puff, puff, wheeze, wheeze
I sort of semi-fiddled around with agility stuff back about 2000 with my first Corgi and had some basic, homemade agility equipment in the backyard. Tossed it all out last year due to age and condition. Holly, our min-Dachshund, loves to play "squeaky chase" and "I'm hiding and I'm not coming out." Agility never seemed to interest her, however.
Agility training, even in a casual way is good stuff for dogs and dog owners. I think it gives direction to training and makes it seem less work and more play. Some years ago a local guide dog school even began using some special made agility equipment to help guide dogs in training improve their confidence in unusual situations.
My wife Debbie, A.K.A. "The fair and lovely Debbie", was rummaging around in the garage and found our old agility tunnel which was really just a kids flimsy play tunnel. It wasn't in the best of shape but she took it out in the backyard, sprung it out, and in no time had Gromit going back and forth through it. Gromit seems to subscribe to the motto of most Corgis: "Anything for food!" I did notice that Debbie and I ran out of breath running around well before Gromit did.
I'm going to put together more basic agility stuff for Gromit, nothing fancy, no jumps until he's older, but just two or three things that I think his little doggie self will enjoy and will also make training sessions more interesting for the humans. The tunnel will need to be replaced too, it's in pretty sad shape, even worse than the humans.
Agility training, even in a casual way is good stuff for dogs and dog owners. I think it gives direction to training and makes it seem less work and more play. Some years ago a local guide dog school even began using some special made agility equipment to help guide dogs in training improve their confidence in unusual situations.
"Ok, I here, where's the treat?"
My wife Debbie, A.K.A. "The fair and lovely Debbie", was rummaging around in the garage and found our old agility tunnel which was really just a kids flimsy play tunnel. It wasn't in the best of shape but she took it out in the backyard, sprung it out, and in no time had Gromit going back and forth through it. Gromit seems to subscribe to the motto of most Corgis: "Anything for food!" I did notice that Debbie and I ran out of breath running around well before Gromit did.
I'm going to put together more basic agility stuff for Gromit, nothing fancy, no jumps until he's older, but just two or three things that I think his little doggie self will enjoy and will also make training sessions more interesting for the humans. The tunnel will need to be replaced too, it's in pretty sad shape, even worse than the humans.
Comment
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Comment by Riley Wilson on March 5, 2010 at 5:37pm
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I started Riley in Agility classes when he was about 8 mos. old. He loved it. Never have pointed him at anything he didn't like. He does tunnel, tire, A-frame, dogwalk, teeter, collapse tunnel, bar jumps, broad jumps and we are working on the weave. He does the weave, not very fast but is getting there. He has been in one TDAA trial. Got second place. There were two in it. Ha ha ha He is almost 16 mos now. The agility is a ball and we both love it. I love watching all the dogs in agility. They are so cute.
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Comment by Gromit, Sparkle, and Doug on March 5, 2010 at 3:49pm
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Susan wrote: "she's like a guinea pig on speed."
LOL. That's a great description of how a Corgi looks when they run. I used to tell people that my first Corgi, Watson, got up to top speed he would actually develop a shock wave off the tip of his nose like a jet fighter about to break the sound barrier.
Sam, thanks for the brain nudge. I'll be checking Target this weekend.
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Comment by Sam Tsang on March 5, 2010 at 8:43am
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That's what we used too, we were shopping at target and saw a kiddie tunnel on sale, it is way cheaper than "proper" equipment :)
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Comment by Susan Stanton on March 5, 2010 at 7:23am
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Great photo! My Bertie and Ethel love agility. Bertie's favorite thing is running through the tunnel, so sometimes he gets that as a reward after doing thing he doesn't like quite so much, like jumping through the tire. Interestingly, Ethel, is a nervous nelly who starts at loud noises and is easily freaked out when I crinkle a plastic bag. I didn't think she'd like agility at all, though she'd be intimidated by some of the equipment -- but nooooo. She is fantastic at it! I can barely get to the other end of the tunnel and beat her, she's like a guinea pig on speed. I'm inviting a good photographer friend to come to class, so I can get some snaps and share them with their breeder, I'm sure she'll get a kick out of it.
But the bottom line is -- as you so deftly put it -- anything for a cookie. There was another dog in the class whose name was Cookie, and so everytime his owner said, "here Cookie" or "this way, Cookie" both Bertie and Ethel would perk up and try to head in that direction, too. ha!
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Comment by LaVerne & Shirley on March 4, 2010 at 11:20pm
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"Gromit seems to subscribe to the motto of most Corgis: "Anything for food!"
LOL...isnt THAT the truth!
I found a tunnel at Costco when they closed out their spring toys last year for around 30bucks and my husband made Shirley a teeter and a dog walk. At dogwise.com you can get a book to show you how to bulid your own equipment cheap! We have more fun with that stuff! You are right. I get more of a work out than my Corgi does.
Your Gromit is so so cute! What a doll!
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