The A Frame Scares ME!

[Tanya]

BUT if there are slats on it she could jam a toe if she is sliding fast.

There are slats and that is my concern...catch a nail, jam a toe, scrape her foot on the rough paint. I think it needs to be lowered because it is only recently that she has really started sliding. Thanks for asking someone about her problem!

[areese]

I am going to watch Laika's video when I get back to my home computer :cheer2: . DH and I saw some Agility on TV this weekend, but no dachshunds . Amazing!

It occurs to me that if Cassie were on an Agility course and food was at the bottom of the A-frame ONE TIME, that would be the end of competition. She would have to stop every time and do a thorough search, just in case :D

I saw a dachshund one time on tv doing agility...must have been AKC. But usually we are the only doxies at trials although we have a friend, Beamer who does CPE and AKC. He's more short-legged than my dogs but he has a lot of heart and runs really well. I really want to get a title for each of them in USDAA cuz they would be the first weenies to get one. Owen could do it I think...not yet. But soon. Laika has one USDAA jumpers Q and if she got two more, she'd have herself a title
There is never food on the course or handler during competition. It's funny, gut I've not had my dogs go nuts searching for treats....But you use treats randomly during training after they are sequencing obstacles. So they never know quite when.... And if you always reward one obstacle and work really hard on that one, you are often surprised when your dog runs out on the course during a trial and performs that ONE obstacle (beautifully) for you REPEATEDLY and ignores all the others...so you gotta remember to randomly reward ALL obstacles when training. Dogs are so cool. I just love them.

[areese]

There are slats and that is my concern...catch a nail, jam a toe, scrape her foot on the rough paint. I think it needs to be lowered because it is only recently that she has really started sliding. Thanks for asking someone about her problem!

I wish I could be more helpful..I keep thinking on it... Mine have never gotten hurt on the a-frame but the one we practiced on last week had BIG slats and I didn't like it at all. They didn't even help in climbing the up side cuz they were far apart and my dogs didn't seem to know how to come down either cuz they were worried about the big slats. Small slats aren't a problem for them and they haven't ever caught a nail or scraped a foot. I do trim Laika's hairy feet so she won't slip but the smooths don't have that problem... Owen has recently gotten afraid of the one where we trial cuz he had to struggle over it (the course was set up so it was really hard to get a good running start). NOw he approaches it hesitantly and that makes it hard to climb and reinforces his problem. I'm gonna go to a fun match there and work it with treats cuz he does it fine in class and other places..he just thinks that a-frame is evil. he's such a goof. He knocked a bar there during a trial and now when he gets around that area where he knocked it, he gets all slow wondering what's gonna get him this time. And this was 3 trials ago! hopefully at the fun match I can get him over that too. I hope so..as I am driving 80 miles to go there
I'll keep thinking on it...

[Michelle]

My girls don't do agility, so I have no idea how to help, but I am just amazed at the doxies that do it!! to all of you that do agility with your dogs!!, It is so cool to watch and Amy I just loved the video too!!,
Very cool!!!, I also just love watching Peaches flyball videos, those are way cool too!!!!

I think that Heidi would be good at agility, but I have no idea where to even find a place in my area to try things out with her..

Heidi is our ball chaser and loves to leap up into the air to try and catch it when I throw it, and she always seem to love playing ball. Princess on the other hand could really care less about chasing the ball..

Tanya,, any info on where i could find agility stuff in my area of the south suburbs????

[Tanya]

Since I live so far Northwest, I have no idea. :confused: I did a google search, but I didn't find much of anything. Do you see anything close to you here?

Good luck! That would be a great activity for Heidi! :banana:

[jenfer]

Last time when we went to our first and only trial, Gigi was the only doxie there. There aren't much 8 inch jumpers. There is a pappion (sp!) who won all the first prize. But we only did the jumper courses though. I think I want to try out again. It brought back fond memories. :D

[Michelle]

Since I live so far Northwest, I have no idea. :confused: I did a google search, but I didn't find much of anything. Do you see anything close to you here?

Good luck! That would be a great activity for Heidi! :banana:

Thanks for looking,, I did not really see anything close to me in that link, I will keep looking though, and talk to some pet stores near me,, I think Heidi would really enjoy doing this..

[areese]

Last time when we went to our first and only trial, Gigi was the only doxie there. There aren't much 8 inch jumpers. There is a pappion (sp!) who won all the first prize. But we only did the jumper courses though. I think I want to try out again. It brought back fond memories. :D

ONe good thing about running a doxie in agility is that the majority of the dogs jump higher. So your chances of getting a placement (1st, 2nd,3rd,
4th) is greater. Of course, if you don't qualify, the placement doesn't mean much of anything...
We get beat by papillons regularly. AND my friend Janet's pug beats us too, quite often....
I've started Salsa on some obstacles-just jumps, tunnels and the tire jump. She did the dog walk Tuesday. She really has no fear. Of course the dog walk is like wide as a ROAD to her!

[jenfer]

Yea, Gigi got 2 seconds but no Q. It was a good experience though and a great self-esteem booster. :D

[areese]

Yea, Gigi got 2 seconds but no Q. It was a good experience though and a great self-esteem booster. :D

I think trialing is addicting!! You should do it again soon! I'm going to another trial next Friday and Sat. It's a 4 day trial but I'm not that addicted (or that rich)