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| Spring 2007 Newsletter |
| Agility
Getting Started � Advice from the Pros and their Pariah Athletes |
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| Minnie enjoys Agility in leaps and bounds |
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| Alan Gersman and his Canaans: Briel's Isabel P Tiger Pooh, MX/MXJ, CD MACH Max's Lada L P Tiger Pooh Mazel Tov Prmtjl Minnie Pooh, MX/MXJ 1. What inspired you to get involved in agility? My first CD, Isabel, loved running, jumping and playing games. We started in obedience, earned 2 titles. Obedience bored her and we did herding earned a local stockyard title but the expense and possible injury to her we went searching for another venue. Agility was just starting in our area and it was fun. I should mention, I never formally trained a dog prior to having Isabel. 2. We all know that dogs (in any breed) have different abilities and interest levels. Was there a particular personality trait that you recognized in your Canaan(s) that lend itself to this sport? Once I started formal training, that is to say, obedience classes, I realized how much I enjoyed spending time working with my Canaan Dog. Isabel was willing to learn, enjoyed being with me and loved playing games. From the day we picked up Isabel I trained her to retrieve both a ball and a frisbee. Isabel was a natural at retrieving, jumping, game playing, and very willing to take direction. On the other hand, Jessie and Lada L., my second and third CD's were excellent jumpers, very willing to take direction, but had to be taught how to retrieve and play games. Isabel enjoyed playing agility while Jessie and Lada L. did agility because they enjoyed being with me. When I got my fourth CD I was careful to get a puppy that was a game player. Even though Lada L. was not a game player she was trainable and became an excellent agility dog. The training difference between a game player CD and a non game player CD is with Isabel I could train and retrain, no problem, but with Lada L. and Jessie retraining is more difficult because they do not understand the game and therefore do not understand why we are retraining. 3. Performing in Agility also calls for obedience. A dog must take direction from his handler in order to work a course. What basics does the dog need before introducing him to the sport of agility? No matter what temperament your CD has one needs to train: a stay, a recall, and a retrieve. All three of these are critical whether or not one does agility, you need them just for the safety of the dog. 4. Every dog has his strengths and weaknesses. Were there any specific obstacles that your Canaan(s) had to overcome? If so, what training tips can you offer. The CD MUST be trained to use its SPEED! I would start with the weave poles. I use channel weaves, that is, you place the poles in such a manner that creates a channel for the dog to run. You can get a set of 12 stick-in the ground weave poles, go to a backyard, or park and practice. You set a wide channel and either throw a ball or have a second person at the other end. As the dog learns to run from end to end you gradually move the poles closer, narrowing the channel. The objective in starting with the poles is to teach speed. Teaching poles could take 12 months or so, you want your CD to think speed, speed, etc� I would also, but completely separate from the poles teach the teeter and the table. I use a smaller, adjustable teeter in my office and start low. I would teach and have my CD master these 3 obstacles prior to taking a class. 5. What advice can you tell the newcomer who wants to train their Canaan in this sport? Never criticize, never repeat an obstacle, always encourage and support. Always be positive, praise only correct performance, ignore incorrect performance. When the performance is not done properly the reason is ALWAYS the trainer has failed to communicate what it is he/she wants from the dog. Repeating an obstacle or sequence of obstacles will create in the CD's mind that they must have done the sequence wrong or why repeat it. Keep repeating the sequence without first doing other things will only convince the CD they do not understand what is expected and things then usually go downhill from there! If I want to repeat a sequence I wait until the next day. 6. Please provide a brief bio about your accomplishments in agility with your Canaan(s). Please include a couple of pictures to accompany your responses. Isabel was my first CD and the first dog I ever trained. We started agility when she was 5, went to our first AKC Nationals in 2000 when Isabel was 8. At the 2001 AKC National Isabel placed 18th overall and Lada L. placed 31st overall in the 20" class consisting of approximately 180 dogs. At the 2005 AKC Nationals Lada L. placed 20th barely missing out making the final round in the 20" class competing against over 200 other dogs. My Border Collie Hummer did make the finals in the 24" class. My 4th CD, Minnie earned the right to compete at the 2006 AKC Invitational at the age of 2.5 years old. Yes, I start agility & obedience training when the CD is 7-8 weeks old. All my CD's have Excellent Titles in AKC, run on the Master's Level in USDAA and Lada L. has the first and only MACH (Master Agility Championship) Title for a true CD. Only a couple of thousand dogs out of 10's of thousands that compete in AKC agility have earned the MACH title. My advice to anyone who wants to train a CD is: � In my opinion CD's learn 80% of what they are ever to learn in the first 6-8 months of their life. So if your CD is older you will be in the retraining mode, that is, you have to untrain some behaviors while training new ones and that should be kept in mind. � CD's are perfectionist's and one must keep this in mind while training. For example, most breeds have to teach the dog to keep bars up -- not the CD. � CD's are cautious and never have to be taught to be careful, in fact, I encourage my CD's to be reckless. � If you are going to get a CD puppy and want to train for agility, herding, obedience or being a service dog there are ways to judge a puppy at 7-8 weeks old for the suitable temperament. |