Agility

[Gypsy]

For about the past month now I have been taking Cosette to agility classes and we've had a great time with it! The teacher says she's doing really well and is very fast. She's working on almost everything now, jumps, tunnel, dog walk, a frame, tire jump, and has learned sit and working on stay and down and going around. She hasn't tried the weave poles or teeter totter yet but she signed us up for an agillity workshop this Saturday that will be taught by a big agility person that will be several hours long so that should be interesting

It's amazing how much small dogs seem to enjoy it, my mom and sister have been taking theirs and they just took right to it and the teacher has a chihuahua and pug doing it too. And there is also a brussels griffon in the classes. I think it's really helped Cosette with discipline too, she listens to me better now and isn't so bad about barking, the teacher says it's a really good confidence builder and it's definitely helped her attitude. She's also around other breeds there which is good experience. All in all it has been great and I would definitely recommend trying it to anyone who has the opportunity. I don't know if she'll ever compete or anything but we're just having fun with it.

[Jen]

That sounds really neat. I'm guessing short and stocky body types like Woody wouldn't be very good or maybe body type doesn't matter?

[Tricia]

That is very cool I'm pretty sure they would kick Holly out as soon as she tried attacking all the other dogs

[Gypsy]

I don't think body type matters at all. The lady who teaches the class has a pug who is short and verry stocky who does it and is actually the number one jumping pug in the US and the chihuahuas my mom and sister are doing it with are the shorter cobby type. Cosette's long legs do help her with speed she's so fast but I think any chi could do great at it and ours at least seem to really enjoy it.

Cosette's such a meanie, she tries to pick on all other dogs too but she's been much better now since we've been going. She used to bark NONSTOP at any big dogs and now the german shepards at the class she doesn't even make a noise at.

[Jen]

Oh that's good it's mellowed Cosette. I could see Teddy enjoying it since he's the one that jumps on and off things and doesn't have any fear. Woody would probably surprise me and be good at it too I've just always viewed him as a little weeble wobble.

Have you video taped the girls on the course?

[Gypsy]

Cosette doesn't have any fear either. She said that alot of small dogs are afraid of the dog walk because it's up high but Cosette went right up and it. I think they are good because they are so brave, chihuahuas think they're the biggest and toughest already I haven't ever taped it, I need to get Trey to come along with me sometime and record her doing it. She's really benefited from it and I love that our teacher uses only positive training because I have always been bothered by the negative stuff, part of why I don't really like the dog whisperers training methods. I like the only positive reinforcement.