# As Promised... Kodi's Agility Videos!



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

"Regular" run:


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

*Wow!*

Karen, makes the rest of us ashamed that we haven't done this with our Havs. You and Kodi are so good together. I enjoyed watching you direct Kodi to the 'right' tunnel--got to be tempting for him to go straight ahead.

Keeper stood next to me at the computer barking in response to the dogs he could hear on the video. He is SO brave.

Shirley H (Keeper's Mom)


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## miller123 (Aug 13, 2011)

Awesome job, you uys looked great, I cant wait to start big boy agility training with Miller. I hope to be trialing by next year! I hope to be as good as you guys!


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## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

Yeahhh Good job !!! Love it !!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ShirleyH said:


> Karen, makes the rest of us ashamed that we haven't done this with our Havs. You and Kodi are so good together. I enjoyed watching you direct Kodi to the 'right' tunnel--got to be tempting for him to go straight ahead.
> 
> Keeper stood next to me at the computer barking in response to the dogs he could hear on the video. He is SO brave.
> 
> Shirley H (Keeper's Mom)


It IS tempting for them to go straight ahead once they visually "lock on" to the next obstacle. The courses where we NQ'd (other than tunneler's, which was on time) were exactly this problem, where I didn't get his attention quickly enough, and he ended up doing an obstacle out of order. (automatic NQ in this venue).

Watching the videos, I realized that he was a lot slower than he is in class, but I guess that's not surprising, considering that it was his first competition. I'd rather have had him too slow, and listening to me, than the other extreme that I saw with a number of dogs, where they just blew their handlers off and ran amuck!ound:


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Looks like you got a work out!!!! Once Kodi gets use to your hand signels you will be able to stand further away cover less ground and still be able to guide him. You guys were wonderful and agility is fun. I miss doing this with Yogi but until I feel he has matured enough in crowds we will stick with obedience.

These two videos made me smile through your whole process and my guys barked too!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Cool stuff Karen. I do love when they don't come out of the tunnel and you see the owner prompting from the exit. ound:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> Cool stuff Karen. I do love when they don't come out of the tunnel and you see the owner prompting from the exit. ound:


Kodi comes out pretty reliably, so that's not something I worry about. But... One night at class, a friend's Havanese entered a tunnel on course and never came out the other end. On closer inspection, it turned out that the trainer's Spinoni Italiano was sleeping in the middle, blocking the way!ound:


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

krandall said:


> Kodi comes out pretty reliably, so that's not something I worry about. But... One night at class, a friend's Havanese entered a tunnel on course and never came out the other end. On closer inspection, it turned out that the trainer's Spinoni Italiano was sleeping in the middle, blocking the way!ound:


Ha ha ha...that's hilarious!

I love the agility videos - probably because I can understand what is going on in them more than the ones with all the cards/stations.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The Laughing Magpie said:


> Looks like you got a work out!!!! Once Kodi gets use to your hand signels you will be able to stand further away cover less ground and still be able to guide him. You guys were wonderful and agility is fun. I miss doing this with Yogi but until I feel he has matured enough in crowds we will stick with obedience.
> 
> These two videos made me smile through your whole process and my guys barked too!


Thanks, Robbie! Yes, in class and during practice, we are working on getting more distance, as well as better obstacle discrimination. But for our first trial, I didn't trust getting too far away. As he gets more used to it and speeds up, he will HAVE to work further away from me though... I won't be able to run fast enough!:biggrin1:


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Karen - that was really fun to watch! My guys are supposed to be napping (so I can have some quiet time - Haha) and I had to turn the sound down - they both started barking! Thanks for sharing. Kodi is so cute running the course. I have never gotten to see a Hav run agility. There don't seem to be any around here that do it, that I have seen anyway.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Thanks, everyone! He's an awfully good boy putting up with a rookie handler!


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Well his talent is obvious... But he is just so handsome too Karen! You are a beautiful team.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Missy said:


> Well his talent is obvious... But he is just so handsome too Karen! You are a beautiful team.


Awww, thanks, Missy! I do think he's grown into a handsome toung man from the cute ball of fluff you first met!


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

Looking good, nice job handling him, Karen! You gotta be happy with your performance first time out. I remember feeling terrified, lol! You looked as cool as a cucumber. Fun video!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lsprick said:


> Looking good, nice job handling him, Karen! You gotta be happy with your performance first time out. I remember feeling terrified, lol! You looked as cool as a cucumber. Fun video!


Thanks, Leslie! I wasn't really nervous, but I was a little unsure, both of how we would both do, AND of exactly how things worked. The good thing was that NADAC is a very friendly venue, and everyone was VERY willing to help out a couple of newbies. They even had prizes for us, just for it being our first trial. We got hand made dog treats and Kodi got a purple squeaky lizard, which he LOVES!!!:biggrin1:


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

Wow! that's fantastic. I can't wait to start doing agility with Gemma. I want to get the obedience down first though. What age did you start agility? I know you do obedience as well; did you do both classes simultaneously or finish her obedience and then start agility? They won't let dogs start agility classes here until they are over a year and they only run in the summer (hard to do it in the snow).


