Hi all,

My Border Collie pup Maggie is just coming up to 6 months now (I don't know where the time has gone!) and I am keen to get her into an agility club that does pre-beginner/puppy agility training. I know that she won't be able to do any jumps etc until she is more like 12 months + and wont be able to compete until she is 18 months, but I have heard about these pre-beginner classes which work a lot of the equipment at ground level and teach more about control on the equipment/on the course etc.

Has anyone done similar puppy agility/pre-beginner with their dogs?

We have already taken her to puppy & graduate training classes from an early age and are now doing competition obedience training classes to improve her attention etc, so she has all the basics and more already.

I live in Camberley, Surrey - can anyone recommend a good club that would be nearish to me (Surrey/North Hampshire/Berkshire)? I dont mind travelling a bit further out if it is on a weekend?

I have seen lots of club details on agility.net etc and looked them all up (there are loads), but it would be good to hear recommendations from people that have been to them/are a member, as it seems that the quality varies greatly?

I know that there are usually waiting lists for the good ones so want to get in now and start looking.

Thank you!

Katie

PS: if you could recommend a good agility club that doesnt do puppy classes I would be interested too, just in case I cannot find what I am looking for near me!

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hi sweetie when you've found one let me know lol! I live in Surrey too he he.

if you look on agility net i think you'll find some classes. i know theres an agility club in wallington but i don't know if it deals with puppy agility

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Will do!!

I have put in enquiries to a few I like the look of, but as I am new to agility it is quite difficult to work out what I should be looking for!

Some seem so serious, and although I want to go to learn and hopefully I would like to compete in the end, it has to be fun along the way and not all of the clubs seem to go by this!

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Could you ask some of the clubs if you could attend a training class just to watch what they do? i know where i train dogs are not allowed untill they are 12 months old,

Yep thanks Hazel, that's what I have asked in my enquiries of the ones I have found, but most are about an hour away, so wondered if anyone could recommend any before I tried.

Do you live in this area too? I would also be interested to hear of any that are good even if they don't do puppy classes, as I may not be able to find one of these near enough/with spaces.

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We used to let puppies come and see the agility and I know some people walk them over poles on the ground between two jump wings, planks on the ground for the dog walk, etc. but the best start you can have if you want to do agility is to work on basic control, and working (or walking) your dog on both sides of you

Sophie
x

hi

paddywack in windlesham, 5 mins from camberley. they do fun & friendly classes but taught with a variety of methods, so if you wanted to compete that is encouraged. all bases covered.
the people who ran it both had pups the same age as mine 7mnths, so we did a dedicated puppy class, as we all knew we had to keep them steady, but could introduce the equipment from an early age.
they will be more than happy for you to sit in and watch a session, generally 12mnths to start.
will be recruiting more people in spring / summer as outdoor venue and winter is grim!

the trouble with introducing agility too young for novice agility handlers(not the dogs!) is that they think the higher and faster they go, the better. when in fact the concentrating on obedience handling is best. work on both sides tho. running round a course the long way is not fun!
will prob be at frimley lodge show.

Paddywack Dog Training

Re: Puppy Agility - Surrey/Berkshire/Hants

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hi

paddywack in windlesham, 5 mins from camberley. they do fun & friendly classes but taught with a variety of methods, so if you wanted to compete that is encouraged. all bases covered.
the people who ran it both had pups the same age as mine 7mnths, so we did a dedicated puppy class, as we all knew we had to keep them steady, but could introduce the equipment from an early age.
they will be more than happy for you to sit in and watch a session, generally 12mnths to start.
will be recruiting more people in spring / summer as outdoor venue and winter is grim!

the trouble with introducing agility too young for novice agility handlers(not the dogs!) is that they think the higher and faster they go, the better. when in fact the concentrating on obedience handling is best. work on both sides tho. running round a course the long way is not fun!
will prob be at frimley lodge show.

Paddywack Dog Training

hi sailor50 - i started this thread about 9 months ago, as my maggie is now over 13 months

I can thoroughly recommend Millbrook Agility Dogs: Millbrook Agility Dogs

They have a range of levels - all the beginner work (so for pups and beginner adults) is done on the ground, so no weaves and no jumping etc until they are old enough.

They have a venue in Chobham (indoor and outdoors) and one at Merrist Wood, just outside of Guildford (all outdoors) and they run a number of classes on different days/nights, at different times and arrange competitions etc throughout the year too.

Kathrin (the owner) is lovely, so if you have any questions you can contact her (details on the site).

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