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I guess I have an agility dog

1K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  krandall 
#1 ·
Two days in a row Bama has escaped the kitchen into the den. She is allowed in the den, but we often 'trap' her in the kitchen when we can't be in the den with her instead of putting her in the crate.

Yesterday I had bumped the gate while going over it so it was crooked...maybe that gave her the idea to go over...I thought maybe she had snuck thru before I could close the doggy door part of it. But this morning I found her in the den...twice.

I tried to get her to show me how she does it. I sat on the other side with treats and encouraged her to come but she was woofing so I gave up...don't want to reinforce barking. So I tried going on her side and leaving the treats on the floor in the den. I put her on my lap to see if she needed a boost. She wouldn't do it. I put her closer to the top with her front paws on the gate and sure enough she jumped over.

So I guess she climbs instead of taking a running leap. My husband wants to raise the gate, but I think she would just sneak over.

She has only done this with the metal gate, which has some horizontal bars, as opposed to the wooden ones blocking the fridge area and the hall to the bedroom, which don't have any potential footholds except the top.

It's so strange...Miss Yorkie for years would stay behind a box that was only maybe 6-10 inches high. Until maybe a year ago when she got scared during a thunderstorm and got over it...or probably pushed it aside. (Originally we had an actual gate and then moved down in size because we kept banging our legs...she must have assumed she couldn't get over or around the box the same way she couldn't get past the gate).

So now it's back to being in the crate when she isn't supervised (especially since her new trick is disconnecting the phone).

I guess my point is...does she seem to have the makings of an agility dog? She got to play with equipment a tiny bit after puppy class (the equipment was out for the class after hers). If she can get over gates and go through tunnels, I figure I should harness her skills into something productive. And hey, maybe she will learn to only go over things when she it is appropriate. She certainly knows the 'off' command so that might be helpful...
 
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#2 ·
Sounds like a future champion. lol!

I had to finally give up on the xpen when Piper kept getting out and I was afraid she would get hurt-I could never quite figure out how she did it either.
 
#4 ·
Maddie did the same thing and hurt herself. I then blocked the doorway with a large Painting she didn't have anything to climb on. For some reason now she doesn't try to climb over the same gate maybe because her BF Zoe is with her.
 
#5 ·
Two days in a row Bama has escaped the kitchen into the den. She is allowed in the den, but we often 'trap' her in the kitchen when we can't be in the den with her instead of putting her in the crate.

Yesterday I had bumped the gate while going over it so it was crooked...maybe that gave her the idea to go over...I thought maybe she had snuck thru before I could close the doggy door part of it. But this morning I found her in the den...twice.

I tried to get her to show me how she does it. I sat on the other side with treats and encouraged her to come but she was woofing so I gave up...don't want to reinforce barking. So I tried going on her side and leaving the treats on the floor in the den. I put her on my lap to see if she needed a boost. She wouldn't do it. I put her closer to the top with her front paws on the gate and sure enough she jumped over.

So I guess she climbs instead of taking a running leap. My husband wants to raise the gate, but I think she would just sneak over.

She has only done this with the metal gate, which has some horizontal bars, as opposed to the wooden ones blocking the fridge area and the hall to the bedroom, which don't have any potential footholds except the top.

It's so strange...Miss Yorkie for years would stay behind a box that was only maybe 6-10 inches high. Until maybe a year ago when she got scared during a thunderstorm and got over it...or probably pushed it aside. (Originally we had an actual gate and then moved down in size because we kept banging our legs...she must have assumed she couldn't get over or around the box the same way she couldn't get past the gate).

So now it's back to being in the crate when she isn't supervised (especially since her new trick is disconnecting the phone).

I guess my point is...does she seem to have the makings of an agility dog? She got to play with equipment a tiny bit after puppy class (the equipment was out for the class after hers). If she can get over gates and go through tunnels, I figure I should harness her skills into something productive. And hey, maybe she will learn to only go over things when she it is appropriate. She certainly knows the 'off' command so that might be helpful...
Two days in a row Bama has escaped the kitchen into the den. She is allowed in the den, but we often 'trap' her in the kitchen when we can't be in the den with her instead of putting her in the crate.

Yesterday I had bumped the gate while going over it so it was crooked...maybe that gave her the idea to go over...I thought maybe she had snuck thru before I could close the doggy door part of it. But this morning I found her in the den...twice.