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tuss said:


> Wow! that's fantastic. I can't wait to start doing agility with Gemma. I want to get the obedience down first though. What age did you start agility? I know you do obedience as well; did you do both classes simultaneously or finish her obedience and then start agility? They won't let dogs start agility classes here until they are over a year and they only run in the summer (hard to do it in the snow).


Your training center is right to make people wait until over a year. And YOU are right to want Gemma's obedience work to be solid first.qq Some places offer "Puppy Agility" classes, but at best, these are unnecessary, and more of a fun thing for the owner... Serious agility people don't bother with them. At worst, starting a puppy in agility too early, before their joints have fully matured, can do serious, permanent harm. Puppies should NEVER be asked to jump more than jump bumps (like a swim noodle) do weaves, or work on equipment that they could fall from, before they are fully mature. (what that means varies from breed to breed, but with small dogs, a year is usually safe. Large breed owners often wait until at least 18 months)

By all means, give her a solid start in obedience first. Agility is ALL about being able to handle the dog from increasing distances, and all off leash. The "agility claases" where the dogs are mostly on-leash are silly IMO, if you can't keep your dog's attention without a leash, you're not ready for agility. Teaching them the obstacles is the easy part. OCCASIONALLY, a trainer will use a leash to hold the dog back as you call the dog through a tunnel, but this is to create drive, not to control the dog, and should be faded quickly, as the dog gets the idea.

It would be a VERY unusual situation to wait until a dog is "finished" with obedience to start agility. A UD dog is rarely under 5 or 6 years old! A dog who can do Beginner Novice obedience, and will also stay with you off-leash, or one who is ready for Novice level Rally has all the basic obedience skills needed for agility. Whether you continue with obedience after that point is a matter of personal preference... With both the person AND the dog. Some dogs are better suited to one sport or the other, and many dogs can happily do both.

Kodi started obedience work as soon as I got him. (starting with puppy K, of course!). When I bought him, I specifically was looking for an agility dog. But we started having so much fun with Rally and obedience that we've continued to do both. Our current training schedule is, one group agility lesson per week, one day of Rally Run-throughs (this is practice, not a lesson, but one of the trainers is there to help if you're having a problem) and we alternate, every other week we have a private obedience lesson, and on the alternating week we go to an obedience drop-in class which is good practice and a LOT cheaper! So we are typically "at school" 3 days per week. We train at an indoor facility, so we go all year long. In fact, if the weather is really bad in the winter, I sometimes rent ring time (it's cheap) and go over there for an extra practice.

Most people who are training their first dog find that it takes 18 months to 2 years for their dog to be ready for Novice level Rally or Beginner Novice Obedience. Typically, dogs with novice handlers need about a year of lessons, with several times a week practice of the weave poles at home, to be ready for their first agility competition.

Kodi did his first Rally competition at 16 months, but then we got so involved with the Rally and Obedience stuff that I couldn't really fit Agility competition into the schedule. He's been ready to do compete for at least 6 months at this point. Now we are at a point that we need to work on more advanced obedience skills at home before competing toward higher level titles, so this is a good time to get our feet wet in the competitive Agility ring! He turned 3 on April 30, and I've had him for 3 years tomorrow!!!


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## Tuss (Apr 22, 2012)

thanks KAren, I'll stick to obedience for now. I live in a smaller city so not a lot of options for obedience or agility. For obedience there is only one local trial per year and we aren't ready to compete this year. so will have to wait until next year to compete. I'm in Canada so we have to pass pre-novice before being allowed in novice. Hopefully i'll get both next summer. Maybe will start some agility next summer or wait until the summer after. Most agility competitions are out of town and involve some travel. I did agility class with my labradoodle but she just wasnt' cut out as an agility dog (she still needs a boost to get into my car and on the bed, even though she stands at 24")

I love watching your agility videos though; you make it look so easy. I can see the hours and hours of training that go into making it look that way!


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

krandall said:


> Kodi comes out pretty reliably, so that's not something I worry about. But... One night at class, a friend's Havanese entered a tunnel on course and never came out the other end. On closer inspection, it turned out that the trainer's Spinoni Italiano was sleeping in the middle, blocking the way!ound:


 That is too funnyound:. I didn't know their were so many different types of agility. I have only watched a few times and they had the ramps and such. You guys looked great I didn't notice any mistakes. Of course Kodi could do no wrong in my book.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

motherslittlehelper said:


> Karen - that was really fun to watch! My guys are supposed to be napping (so I can have some quiet time - Haha) and I had to turn the sound down - they both started barking! Thanks for sharing. Kodi is so cute running the course. I have never gotten to see a Hav run agility. There don't seem to be any around here that do it, that I have seen anyway.


 I know a couple of people from the Oregon Havanese club that show. Augie can join them! And I'll come watch you guys.


