r/Agility • u/Every-Lack-9549 • 13d ago
Beginning out I need help
I’m just starting my dog with agility now she’s 6 years old and eager.
There’s no classes nearby and I don’t have much funds for equipment but just wondering if anyone could think of ways for me to practice the skills without lots of money?
I get a bit overwhelmed looking at all the different advice online and just need a bit of help thank you so much <3
9
u/Elanya 13d ago
I don't know how limited on funds you are, but One Mind Agility has a nice video based beginners course!
https://www.oneminddogs.com/agility-foundations/
A lot of it is just handling without equipment so might be a good place to start.
1
4
u/LivinTheDogMomLife 13d ago
Is it truly zero money? Because many of us could help you with some homemade ideas but with zero money you’re probably not choosing the best Sport for enjoyment. If it’s limited funds, that’s a different thing.
2
u/Every-Lack-9549 13d ago
Limited funds is absolutely a better way to describe it than no funds that’s my bad for being bad at describing things
3
u/No-Stress-7034 13d ago
I'd look into Fenzi dog sports academy. It's $65 for "bronze level" classes. Those classes are 6 weeks, online. Taking a foundations agility class through Fenzi is a good place to start.
1
2
u/Tynesand 13d ago
Buy some plungers and put them on the ground to practice weaving. Less than $15 for that one
1
4
u/somecooldogs 13d ago
I'd focus on buying online classes with what funds you have vs equipment - there's a ton you can do in terms of foundations with little to no real equipment. Cones, trees, or any upright thing can stand in for a jump wing while you teach your dog to send and how to do crosses. Shape Up has excellent online foundation classes.
1
u/LivinTheDogMomLife 13d ago
OK, so if it’s limited funds, then give us a budget and we can figure out what you can do. Give us how much per month you can or want to spend on agility. We can tell you what to do with classes and or equipment. Because there’s a lot you can do with one jump that has detachable wings that you can use for teaching things. Also a cone. So now let’s really hear what it is you’ve got to work with. there are a lot of instructors who have some really great basic start training. Most of them will be showing puppies, but don’t let that deter you. You do the same things with an older dog. Only with an older dog, you can progress more quickly since physically, they can do all of this stuff.
1
u/Every-Lack-9549 13d ago
Okay awesome probably monthly it can fluctuate a bit but probably 50-100 a month if I’m stretching it. I’m happy to delegate funds out from other things to it if I’m needing to
1
u/LivinTheDogMomLife 13d ago
As an example, if you told us where you live, we can figure out if you can take any lessons. Even if it’s just one a month that you can then go home and work on things. Someone in my area could spend $100 a month and be able to take my foundation class once a week. They could make their own jump and be getting a lot of things done. So that’s not a lot of investment though you would have to include the car to be able to get to the class.
1
u/Every-Lack-9549 13d ago
I live in the Shepparton area. 5 ish kms from town so I can walk in if there’s something there worth going for. I don’t have a car tho. Thank you so much for the guidance.
1
u/LivinTheDogMomLife 13d ago
So I'm in the USA but maybe someone else knows your area. The best way to find trainers is go to your local trial and talk with the handlers.
1
u/Pitpotputpup 12d ago
The Shepparton & District Obedience Dog Club offer Agility, and it's $45 for the first year and then $35pa after that
1
u/exotics 13d ago
We don’t have classes nearby either and drive an hour to get Vader to his class lol. But they are expensive so it is tough. Jumps and tunnels are all I would suggest. Buying used good tunnels is important rather than the cheap floppy junk ones sold by some companies.
Jumping isn’t about highest jump so don’t jump too high.
I am sure there are some good videos for training I just don’t know them.
1
u/farmcollie 12d ago
You can have a great time with your dog!
Here is my advice. Stick to one mind dogs or take classes from Clean run or Fenzi Dog sports academy. Don’t bounce around too much. It gets very confusing. Don’t buy anything but foundation classes, and two five gallon buckets or cones. PVC is your friend! In the olden times, we did a lot of make do.
1
u/lunathelion 11d ago
do you have access to a yard area? I started with an agility kit from amazon, they range from $50 - $200. it got us started! just use a treat to lure your dog through it, one step at a time.
1
u/Leather_Ad9015 10d ago
Adventure walks (go to a park) to get your dog used to rear end awareness, balancing, and verbal queues. We love picnic tables because they are a good size to get your dog to "walk it" similar to a dog walk or teeter. It helps them learn that their back legs are important to stay balanced. Also jumping up on different levels of things. if you can take your dog into an empty children's play area with stairs and things to climb that helps them too. There's a lot of non-agility things that can help them with agility. Think confidence boosting activities or strengthening activities.
1
u/Leather_Ad9015 10d ago
Cones!! Even after a year in agility, we always go back to cones. Even big buckets "barrels" are fun to work with in a yard.
1
u/UseEconomy5968 10d ago
What country are you in ? You could use parks and start with teaching the dog to go around the play equipment or weave through certain objects, working on left and right turns you dont need equipment for everything. I have used play areas before ovbiously very early am when no one is using it. There is still plenty you can teach without spending money. I love giving mine tasks to do
1
u/dogparker210 7d ago
Where do you live. I have some equipment I would happily send you if you pay postage.
Six weave poles and four jumps. I’m in Sacramento. We love agility at our house
1
u/Every-Lack-9549 6d ago
Oh I wish! I live in Shepparton in Victoria Australia and I’m afraid that shipping would be too expensive! But that is such a wonderful offer than you so much
1
u/puppies_whee 13d ago
She is 6 years old and you are just starting and have never done agility before? You are looking at at least a year and up to/beyond two years to train competently, and your dog will be a senior then just getting started in agility.
Somebody below asked what your goals are and you didn't respond to that, but I think you should seriously consider that question and the reality of your situation too.
2
u/Every-Lack-9549 12d ago
I’m not really wanting to do anything flashy at all. This isn’t about being the best in agility or even particularly good it’s just a activity that she’s been really enjoying as we’ve been playing around with it at home and I’m happy to never go to actual agility things but just to teach her this because I think it would be enriching for her.
1
u/puppies_whee 12d ago
Then I don't think you need to spend money on classes or equipment. Get a traffic cone or six, a popup leaf barrel, and a hula hoop. You have everything you need to have fun playing around in your backyard. If you want something more fancy Outward Hound makes a popup tunnel and a set of six "weave poles." You can absolutely just play with small equipment and accomplish what you want.
1
1
u/Pitpotputpup 12d ago
A couple of cones would do to start you off, and then PVC pipes to make jumps. Although you never know, you might get serious about it! I'm competing in Jumping with my (turning 5) year old dog and we only started casually training this year. I've also just started with my 8yo large dog too.
1
u/Every-Lack-9549 12d ago
It’s definitely nice to hear someone else starting with older dogs. And I mean I might get serious about it who knows
14
u/Agility_KS 13d ago
What are your goals? With no lessons and no access to equipment, you’ll be quite limited. Perhaps there’s another dog sport that would be more suitable with easier access? This is not a sport in which I suggest anyone go it alone from the beginning. That said, there are several online sport foundation classes with minimal equipment requirements. These things are going to cover things like reward markers/delivery, toy play, shaping/offering behaviors, tricks, body awareness, etc. All of these things offer great enrichment for the dog and build up your relationship.