I tried to get her to show me how she does it. I sat on the other side with treats and encouraged her to come but she was woofing so I gave up...don't want to reinforce barking. So I tried going on her side and leaving the treats on the floor in the den. I put her on my lap to see if she needed a boost. She wouldn't do it. I put her closer to the top with her front paws on the gate and sure enough she jumped over.

So I guess she climbs instead of taking a running leap. My husband wants to raise the gate, but I think she would just sneak over.

She has only done this with the metal gate, which has some horizontal bars, as opposed to the wooden ones blocking the fridge area and the hall to the bedroom, which don't have any potential footholds except the top.

It's so strange...Miss Yorkie for years would stay behind a box that was only maybe 6-10 inches high. Until maybe a year ago when she got scared during a thunderstorm and got over it...or probably pushed it aside. (Originally we had an actual gate and then moved down in size because we kept banging our legs...she must have assumed she couldn't get over or around the box the same way she couldn't get past the gate).

So now it's back to being in the crate when she isn't supervised (especially since her new trick is disconnecting the phone).

I guess my point is...does she seem to have the makings of an agility dog? She got to play with equipment a tiny bit after puppy class (the equipment was out for the class after hers). If she can get over gates and go through tunnels, I figure I should harness her skills into something productive. And hey, maybe she will learn to only go over things when she it is appropriate. She certainly knows the 'off' command so that might be helpful...
There are very few dogs who can't learn to navigate the obstacles in agility... They just aren't that high. Depending on her grown-up height, she will ony be asked to jump between 4 and 12" inches. (and I doubt the latter... Kodi just BARELY makes it into the 12" category, and he's a very tall Hav) it has more to do with attitude and training than absolute "ability".

But, by all means take some agility classes when she gets older. At very least you will both have a great time. At best, you might find that she's a dynamite little agility competitor! Just remember that you shouldn't allow her to jump or do weaves until she is at least one year old.
 
#7 ·
Jumping UP is fine. It's jumping DOWN that is a problem. It's not possible to TOTALLY avoid it... these guys are like pogo sticks! But you don't want to encourage it, or have them do it in a repetitive manner, as you would in training. And you don't want to give them the opportunity to jump from high places even once if you can possibly avoid it!
 
#8 ·
sounds like she is definitely agile!

she also sounds like she might have separation anxiety? at agility, the dogs need to be crated at times when mamma is doing other things, ring crew etc.

my bella prefers to sit on the chair at trials, she hates being in the crate :) She wants to be closer to mamma !
 
#9 ·
sounds like she is definitely agile!

she also sounds like she might have separation anxiety? at agility, the dogs need to be crated at times when mamma is doing other things, ring crew etc.

my bella prefers to sit on the chair at trials, she hates being in the crate :) She wants to be closer to mamma !
I thought that might be it, but one time it was while I was taking a shower and she escaped into the den...not the hall where the bathroom is. Don't think she even tried to get to where I was. She headed for the room with the sofa (which she wasn't allowed on by herself until about a month ago), her daytime dog bed, her carrier (she likes to hang out in it), lots of toys, things she is allowed to chew, a little doggy igloo she hides things in, the children's monkey pillow she loves, and the hard sided pet carrier that she sometimes will play in. All the kitchen has for her is water, food at meal times, her crate with sometimes a toy or chewie (when we leave her in there, but not necessarily all the time...she likes to transfer things around), the blanket in her crate, and her radio that is on when we leave the house.

So while there could be some separation issues going on, I think it's more of 'hey if they are leaving or really want me to stay put they put me in the crate. No one put me in the crate, so why do I need to be in here when all the fun stuff is out there.' I think perhaps the couch potato has separation issues from the sofa. ;-)
 
#12 ·
Yesterday morning my husband put her bed and toys in the kitchen and put the curtain to the den now (long velvety type) so she can't see into the den and climbing/jumping over is more difficult. When I woke up, there she was, sitting in her warm bed with all her toys.

She does seem to I guess be entering into the second fear imprint period. She barks when ups comes to the door. I hope she doesn't get nervous at the airport.
 
#13 ·
Barking at the UPS guy doesn't NECESSARILY mean fear... Kodi always "alert barks" at the UPS or mail truck in the driveway. But as soon as I go to the door, he stops. He's actually very friendly with delivery people... he just wants to make sure I know someone's on the property!:)
 
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