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

Just wonderful!! You and Kodi should be quite proud of yourselves!! I enjoyed watching!!


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

Those vids were awesome Karen!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Suzi said:


> That is too funnyound:. I didn't know their were so many different types of agility. I have only watched a few times and they had the ramps and such. You guys looked great I didn't notice any mistakes. Of course Kodi could do no wrong in my book.


Awww, thanks, everyone! Suzi, there weren't any mistakes on these courses, except that he was too slow on the tunneler's course. They have to do the tunneler's course pretty fast to "Qualify" in that event. I think he will speed up as he gets more comfortable with it... He's faster at home than he was at the trial. He did have other runs where he made mistakes... We still have a long way to go before we'll feel as confident in Agility as we do in Rally.


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## Cailleach (Jan 30, 2010)

Your vids were a joy to watch. I have a few times been tempted to enter agilty but my crappy knees are so unreliable I always back out.


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

Karen, we have friends at Havanese Nationals in Minnesota and wish we were there--too much fun. Anyway, I note that this year was the first agility competition at Nationals. Don't know where next year's will be held, but take a look. You and Kodi would be so good.

Shirley H (Keeper's Mom)


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ShirleyH said:


> Karen, we have friends at Havanese Nationals in Minnesota and wish we were there--too much fun. Anyway, I note that this year was the first agility competition at Nationals. Don't know where next year's will be held, but take a look. You and Kodi would be so good.
> 
> Shirley H (Keeper's Mom)


Actually, I know they had agility at National last year, because I have a friend who compete. Not sure about before that. Some of my friends went this year, and wanted my to bring Kodi, but I decided not to for a couple of reasons. Even though he will (barely) fit in an underseat carrier, it is two long flights and a LOT of airport waiting around to get to Minn. from here. Second, my big Rally tournament was the weekend before. So we would have had to do the tournament, then two days later, put him on a plane for Minn. to spend the next several days in a hotel room. I just thought it was all WAY too much for him.

I believe next year is outside of Chicago, which is reasonable to do in the car in two days. He's a really good traveler in the car, so maybe we can make that one work!


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

I, too, decided against Nationals this year even tho I wanted to be there for agility. I want to last year's trial in Sanborn, NC, but we weren't competing yet. The distance to MSP was the deal-breaker for me. I'm not sure they'd let Gracie on a plane if they knew her size. I know she'd fit under the seat, but the experience might be too stressful for her right now. I know there will be other opportunities. Chicago is 1 1/2 hours from Charlotte by plane....


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

Karen, that's confusing about the Nationals. The website says this is the first year 'held as part of the Nationals' so perhaps last year was a separate trial????


Shirley H. (Keeper's Mom)


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## Lsprick (Jul 8, 2010)

ShirleyH said:


> Karen, that's confusing about the Nationals. The website says this is the first year 'held as part of the Nationals' so perhaps last year was a separate trial????
> 
> Shirley H. (Keeper's Mom)


I think this year is the first agility trial just for our breed. Last year the trial was open to all breeds, if I recall correctly.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lsprick said:


> I, too, decided against Nationals this year even tho I wanted to be there for agility. I want to last year's trial in Sanborn, NC, but we weren't competing yet. The distance to MSP was the deal-breaker for me. I'm not sure they'd let Gracie on a plane if they knew her size. I know she'd fit under the seat, but the experience might be too stressful for her right now. I know there will be other opportunities. Chicago is 1 1/2 hours from Charlotte by plane....


Yes, if Kodi had been ready ti compete last year, I would have gone too. But he was only just starting Advanced level Rally then, and definitely wasn't ready to compete in agility. Oh well, maybe ne t year. If it's stressful for him, I don't want to do it. We have SO many competitions available in this area, that there is no reason to add a lot of extra travel stress to him.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Lsprick said:


> I think this year is the first agility trial just for our breed. Last year the trial was open to all breeds, if I recall correctly.


Oh, OK. I didn't know how it worked, only that a friend went down for agility.


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## gertchie (Jan 28, 2012)

I Love this!!! Kodi is So Cute! I wish I time to do agility with Ozzie....I bought him a tube and he totally loves it. He is also super fast! Thanks for the video


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Kodi you are amazing.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Last year at Bon Clyde in Sanford, NC was for other breeds also, this year is the first year it is Hav's only. I did not go to the Nationals this year because I have been very ill hopefully I will go next year.


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## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

Thanks for sharing. Kodi looks so cute jumping.


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

krandall said:


> "Regular" run:


Wonderful Karen and Kodi!!!! Thank you for sharing these videos...so inspiring..I wanted to try agility but don't know if I would be fast enough...lol..


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Flynn Gentry-Taylor said:


> Wonderful Karen and Kodi!!!! Thank you for sharing these videos...so inspiring..I wanted to try agility but don't know if I would be fast enough...lol..


I don't know, Flynn... I'm pretty darned slow!ound:


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