Where females have it over males

[Michael Romanos]

Some time ago I had stated in Go Corgi that female dogs are better than male dogs at agility. This was disputed by Debbie. It prompted me to do some research and write an article for publication in NZ and Australian magazines.
The article was held up pending info from Australian sources, but this is still to come - not unusual I have been told, with regard to slow reactions from Australian canine authorities.

If anyone would like to receive a email message copy of the article which sets out facts and figures and expert opinion as to why female dogs are better than male dogs at agility and perhaps a few other dog sports as well,
email me at: mjromanos@hotmail.com

[KatC]

Obviously then, our Canine Authorities must be of the Male Gender !!

And WooHoo from Abby who has now had three mini Agility sessions, and is doing exceedingly well.

[Michael Romanos]

Aussies like to treat their NZ cousins with some disdain. So we don't rate when it comes to wanting favours or service. But not KatC - she is so quick off the mark. iI might get her to gather in the info I need from the Australian agility oufit.
Good for you, KatC and Abby for getting iit together so well after just three training sessions. Abby must have a solid background in being co-operative for her to catch on so quickly.

[KatC]

At this time we are only having ten minute agility sessions as part of our Obedience Class.

Abby was terrified of every obstacle the first week, especially jumping through the tyre and going through the tunnel. To my amazement the next week she did the entire course with very little enticement. This third week I was having trouble keeping pace with her, and she absolutely loves the Weave Poles. It will be very interesting to see how she will fare when we eventually go off leash.

[Michael Romanos]

KatC- Corgis are generally only as quick racing around an agility course as you are. That's the type of dog they are. German Shepherds are much the same and that is why they don't rate highly as a breed for agility. Corgis want you to be at their side as they encounter each obstacle. But, except in NZ, Corgis are in among the minis who haven't got the big dog legs and so are not as quick. It pays for you to be sufficiently fit to enable you to give your Corgi the max he/she can perform to. If Abby is going great guns with the lead, lead-free she'll be just as good. No problem a long as you direct her OUT LOUD. She'll soon learn "left, right, lets go, this way, faster" apart from the names you give the obstacles - and I have always called a spade a spade eg jump (for hurdles), tire, tunnell, walk on (for the contacts), long jump), weave. Most times I say weave as Taylor encounters each weave pole - so its weave, weave, weave etc And sometimes I say go faster instead of weave in an effort to get him to speed up. The hardest thing to learn is ultra fast and accurate weaving. Needs lots of training on a regular basis - three -four times a week. The next most difficult is the seasaw and Taylor has had very little practice with this and needs to have his confidence built up slowly.

[KatC]

That is good, because I have been saying 'Weave' at each pole, and 'Jump' at each hurdle. We have been practicing this on our early morning walks - there are a lot of evenly spaced posts to stop cars entering the grassed areas of the foreshore, and even though the gaps are much larger, it seems to be giving Abby the right idea. Then on our walk I look for objects such as fallen branches etc, and we do our jumps.

[Michael Romanos]

KatC - Timing for calling out instructions is everything. It is amazing how many people get it wrong. Coming off of one hurdle you yell out JUMP for the next - not half way along or not just before the next hurdle. The same with all the other obstacles.

[KatC]

Well thank you for that. I would not have thought to do it that way, and we haven't been given any advice re verbal instructions.

[Michael Romanos]

KatC - that's interesting. It is a critical thing especially with Corgis who can be a bit different to other breeds in their approach to the sport. I don't know if it is relevant, but among the group of instructors at the training centre Taylor and I go to, there are four world class agility specialists. So I am been trained by some of the best.

[Michael Romanos]

At the recent world agility champs in the Netherlands, several Pembroke Corgis partcipated. Among the very exclusive and top class bunch of competitors was a Japanese Corgi. Most of the other Corgis came from the USA but it is certainly lovely to see the net thrown wide in that Japan has produced at least one world class Pem Corgi at agility.