The Rip Van Wrinkler, XVI, Issue 1, February 2012

Pages 12 & 13 <previous page> <next page>


Training Conversation

Chat about agility

Regan can catch

Synchronized agility
M smiling on the dog walk

There is a Yahoo Sighthound Agility Group ~  SHAgility.

Also a Yahoo Group - Basenji Sports


Facebook stream, Saturday evening, January 7th

Andrea Stone: I started reading two dog training books (well, re-started reading one) and I am struck by the divergent attitude of the authors, both of whom are involved in Agility.

The one stressed the importance of selecting the right dog to work with when endeavoring to participate and excel in the sport of Agility.

The other stressed that all healthy dogs can do Agility (and anything else) that there are ways to get the most out of the dog you already love, even (especially) when it's a "Pigs Fly" dog.

Guess which book gets my vote. Oh, and the latter, also mentioned the generally thought of as 'most difficult to train' breed. Guess what it was. LOL Author has a clear love of "my" type of dog.

Nicole Suzette Vasquez: Which books please

Susan Kamen Marsicano: Diane Bauman's book is great. Agility Start to Finish.

I like the least theory possible.

Sarah Smith: I see merit in both opinions. I have littemate brothers who are soo different. While I do believe any dog can do anything and succeed. I also believe that there are dogs more suited to one type of activity than another. I have one who is very good at Rally and will probably see his CD (if his mom can get her stuff together) and the other who can be good, its just not hsis cup of tea. As for agility, I would want a superb conformational structure to handle the stresses of training and competing for agility as well as biddibilty.

Susan Kamen Marsicano: I've been competing in agility for 10 years, & don't think training is stressful for the dogs, in any way. Yes, a balanced dog is a good idea. I really think our basenjis can do all the stuff, if they are sound.

Chris O'Rear: Agility is a great physical and mental workout for the dogs...Mine love it and I do not see stress, just gears turning!

Sarah Smith: I agree with Andrea. But the take I got from the first was to evaluate the dogs temerament/biddilbity for a sport, not the breed type. Granted I did not read the book. As for stress, I'm talking conformational. I wouldnt take a dog with bad hips or elbows, luxating patellas, etc and expect them to train for agility and maintain soundness over a long term.

Chris O'Rear: I think all dogs have potential, and it's just finding the right motivation, mindset, and patience to work with different individuals. Basenjis are like people, very distinct individuals.

Susan Kamen Marsicano: Actually, with basenjis, the happy handler syndrome is more valuable than a terrific shoulder. If the team learns to say, "whatever" they can then have fun.

Andrea Stone: The Beginner's Guide to Dog Agility and When Pigs Fly, in that order.

I am less a fan of the former thought because I feel that it puts the sport first. In other words, in reading it, I felt the message was, "If you want to compete in Agility, get XYZ type of dog." Like it's more about the sport than the dog. I see plenty of that in conformation already.

Is is true that getting a certain type of dog will make it easier to be in the upper echelons of the sport? Yes, I agree that it probably is easier to do that if you have a breed and an individual within that breed that is naturally biddable.

However, I feel you should get the dog you love and then do whatever the two of you want to do together as much as is safe and fun for you both. Don't get trapped in other people's boxes.


Zepar shelvng himself, again.

Chris O'Rear: "However, I feel you should get the dog you love and then do whatever the two of you want to do together as much as is safe and fun for you both. Don't get trapped in other people's boxes" Exactly!

I do agility BECAUSE I love my dog, I didn't get a dog because I want to do agility. But in the future I will use my desire to do agility in how I evaluate puppies, and will lay better groundwork at a younger age.

Andrea Stone: I have always felt that having a sense of humor should be a prerequisite for owning any Hound. I really think most dog owners should but... I spoke with someone once who did not believe in training dogs to do tricks.

Me: "How does your dog know the difference between a trick and an obedience command? They are both just behaviors that you shape and reward."

Person: "I don't believe dogs should be laughed at."

Me: "Nothing wrong with bringing happiness to people. If you and your dog are having fun, isn't that the point?"

Person: .....

Stormi King Parish: I laugh at my dog daily. I'm pretty sure in his own doggy way he laughs at the ridiculous things we humans do, too.

Andrea Stone: My dogs laugh at me constantly. But even more often than that, I think we laugh together!

Chris O'Rear: Same here, and Bakari acts very happy when he hears me laughing. He can get amped up and very playful. Joy is contagious.

Bakari


Random Thoughts on agility:

Carol Mount:  Decided today that running Zuri is like running a 3 yr old playing with light switch: brain on, brain off, brain on, brain on, brain off......   

Donna Hess:  A good working team is all about the relationship btw dog and handler.


Regan can catch food!

Andrea & Regan

Andrea Stone: -  And I'm not talking about fuzz tailed tree rats.

Janna Stamper: That's awesome!

Beth Straub: Did you start with something like popcorn?

Andrea Stone: White bread. Also just dropping things into her baby-bird-lilke open mouth.

Susan Kamen Marsicano: Wow!!

George Woodard: I've recently come to believe that most all basenjis can learn to catch. I had always used the existing catchers to teach the new ones by example. Except that Chloe was not catching on. I had totally given up on her until Melina Carter gave it a try and succeeded. Chloe just needed a different teaching approach.

Kipawa Harder: I am going to try this.

Synchronized Agility /Photos by Kees ‘t Mannetje


Ch'Ami & Moyo jumping even though Dana had knocked the bar .