Training/Competing with Someone Else's Dog... doable? - Page 1

Hey all.

I've been considering starting doing agility with my moms Golden pup lately, but am not sure how doable it would be when she doesn't live with me. They live close though, and it wouldn't be hard to go snatch her for a few hours to go to classes and whatnot. She is bonded to me, she listens to me better than them, but they also basically let her do whatever, meet whoever, and I'm not sure living a with 24/7 lifestyle like that, that she would be able to snap back and focus on the task at hand without going airhead on me and running out of the ring to snuggle with the judges. She is a very smart dog though, she learns quickly. So I don't know.

I really don't know anything about agility, how much practice is efficient, etc. I know we'd never make the big leagues, but it has always looked like fun, and it would be good exercise for us both.

Thoughts?
-T

No reason you couldn't or shouldn't, Dawulf--it can only benefit the dog and the household the dog lives in, since at least SOMEBODY would be training her and putting her clever little mind to good use. I say go for it...I don't see a down side to it, and the pup would thrive on having that kind of one-on-one interaction and mental as well as physical exercise.

Dogs are smart and learn quickly that different people have different expectations and rewards. Make sure to be consistent with your rewards and to keep yourself highly motivating and the dog should learn that doing what you ask all the time is rewarding.

If you're worried about her running off when offleash, I'd work on some offleash obedience with rewards and teaching her greeting manners, and ignoring strangers before starting agility.

Fervious' first sentence nails it, Dawulf. And I absolutely
agree with Hexe.

When I used to do dog-walking / pet-sitting services a few
years back, I sometimes got into different activities with
other peoples' dogs that they were never going to take up
themselves. Yes, there were occasional conflicts and
frustrations ... but these were between me and the owners,
not me and the dogs (who always adjusted very well to 2
different sets of expectations) - and given the 'history' with
your family I'd guess you were ready for occasions like
that anyway ?

Good luck !
Linda.

Check yr rules, I think weaves are in entry level, they are pretty tough.

You will be the biggest problem not the dog.

most IPO folk don't get body language. A lot of folk think agility is about the obstacles, it's not. It's about setting up your dog to perform at speed to make precise decisions.

High level agility is much harder than IPO IMO.

Communication is at a high level, you can really screw up your dog's performance on comp day.

I say do it.

Dogs are able to understand that different people have different rules for them, and they also are very specific with responding to situations (which is why you need to train the same exercise in different situations so it's generalized). She may be able to run crazy at home, but if you have different, strict rules, she will follow them once she knows this is what's expected of her from you.

I know this firsthand. My dog is crazy with my sister because she allows it, but I'm strict, so she minds me.

I know plenty of people that run dogs they do not own. Including myself. i use to run my sister's min pin in agility. And was awesome. I was heart broken when she moved out of state and took him with her. He had the makings of a champ! But there is no reason you could not run your parent's dog. You might have to be a Co-owners in some clubs to be eligible to run the dog. (IE UKC bu not AKC)
Go have fun.
Fry

I think the Bonding is very important and it seems you have that part already...As for the rest...Dogs learn Situational Obedience...Meaning they will learn to do what you want in certain circumstances...Like in an Agility Ring...

~Bob~

Some really great points brought up by other posters, so I will just say - sure, go for it!

It happens all the time, from what I've seen among my friends who do agility.

Christine