Disheartened with agility

[HobbitWorrier]

So shes doing fab, 8 wks in, dog adores it, i'm trying my best to get in the right place, with the right hand, but our teacher this wk said... 'She'd be amazing if you'd trained a dog before'. Now i'm totally deflated.. Sigh. What can i do to improve myself?!!

[Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme]

Get a new teacher? What a cow. Tell her that her comment upset you and you feel disheartened by her attitude and that she needs to buck her ideas up if she wants you to successfully learn from her.

If you've been enjoying it so far you must be doing something right.

[PinkFairyArmadillo]

How bloody rude! I'd be looking for another trainer as well I think.

Are you doing it just for fun or are you interested in possibly competing in the future? If you're not bothered about competing then it might be worth looking around to see if there's a fun agility class near you, they tend to be a bit more relaxed than those run by/for people who compete or want to.

[HobbitWorrier]

Well i started for fun & to help with hobbitdogs confidence and obedience, she is 17 mths. Now i've seen how good she is, i really would think of competing, way into the future obviously. But i just keep thinking, i'd love to see how she'd run with someone else running her!
Thankyou for your replies, i feel a little less sensitive!

[1MitchellMum]

Blimey, a cow indeed! Whereabouts are you? I had a fabulous training session with a lady in Durham whilst on holiday. I go to a fun class - and do have fun - not sure how many of these classes are around.

[PseudoBadger]

Ha ha my first trainer with my first dog (who was frankly amazing) told me what a shame it was that he was my first dog (ie the dog was better than me :o). To be honest although I still laugh about it, he would've done far better as my second dog.

If you want to improve perhaps read around a bit, join Agilitynet Facebook page, borrow or buy some foundation agilty dvds (there are lots around, try Q-Me by Dave Munnings for example), look up agility on YouTube and watch as much as you can, go along to some local(ish!) shows and watch all ranges of classes.

That's if you want to compete. If it doesn't bother you then definitely look around for other classes that treat you better.

I'm feeling bereft after a season off agility due to being pregnant all summer so love to chat about it!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Gosh it's only 8 weeks a lot of us still struggle with this after years. I train with a very experience agility guy he works 7 dogs at various levels the other day he tripped over one of his dogs as he got in the wrong place.
It should be fun, after we had checked he was okay we all including him had a good laugh about the dog being brilliant and handler terrible.
Seriously you will have ups and dogs, your trainer does sound a little negative and maybe not giving you enough tips about where you should be.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Oh yes we all compete, but we also have fun. At our club the initial course is 12 weeks so you would be considered a very beginner treated with kid gloves and given oodles of confidence. If your dog is good it will come right for you.

[PseudoBadger]

Well exactly lonecat - the trainer, if worth their salt, should be teaching OP where to be and how to handle.
Is it a particular thing that you/your dog are finding difficult? Going on in a straight line for example, or waiting, or working ahead of you?

[idirdog]

Depends what you want to do. If you are happy just going for fun take no notice and enjoy yourself.

If you do want to move on faster then have a few private lessons, and ask what to work on at home. There are some fab DVD's that will give you exercises to work on otside of class eg Greg Derretts, Dave Munnings etc. Ask your trainer which style of handling would be best for you to follow.



Everyone has to start somewhere and there are a few first time dog owners who have been to Crufts/Olympia competing.

[HobbitWorrier]

Thank you all, great advice. I will scout around for some different classes & go from there. Off to do some homework!

[PseudoBadger]

Can you say roughly where you are in the country?

[HobbitWorrier]

I'm in Somerset on the Dorset border, Badger.

[pootlepootle]

Wave to hobbitworrier from the dorset, somerset, wiltshire border. If that's near you too I'll see whether I can find any local recommendations. was this place in somerset in a town that rhymes with room? went to their dog training place and they were quite rude and unwelcoming but are big on agility.

[HobbitWorrier]

About 18 miles further down than there Pootle... :o)

[toboldlygo]

Very rude and disheartening - I'd be taking your money elsewhere if you can! I once paid a lot of money for a private lesson with a big name handler and he said similar - but it wasn't a write-off, he then went on to teach me a great deal and I left that session absolutely brimming with knowledge and confidence.

Having started as a complete newbie handler with a newbie dog I can see, with hindsight, how we would have been better much quicker if I'd known what I was doing from the start. A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into getting out of habits learnt at our first 'fun' club and learning how to handle well enough for a pro club and competition. But we learnt together, we had fun and after all this time she's finally getting somewhere.

I can do it 100% right first time with my next dog but this one will always be very special because of how we got there. :) Keep your chin up and consider some homework with DVDs and books.