Beginner Agility Books?

Tbarrios333 · 06-02-2011, 12:26 PM

I must admit, your agility videos are absolutely awe inspiring!

Recently, I adopted a little spit fire border collie mix. She is high energy, barky, and LOVES to work for me. She loves to think and be challenged by me. It is actually hard for me to get her to play as she only wants to train. It seems like she never gets bored in our training sessions. I'm not sure if this has to do with the new training style, food motivation, or if she just loves it.
I would love to try my hand at agility with her just for fun. I'm not interested in the serious competitions as I will probably screw up royally since it is my first time!

I am currently working on engagement training with her and she is learning to focus on me. Still, the slow and sloppy handler (me!) allows her to disengage.

Right now, i'm overwhelmed at the amount of information out there for agility. Can anyone recommend a good book/website that breaks down the basics and has a nice guide on how to get started?

I found a training center near my house, but will call to see if they train with clickers. I love clickers

Any help would be appreciated!

GermanShepherd<3 · 06-02-2011, 02:18 PM

Go on clickertraining.com
They have clicker agility books, I like Agility Right from the start or something like that.
Agility Nerd the website has a book called Click and Play Agility. That one's a free download from the author. Agility Nerd also has a lot of info and courses as well with videos and explanations on how to take the crosses and stuff.
Clean Run also has some nice agility magazines, and they have some books as well like courses and exercises that don't always require to much competition equipment, and exercises to focus on specific things such as serpentines.
There are a lot of agility books out there, but some are older and don't really involve positive methods like holding the dog on a leash and dragging them across equipment.
Just kind of read throughout the book if you have a hard copy in front of you and skim through it and read the introduction which most of the time will tell you if they want you to train with positive reinforcement and with games.
Good luck it's a lot of fun!

**MaggieRoseLee** · 06-02-2011, 04:17 PM

germanshepherd<3's has good recommendations.

I'd add that you may also want to look at getting some DVD's. Nice to hear AND see what I'm supposed to do. Some of the DVD's also have files attached you can print out on your computer to read (or course maps).

Cleanrun.com is the main agility site as a resource. I like the stuff by Susan Garrett, and Linda Mecklenburg. Look thru what they have and what you think you'd be ready to learn.

More importantly is to start looking around for classes/clubs in your area to start training and get on equipment safely. Best if the instructors also go to trials so they stay up to date on the rules and methods of training. Agility changes and improves all the time so it helps if the instructors do the same!

GermanShepherd<3 · 06-02-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

Cleanrun.com is the main agility site as a resource. I like the stuff by Susan Garrett, and Linda Mecklenburg. Look thru what they have and what you think you'd be ready to learn.

How could I forget Susan Garrett books and training methods!!! lol Thank goodness you mentioned it to her, it would really help bunches in agility training.

Another thing with agility is that if you play games and teach tricks it really helps a dog to think. Many agility people i know believe that trick training and other dog games really helped their dogs pick up things and understand shaping, luring, etc. It's used a lot in agility, and also getting familiarized with clicker training will help the dog bunches. Kay Laurence has some really fun books as well.

Good luck..if I can remember anything else i will get back on this thread.

Tbarrios333 · 06-03-2011, 08:56 PM

Thank you for all the good resources! I will check these out ASAP. It looks like the next available class with the agility club will be in July. I'm stoked.

wildo · 06-03-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tbarrios333

It looks like the next available class with the agility club will be in July. I'm stoked.

You should be!! I've never bonded more with my dog than when working agility. Certainly, it isn't for everyone/every dog- but if you dog takes a liking to it- watch out! It is crazy fun, addicting, and rewarding.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 06-04-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tbarrios333

Thank you for all the good resources! I will check these out ASAP. It looks like the next available class with the agility club will be in July. I'm stoked.

Keep us updated with your progress in class. And we do love to see videos and photos!

lylol · 06-07-2011, 10:12 AM

OK... I support all the recommendations above... and here is one more to consider. Two scandinavian positive trainers/clicker trainers Eva Bertilsson and ?? cant remember have a book out called Agility: Right From the Start. It is huge and the first half is all about shaping behaviors. The second half is a VERY logical progression of how to teach each agility skill. You can check it on Karen Pryor's site or Clean Run... read the reviews and see if it might be the right thing. Lots of diagrams, step by steps, what to do when it goes wrong, etc. Anyone interested in training theory would be interested in how thorough this book is. But nothing beats seeing agility for it to make sense why you would do some of the strange things we do in trainiing. Go watch a show and both Clean Run and Smart Flix allow you to rent videos on agility. Have fun and hope you catch "the bug".

lylol · 06-07-2011, 10:15 AM

whoops missed that another person also mentioned this book... sorry for not acknowledging.

