I went to observe an agility class today, I’m looking for a place I can take beginner classes with Oreo in the fall. (It’s too bad that I only started looking now, obviously with me leaving next week it’s too late to start anything now.)
When I got there the dogs in the class were off-leash and I knew it would just not be appropriate for me to let her off-leash (the teacher probably would have asked me to leave), and I suddenly realized it wasn’t a very good situation. She’s fine off-leash, but on-leash she gets kind of defensive. But, much to my relief, her dog-park socialization has done wonders, and she just sat calmly at my feet watching around. Another dog came up to her, she just stood there and sniffed back. I was so relieved. Unfortunately, one of the poodles in the second class still had tons of puppy-energy and wanted to enthusaistically greet every dog, including Oreo, and that garnered a show of teeth and low growl from Oreo before the owner pulled the dog away. *lol*
Another comforting thing was the three other border collies who were there. One of them was an extremely attentive, focussed, well-trained BC who circled around her owner’s legs and ran to her owner’s bidding at the slightest hand movement. I was very impressed. And later I found out the dog is the shyest dog in the world, afraid of everything - people, dogs, her own shadow… LOL. And the other two border collies (both from the same owner), they were very good at agility, well-trained, moderately calm dogs (ie, would lay down watching intently when it wasn’t their turn, but when their time was up they were bouncing off the walls), but did not play nice with any other dogs. The poodle Oreo didn’t like approached one of them that was tied to the wall, and got a very big snarl from it. The people in the class obviously knew each dog’s personality, since they called out “I wouldn’t do that! You’ve got a deathwish!” *lol* So not only was Oreo not the shyest, she also wasn’t the most aggressive! And it really reassured me to know that the people in the class understood and respected the dogs - and that the teacher allowed dogs like that in the class, since that’s just how Oreo is. I tell ya, she’s great off-leash, she’s very calm, she’s stopped barking at people, she doesn’t maul people or dogs (in fact shows very little interest in either unless food enters the equation), but she doesn’t deal well with pushy dogs. Oh well. I think I’ve got it almost to a stage that is acceptable.
I’m a little bit apprehensive about the agility classes. I think Oreo would catch on a lot faster than people give her credit for, but the entire 6-week introduction class would be basic training and introducing them to, like, jumps. Okay, she already know jumps. I taught her that a few years back (I built a jump in the backyard - and attempted to build a tunnel, too). I don’t think I would need much time to get her used to it, and these classes aren’t cheap - $13 per class for 6 classes! And the introduction is required before the next class - I think you have to take them all in order. So to get to the advanced stuff it would be months, and several different courses, all costing money that I don’t have. And then I think, what’s the point, when I’m moving next year anyways? *sigh*
I do know one thing, though: Oreo will never be as focussed as those other border collies. I’d place her more on the level of the doberman that was there - she’ll do what you ask, but not in any big rush, and sometimes her mind wanders. But maybe I’d be surprized, I dunno - she can get hyper. It just doesn’t last, and she has some difficulties staying focussed on one thing.
She seemed disappointed she couldn’t go out and play - not with the dogs, but she did show an interest in what was going on. She was watching intently for a lot of the time, her ears up, watching the dogs go through the course. She did get bored, however, and started putting her paw on my lap to get my attention. (She’s so cute.) And when we got home she grabbed her toy and ran happily around the house. We’ve made a new game she really seems to enjoy, much better than fetch (she doesn’t like fetch). This is the opposite: I take the toy, tell her to sit-stay, walk to the other end of the house, and call her. She comes running, does the manditory sit at my feet, then I toss the toy in the air for her to catch and play a few seconds. She did this over 10 times before she started getting bored, gotta be some sort of record.
Cory and I complain that she’s a stupid border collie; I highly suspect this isn’t the case - she’s very intelligent and knows exactly what I mean, but she’s lazy and just doesn’t really feel like doing it. I don’t know how I’m going to manage it when I get a true-blooded border collie next year. Oreo just really isn’t typical.
