It’s that magical time again. Time to sign up for the next session of agility classes! Of course, that means figuring out which ones to take.
Maxwell is tough. At under two years old, he’s already far surpassed Sadie in drive and technical excellence. His understanding of each obstacle is impressive, and he’s very consistent. BUT… he’s also still 500% puppy-brained. He gets bored when we do repetitions of easy tasks. He wants to play with all the other dogs. He wants to run. So, do I keep him in Foundation 2 yet again? Or do I move him up to Intermediate, with his sister?
A little analysis:
Foundation 2: Pros
· All the dogs are on the floor at once, so we can work on ignoring them
· Sequences are short, potentially reducing the likelihood and intensity of zoomies
· Dogs are working the whole class, so he gets an hour of training
· He knows most of the dogs already, so training through distractions is easier
Foundation 2: Cons
· Sequences are short and fairly simple, so he isn’t technically challenged
· He already knows most of the exercises (with one paw tied behind his back) so he gets bored
· He knows most of the dogs already, so he knows which one or two are always receptive to play invitations
· With all the dogs on the floor at once, it’s trickier to work him in high drive without running him into another dog
Intermediate: Pros
· Longer, more challenging courses
· One dog on the floor at a time, so we can work on handler focus and communication
· New dogs to learn to ignore, made easier by their being crated during his runs
· I know most of the other handlers, so I can ask them to provide mild intentional distractions
Intermediate: Cons
· Nobody else (people or dogs) on the course as he runs, so less chance to work through distractions
· Less time on the floor, so he may have pent-up energy when he comes out (zoomies!)
· I’d have to work two dogs in one class, which is certainly doable but not ideal
· Potential to put him through sequences he’s not ready for yet
The items that are stricken out really shouldn’t even be considered. They in no way reflect what is (or is not) best for my dog.
I still couldn’t decide, so I emailed Mr. Trainer for his opinion. He was very helpful… NOT. (Hi, Mr. Trainer!) I believe he referred to his response as sounding "like a politician." However, just that fact that the response wasn’t an immediate “go for it” makes me think that staying in Foundation 2 is probably what’s best for Maxwell’s training. I want to give him the best possible chance for success later on.
At least I have some very clear goals now: get focus through distractions, and no more zoomies. If I have to get creative, then that’s what I’ll do. I have a new squeaky tug toy that he L-O-V-E-S, so I’ll try using it as a reward. (I had him doing SIT-STAY while I threw it for him at Lola’s house, and he was positively quivering with anticipation of the release. His reward for fetching was a rousing tug. His reward for tugging was food.)
Sadie will continue in Intermediate, where we’ll get her running cleanly at 24” and continue to improve he contacts. I’m really happy with her progress, and she still seems to enjoy class.
Sadie will also be taking Novice Competition. I sat in on a class last night with a friend, and it looked like a good next step. It’s a different instructor, which is probably good for growing me as a trainer/handler, and the class is run a little differently, which will be a nice mix for Sadie. Plus she’ll have all new dogs to work around. With her reactive history, I love finding opportunities to work through what would once have been a complete doggy meltdown, but is now merely cause for awareness.
Plus, the class seems to be popular, which means it will actually run. (Did I ever tell you, I did get my money back from last session, plus a small credit to boot? It was very nice of the registrar, who apologized for the mix-up.)
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