EverRanch Performance Dogs
We are active in Dog Obedience, Agility, Hunting, Tracking and Conformation Showing.
Between us , we have taught classes and earned titles on our dogs in all of these areas. At this point, we're constructing a covered arena that will be used to hold dog training classes. We will also have an outdoor arena adjacent to the covered arena. Currently, we are available for private consultation and will be starting tracking, agility and obedience classes at some point in time.
4H Dog Agility
Dave and Franna are the Agility coordinators for the King County 4H Dog Project, and at the Fall
2001 4H Forum agreed to coordinate 4H Agility in Washington State. Proposed Regulations
for the 4H Agility in Washington State can be found here.
In 2001, we held workshops for several of the county 4H clubs prior to County Fair competition,
then held workshops twice each day that the dog project was at the 2001 King County Fair.
We had a lot of fun with the kids and dogs, and capped the week with a competition. The
dogs were separated into two levels based on how they'd done at practices during the
week, and scored on accuracy only (since scoring on speed was encouraging unsafe
conditions and dog-dragging!). Next year we plan to have more room to hold our
competition, and more time to get the dogs ready!
The beginner level dogs were kept on leash and had several jumps, two tunnels and the table in their course. The more advanced dogs could be run either on or off leash, and had a low Dogwalk, three tunnels, and a low A-Frame, in addition to the jumps and table.
Some tips for holding agility workshops with kids and dogs:
- Keep control of the food reward, either use target plates or give the food yourself at strategic places - contact zones, table, end of the tunnel.
- End sequences with contact obstacles and enforce the tip or touch.
- Sequences of two to three obstacles are about the limit of the (beginner) dog's motivation.
- Kids listen much better than adults.
- Adults who run their dogs in Agility are a challenge to the instructors who have their kids in the group.
- Emphasize safety, safety, safety! You can't be too safe when kids and dogs are involved.
- Expect every dog to jump off the contact equipment; expect every dog to get tangled in the jumps.
- Start everyone at the lowest level and let them review and move up as they're ready.
- Use kids in demonstrations - they're tickled pink and the other kids are more impressed.
- Go slow with everything, take small steps and run short classes, keep attentions focused and dogs motivated.
- Think of interesting games and stay upbeat.
- Use cones or poles to guide kids around obstacles, i.e. straight on and off contact obstacles.
- Start simple, low everything, short tunnels.
- Blind tunnels should have a very short first leg so the dog sees the end almost as soon as she goes in.
- ...and on and on!
Rate for private consultation: $40.00/hour, $25.00 minimum.
Location: South East Auburn, between Auburn and Lake Tapps; e-mail or call for directions.
Contact: e-mail or call (253)939-7984
More to come!
For additional information contact EverRanch by e-mail.
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