Coming out of the chute (closed tunnel).
Like many agility dog handlers, I used to ride jumping horses when I was younger. If I'd had a horse as consistent as Journey, who knows what we might have accomplished in that sport! Journey's average for knocking a bar on jumps in competition is about 3 or 4 in over a year of competition. In horse talk, Journey would be called an honest jumper. He wants to please me more than anything in the world. Now that our training has progressed, I can send him out ahead of me, he often finishes the course way before I do. He is always so proud. In his title run on February 28, 2015 he finished the course at least three obstacles ahead of me (over half the width of the barn). He recognizes the last obstacle because it has timer poles next to it. As soon as he crosses the finish line, he knows he can run back to me. He meets me before I even finish the course. His ears are flat on his head and his whole body wiggles as he joins me back on the course. I don't know which one of us has a bigger smile. We are both so proud of him!
Most of our mistakes on the course are mine. Probably 98% of them. Journey is four years old. He did not get an early start in agility as he was busy doing conformation showing, earning his UKC Grand Championship and his International Championship. He is also at a bit of a disadvantage with a handler who is 74 years old, with a bad back. He has not let any of that stop him. When we began agility I was not sure we would ever be able to "Q" (qualify) even in the Novice classes. With his latest title he is now eligible for the Excellent class. I would never have believed we could get this far, not because of him, but due to my handicaps. Well here we are and though we are not planning to go to Nationals, we are having so much fun and I am so proud of my boy.
For anyone who does not know about this sport. The object is to run a numbered course with a variety of obstacles that include A-frames, teeters, weave poles, hurdles which include singles, double, triple and broad jumps, tire jumps, tunnels, an elevated dog walk, a flat tunnel or chute that the dog must open as he runs through it. There is also a pause table upon which he must stop and hold his position for 5 seconds before continuing with the rest of the course. The dog is running free no collars or harnesses and you cannot touch him or bribe him. You must never yell at him in an angry manner, no swearing, no blocking him from an obstacle or touching any of the obstacles. You may direct him verbally, or with hand signals, as you run with him - or in my case, try to keep as near to him as I can. I am pretty slow. The object is to complete the course without faults, in an amount of time under the Standard Course Time established by the judge. The ideal would be not to have any faults, a "clean run", after that, a tie is broken by the dog doing the course in the shortest amount of time. Dogs who compete in agility require a lot of training, with a bonded owner/handler. The dog must not exhibit aggression toward other dogs or humans. You must not use prong, shock, choke collars, or any other such training equipment. If you should mistreat your dog in any way you will be escorted from the event and likely not allowed back. As in three times and you are out, depending on the severity of the offense you might get a warning first. But mistreating dogs is not allowed. You must train with kindness and love and learn to trust each other. You do not have to be a professional trainer. Most people usually start with weekly classes from an agility instructor.
If you have mistreated your dog it shows. A mistreated dog often flinches from the handler's touch. They usually do not look like they are having fun and they often do not like doing agility, as they have been punished for errors. They don't do well in it anyway. The dogs who do well in it love what they are doing and it shows. Agility and other sports you can do with your dog create a bond like nothing else can do. You are a team and that shows in every phase of your life with your best buddy.
At a recent trial one of the judges stopped Journey and I on our way out of the ring. She complemented us and she noted that Journey was really a team player! I am more proud of that than any of the ribbons he has won. He really is a team player.
Panel jump.
This is the way he comes off the starting line at jump 1.
And this is the look of an agility dog who loves what he is doing.
