with Ripple . Last night another agility class, another total embarrassment . Last week a young collie had a go at him so this week Ripple decided to get in first ; we were watching the collie go round the course and suddenly Ripple ripped the lead out of my hand and charged off after him - knocking over jumps and obstacles on the way - I'm not sure what happened then, I think it started in play and then ended up in a snapping and growling match between the two of them. The instructor asked me 'what happened there' - quite frankly I had no idea . Ripple's turn round the course, off we went over the jump, through the tunnel, over two more jumps, along the seesaw - er where's Ripple? Apparently he disappeared after the second jump and I hadn't noticed and was merrily carrying on alone . Everything we did Ripple stopped to rip up mouthfuls of grass. I looked at my watch, oh no only half way through. By this time I had totally lost it, no idea which way we were going, putting in random jumps for no reason, desperately trying to keep up with Ripple when he did decide to to run round. I ended the hour gasping for breath, unable to speak, barely able to walk let alone run. And Ripple- he had a great time .
That sounds hectic! It sounds like you're doing a lot of obstacles after only a couple of sessions, maybe before he's mentally ready for this? The ripping up of grass sounds like a classic displacement behaviour. Perhaps a private session or two would allow you to both get a bit more of an idea about what you're trying to do and to work on the body language and focus. A bomb could go off next to mine when they're running a course and they wouldn't notice because it's been built up slowly so they have huge focus on the obstacles. I've only had private lessons with mine; I know it would have been much more difficult for them to focus with other dogs there, although now we often have other dogs walking past the arenas while we're working in them and they are no distraction at all.
@snowbunny . Unfortunately Ripple doesn't have the excuse of being new to agility as we did 8 sessions in a beginner class at the end of last year. Mostly there were only 2 or 3 in each session, and this year there are 3 of us. However I would agree we are doing too many obstacles, if only from my point of view as I seem to be incapable of remembering which way we are going. Ripple has always ripped up (and eaten) mouthfuls of grass everywhere: when I'm training him, when he's being brushed, on his morning walk, and even when he's just laying on the lawn. The only time he didn't was when we had snow on the ground. I would love a magic cure for all the things Ripple does that cause me angst, but I suspect it's just him and his appetite for life.
I LOL'd at this...I love Ripple's enjoyment of all things. Do you walk the course without dog first? We put our dogs in a stay and walk the course before starting, I have to mentally figure out what side Quinn should be on, which hand I'm using, where I have to turn next...it's honestly so much that even doing that first, I usually mess up the course. Quinn also loves the tunnel, when I mess up or things get confusing, she takes a quick tunnel run for her own enjoyment I stopped that (mostly) by just going slower...we can't beat the little dogs on speed anyway!
Oh my, sounds so similar to our experiences. Only our trainer was not impressed at all with Homers high-jinx.
Yes, we usually walk it first, although Ripple is too hyper to remain in a stay so someone has to hold him. Ripple likes to add in the A frame every time . I keep waiting for the email suggesting it's probably better if we don't come back. (That would be good, banned from agility as well as gundog training).
well I'm about to sample agility with Cassie, there's a new =R trainer starting up close to me and I was hoping for a taster session to see if I can cope but he wants us to sign up for 4 weeks. He mentions an hour with a break for the dogs and us . I might not cope. Or I might travel further to the school who's companion dog class I go to. Either way I will bite the bullet this weekend.
Yes, but the collie is very good at the course, no disappearing off, and the owner wants to just get on with it with no distractions. I did ask if we could join a different group but was told no, I don't think the instructor is particularly interested in helping with difficult dogs.
So sorry, but I just love Ripple absolutely love him. He's just my kind and of guy. I get the impression the trainer was just looking for an excuse anyway. Dust yourself off and go and find a more understanding trainer.im bloody minded I'd look on it as they can't handle or understand Ripple so don't deserve him.
No! I'm so sorry - that is rotten. When our local classes finished, I briefly went to a different class but it was clear to me that my aspiration (i.e. this is meant to be an enjoyable experience for both me and my dog) wasn't going to fit well; I left before I could be banned. The original trainer has just started up new classes and I'm going this week. Are there any other classes near you that have a different approach? Pongo says he wishes you lived closer because he would lovelovelove to run round an agility course with Ripple.
Pass on my thanks to Pongo @Rosie - Ripple would love that too. The only other agility classes close to me (as far as I know) are a semi-professional group with a long waiting list. I think Ripple is probably the last dog they would want . I wasn't happy with some aspects of the classes we were going to, particularly the instructors propensity to discuss other clients who she had problems with - an unprofessional approach that I put down to her being quite young, and one I was prepared to overlook, I expect she'll be having a gossip about me this week. It's Ripple I feel for as he gets so much enjoyment out of everything but his world is getting smaller and smaller. OH thinks we should move and launch ourselves on a new unsuspecting area of the country .
So sorry to hear this @SteffiS I do feel for you and of course poor Ripple. Do you have a decent flat space in your garden? Could you invest in some of your own agility equipment? And if it's the group atmosphere you enjoyed, could you ask anyone locally with dogs who might like to come and use it too to create more of a group atmosphere, and help the dogs get used to waiting their turn? It's not the same as an instructor, but you must have picked up lots from the classes you have been to.
