found people in conformation to be snobby with a few exceptions!

Answer 1

I run agility with my dogs. Venues like CPE, NADAC, and USDAA are great. USDAA is the most serious and competitive of those three. I do not like AKC people. They tend to be snobby and boring, plus there are only two runs per day. Shelties are great in agility, and it's a ton of fun!

Answer 2

agility is great fun. Have been competing with my dog and training students for 12 years. On my second youngster now. Some organizations have a more serious feel at their competitions than others, but generally the folks are nice and helpful.

Find a good agility trainer....and have fun!

Answer 3

I also want to get my dog into agility class, look in your area and see if there are agility clubs, some have facilities where you can go and practice with your dog or take private agility lessons. Start there, then you can get a lay of the land and make your decisions. For things like this I would say go for it, people are different in every area. Plus your snobby may be another persons refreshing : )

Answer 4

I compete in agility with an Australian Shepherd and an All American. I started the Aussie in classes at 8 mos., as she was so much fun to train. I never did obedience competition. I find people are very friendly and willing to help you with whatever you want to know or want help with. I was uncomfortable at my first trial, knowing no one, so I thought it wasn't a friendly place. But, as you get into it, you find the agility world is a pretty small world and it doesn't matter what venue you try, you meet pretty much the same people over and over. We do Nadac, Asca, USDAA, so my mutt dog can also compete, and also do AKC with the other dog. I was told to start with Nadac, as people in AKC were nasty. Well, I find people are as friendly as you are. People, when competing out of town, seem to be easier to talk with, as they aren't as focused on their own club people, I think. Most of the people I now have a great time talking to at trials, I only got to know when out of town. Competing can be fun, exhilerating and frustrating. Shelties do exceptionally well in agility. I think you'll have a great time playing with your dog in agility!

Answer 5

i imagine you may want to relish agility including your dogs. I compete with 3 sheties, 2 (littermates) I educated from domestic dogs and the third is a rescue. We began practise him at slightly over a three hundred and sixty 5 days old. there are a number of golden retriever's in agility and they do ok. i might want to recommend you no longer do any impediment practise, which includes jumps till you're operating with an instructor, yet you could artwork on a strong sit down, down and wait (stay) besides as getting your dogs in strong actual structure. Play ball or frisbee on a daily basis and take lengthy walks, distinctly uphill receives both you and your dogs in nice condition. to study better about agility you could bypass to the AKC information superhighway website, bypass to activities, click on your state and also you may want to work out the competitions that are occurring close to you. bypass to a tribulation and seek for suggestion from from different competition. contained in the AKC there are 3 ranges, amateur, Open and suited. Watch the remarkable dogs (maximum Golden's bounce 20") and ask different competition who you would seek for suggestion from from about practise. There are also a number of different agility venue's, USDAA, NADAC, CPE, and DOCNA are some. you could google their web pages and get better recommendations. each and every of the ultimate including your agility occupation. that's a lot relaxing and could create a bond including your dogs like you've by no skill widely used. you'd be satisfied you aren't to any extent further exhibiting in conformation, that's much better relaxing!

Answer 6

I compete in agility and the majority of the people are really nice. I love to compete and so do my dogs. it's really fun and gives me and my dogs a chance to do something besides herding sheep and cattle, all day long. i don't know how old your pup is but i wouldn't let her start to jump until she is 9 months to a year old because jumping is very hard on their bodys and if your pup hurts her leg she could be messed up or lame for the rest of her life. If YUou have any questions about how to get involed in agility or need help training your dog e-mail me and i'll be more than happy to help you. [e-mail]

Answer 7

My little sister does this. She is eleven and has been training our little dog since he was under six months. He has passed citizenship, and first level obedience. He is now in second level obedience. I generally try to ignore most of the people there. I have found them to be rather stuck up, especially about their own dogs. And watch that you don't say the "wrong" word for the breed, dang, they get all worked up! Anyway, my sister loves it, and as long as you focus on how much your dog is enjoying the time spent with her, that is all that matters:)

Answer 8

I take my Rotti to Dog show for Obedience Trials and have always found most people are very nice and quite helpful. There are ALWAYS 1-2 out there that can ruin it by being rude nasty or ignorant, but just let them roll off your back. Good Luck Shelties do very well in both classes.

Answer 9

I have been showing in Obedience and conformation for 30 years. You will find the obedience people are more welcoming although there are nice and helpful people in conformation as well, they're just a bit harder to find.