GermanShepherd<3 · 06-13-2011, 06:55 PM

Some other really nice books are by Greg Derrett and Susan Salo.

06-02-2011, 12:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tbarrios333 Knighted Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ft. Myers, FL Posts: 2,549	Beginner Agility Books? I must admit, your agility videos are absolutely awe inspiring! Recently, I adopted a little spit fire border collie mix. She is high energy, barky, and LOVES to work for me. She loves to think and be challenged by me. It is actually hard for me to get her to play as she only wants to train. It seems like she never gets bored in our training sessions. I'm not sure if this has to do with the new training style, food motivation, or if she just loves it. I would love to try my hand at agility with her just for fun. I'm not interested in the serious competitions as I will probably screw up royally since it is my first time! I am currently working on engagement training with her and she is learning to focus on me. Still, the slow and sloppy handler (me!) allows her to disengage. Right now, i'm overwhelmed at the amount of information out there for agility. Can anyone recommend a good book/website that breaks down the basics and has a nice guide on how to get started? I found a training center near my house, but will call to see if they train with clickers. I love clickers Any help would be appreciated!

06-02-2011, 04:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 22,199	germanshepherd<3's has good recommendations. I'd add that you may also want to look at getting some DVD's. Nice to hear AND see what I'm supposed to do. Some of the DVD's also have files attached you can print out on your computer to read (or course maps). Cleanrun.com is the main agility site as a resource. I like the stuff by Susan Garrett, and Linda Mecklenburg. Look thru what they have and what you think you'd be ready to learn. More importantly is to start looking around for classes/clubs in your area to start training and get on equipment safely. Best if the instructors also go to trials so they stay up to date on the rules and methods of training. Agility changes and improves all the time so it helps if the instructors do the same! __________________ MACH2 Bretta Lee Wildhaus CGC TC TQX Glory B Wildhaus NA, NJ, NF + LOL (still) "*Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde* Last edited by MaggieRoseLee; 06-14-2011 at 08:09 AM.

06-07-2011, 10:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
lylol Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: San Diego County Posts: 374	OK... I support all the recommendations above... and here is one more to consider. Two scandinavian positive trainers/clicker trainers Eva Bertilsson and ?? cant remember have a book out called Agility: Right From the Start. It is huge and the first half is all about shaping behaviors. The second half is a VERY logical progression of how to teach each agility skill. You can check it on Karen Pryor's site or Clean Run... read the reviews and see if it might be the right thing. Lots of diagrams, step by steps, what to do when it goes wrong, etc. Anyone interested in training theory would be interested in how thorough this book is. But nothing beats seeing agility for it to make sense why you would do some of the strange things we do in trainiing. Go watch a show and both Clean Run and Smart Flix allow you to rent videos on agility. Have fun and hope you catch "the bug". __________________ Lysa Norse Magic vom Kriegershaus "Rune" (Dec 08) Magnus (Jun 98)

06-07-2011, 10:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
lylol Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: San Diego County Posts: 374	whoops missed that another person also mentioned this book... sorry for not acknowledging. __________________ Lysa Norse Magic vom Kriegershaus "Rune" (Dec 08) Magnus (Jun 98)

06-13-2011, 06:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
GermanShepherd<3 Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 74	More books Some other really nice books are by Greg Derrett and Susan Salo.

06-02-2011, 02:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
GermanShepherd<3 Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 74	Go on clickertraining.com They have clicker agility books, I like Agility Right from the start or something like that. Agility Nerd the website has a book called Click and Play Agility. That one's a free download from the author. Agility Nerd also has a lot of info and courses as well with videos and explanations on how to take the crosses and stuff. Clean Run also has some nice agility magazines, and they have some books as well like courses and exercises that don't always require to much competition equipment, and exercises to focus on specific things such as serpentines. There are a lot of agility books out there, but some are older and don't really involve positive methods like holding the dog on a leash and dragging them across equipment. Just kind of read throughout the book if you have a hard copy in front of you and skim through it and read the introduction which most of the time will tell you if they want you to train with positive reinforcement and with games. Good luck it's a lot of fun!

06-03-2011, 08:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tbarrios333 Knighted Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ft. Myers, FL Posts: 2,549	Thank you for all the good resources! I will check these out ASAP. It looks like the next available class with the agility club will be in July. I'm stoked.

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