Ch. Calliope Rhapsody enjoying agility
Agility restarted a few weeks ago, and Rita (Rap’s litter sister out of Netherlands import Ch. Rick Lois From the Dogsfarm at Calliope and the UK import Ch. Farleycross So Far So Good of Calliope) whom I had booked for the agility class and was working with in agility now for a while, went into season.
There is no regulation that states that a female dog in season cannot compete in a conformation dog show. However, a dog in season is not allowed to compete in agility or obedience. She is also not welcomed on agility and obedience classes when in season.
I have been running in agility now for a few years, and I am a believer in Jane Simmons-Moake’s books and tapes so although Rhapsody has not had much agility training I am a seasoned agility person.
A lot of the mistakes which are made in agility are made by the handlers, and once the handlers make the mistake, the dog will usually follow the mistake.
If a person yells “tunnel”, but their body (feet and arms and hand) point elsewhere, the chances are that the dog is going to follow the body language and I know that! Especially if the dog is very fast. MY Bouvier who is very well respected for agility is Dena, CD, a super fast dog.
Raps follows my body language and she is obedient trained to legs, A and B of Novice. And she seems to be really enjoying herself.
Looking at the top agility competitors overseas, a lot of the handlers are males and I was amused and pleasantly surprised to find, I think, 4 males on the class. Most of the dogs are from the gundog group but there is a German Shepherd dog which is doing well.
For me, I have always wanted a dog which is fast but to do a clean run as to be fast and make mistakes will cost you points.
Bouviers, from the herding/working group, can be very fast dogs but I want to build speed slowly as I want clean runs and Rhapsody has really surprised me with her enthusiasm.
A clean run is a run where the agility course is followed as set, and the dog makes correct contact with the obstacles such as the A-frame, see-saw, and does not knock over the jumps and does not refuse to do any part of the course.
Credit should be given to The B’dos. Dog Training Club, especially Jean Ray. Sarah Hamilton is assisting Jean with the training of the “Novice” class as it has approx. 11 handlers so the class is split into two.
As Rhapsody is doing so well and enjoying herself, I might let her continue the course Rita was booked for.
Raps was hesistant with the see-saw and heights but once she did them, she wanted to return without any command. I noticed at the last class which had jumps and a table, she remembered the table from an earlier jump and took the initiative and did it on her own as I, the handler, forgot to tell her but she read my body language and bouviers are a very smart breed 🙂
Tags: agility Barbados
