Pembroke Corgis in agility course...

[Jaymikal]

Hello!

Has anyone out there ever trained their Pembroke Corgi to run one of those canine agility courses they show on Animal Planet?

I don't plan on doing it professionally, but instead, I'm going to have a friendly family competition. My sister has cocker spaniels, as does my mom. I've made some boasting that our little Keeley will take them all down. Just started training her on the hurdle. She loves flying over it.

Anyway, was wondering what the easiest method would be to train them to go through the "weave poles". Ideas?

Who needs a treadmill when you own a Corgi? She'll get me in to shape faster than any gym!

[glencorgi]

She is FAR too young to be training on hurdles or weave poles. Jumping or even training for jumping is not allowed in sanctioned events until a year of age at the VERY earliest, AKC has just raised the age to 15 months I believe.

Keeley's growth plates have not closed and the repetitive jumping over the hurdles (as well as going down stairs, or off of furniture - on a regular basis) can damage the growth plates. Your breeder should have advised against this kind of activity until she was much older. Weave poles, same with her developing and growing spine, you are only asking for injury which can lead to long term health issues.

Debbie

[Jaymikal]

Hello Debbie -

I thought I clarified. Let me try again. I will NOT be actively participating in Agility courses with Keeley. This is being done for fun with other family members. Do I have her on a training regime? Absolutely not. I belive puppies should be allowed to have fun, to be socialized with other dogs so they don't get snippy like my cocker spaniel, who was raised with no socializing skills whatsoever.

Before I switched to computer science, I was a dog trainer/zoology major, so I know full well what strenuous activity for a puppy will be like and what the long term effects are.

I appreciate your concern. Trust me, the only time she jumps over that hurdle is in fun, and that's only when she's allowed to play with the thing. So she's not in any harm whatsoever.

Please put your concerns to rest. Keeley won't be harmed in any way shape or form.

[glencorgi]

How high is the jump set?

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

I think we have had this discussion a few days ago. A Corgi pup under six months should not be subjected to ANY deliberate jumping. It is immaterial if agility is for fun or for sport - the recommended restrictions are still the same.

[SparklingSparky]

My 2 years old corgi started agility half a year ago. He supposed to jump 12" high in the competition. He always dropped the bars. I train him 2 jumps at home , he didnt jump the bars.

He is not so obedience, sometime didnt want to stay in the starting line, i have tried many effort, at first he wont stay at all, now most of the time he will stay.

Now the competition add in the teeter which worry me, if he leave 1 leg in the teeter that will be very dangerous because the teeter will bounced back and hurt him to the air.

I wonder should i give up joining in the competition ? but seems the class still have another 3 months practice, i thinking just let him play for fun and avoid the teeter, what you guys think?

[Michael Romanos]

I don't know what a teeter is. We don't use whatever it is in agility in NZ or Australia or at world championships level - unless it is a seesaw - and I can tell you a thing or two about seesaws and Taylor.

What you have to do is give your Corgi plenty of training away from the agility training club. At home or in a park go over and over: stay -come - go. So that he stays put until you instruct him otherwise (and from a long distance away from you). That he comes when called - from 100 metres away even. And that he puts on the after burners when you say 'go.' Use the reward and praise method. I never started Taylor until he turned two - so your Corgl has the grounding that Taylor never had. However some Corgis don't enjoy agility or have never been properly eased into it so that they can feel comfortable. You need to show a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of encouragement and a lot of love no matter what - and these things could rub onto your little fellow.

Before Taylor starts in an event at the starting line, I shake him about and give him a cuddle and tell him to go-man-go(when the call comes of course).

[SparklingSparky]

Teeter is seesaw.

Yeah, i tried to train him outside agility ground, train him sit, stay, or sit, stay , come. He is 90% perfect outside the agility ground, but when doign agility, he is 50%.

At first he dont want to stay at all.

[Jaymikal]

How high is the jump set? Keeley is still very small. Literally, the pole is practically resting on the ground, about 2", and she jumps over it when she feels like it, which is maybe twice a day.

Is she subjected to the jump? Nope. Do I force it on her? Nope.

Relax, people. You're making me regret joining this forum and actually wanting to chat with other Corgi owners. I'd break my arm before I'd deliberately hurt an animal in my care, most especially a young animal.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Jaymikal

How high is the jump set? Keeley is still very small. Literally, the pole is practically resting on the ground, about 2", and she jumps over it when she feels like it, which is maybe twice a day.

Is she subjected to the jump? Nope. Do I force it on her? Nope.

Much different scenario than the initial posting you made and inquiry about agility which included the desire to show up relatives' Cockers, nor did you give any background information about your training experience. What venues did you train dgos for? Or were you more a general manners type trainer?

Relax, people. You're making me regret joining this forum and actually wanting to chat with other Corgi owners. I'd break my arm before I'd deliberately hurt an animal in my care, most especially a young animal.

Deliberately hurting her never crossed anyone's mind. However, just as much damage can be caused by someone acting out of not knowing any better. Therein was the most cause for concern. Far more injuries occur in dogs who's owners are just playing around with equipment for fun. With your training background I find it surprising that you would even pose your original questions as it should be just natural knowledge she is too young to even be messing around with any of the equipment used in agility. Now I could offer you some tips that serious performance people use with their litters and even baby puppies to lay foundations for a potential agility career, but I doubt if those would be necessary.

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Really, one can overdo the 'stay' business at the 'starting line' at agility. If your Corgi is edgy, don't muck around. Ther are plenty of alternative techniques. Don't have him sitting, but standing. Stand right alongsde and go when he goes or straight away after the all clear from the judge or the officials. Another method is to stand behind him and hold onto him and when you let go after the all clear is given, it is like letting go of an elastic band
( this effectively eliminates the need to 'stay').

Two things important for Corgis in agility - the need for the Corgi to be slim - ie not overweight but slightly underweight even; to be race fit. Race fit is along similar lines to training human sprinters. Corgis need sprinting training and a way to do it is have them at threequarter to full speed in a grassy park in chasing after something like another dog, a stick or a ball or even you (if you are up to it). So that they are doing 6-12 sprints. These two things will help build a Corgi's confidence and fitness levels.