Griffin in Beginner Agility Class

Griffin needs group classes. No one has group classes on Wednesday. We looked around. And found almost nothing. Those we did find were higher level agility classes and a manners class that started a few weeks ago in a small building. Griffin is a good dog, but a very small room would make me nervous. We need some personal space.

We were able to find a very beginners agility class to attend!

And how did it go?

Good parts:
- Many periods of fabulous attention.
- NO running off.
- VERY engaged and working with me.
- Offering behaviors seconds after entering.
- Redirect attention to me when other dogs bark
- Great running contacts!
- FABULOUS leash walking!

Not so good parts and the corresponding training plans:
- Could not watch another dog tug. A demo dog would tug and play and Griffin got very agitated. We left the ring and then the building. After leaving he was very soon attentive.
Our plan: Work on improving stays while I do high movement activities. Then incorporate stays while Luna is working with me and ideally playing with me.
- VERY scent oriented. He wanted to smell everything. He was able to very easily be redirected with a collar transport (like in -Agility Right from the Start-, super light touch). But not with response to name or leave it/off. More walks in public will help with this. Yes, our Leave It needs work but the actual problem was about attention more than response to that cue. Training Plan: A few leave it sessions and a few walks in public with high value reinforcers.
- Food refusal. For part of the class he was being selective about what to take. I'd taken two types of cheese, One pieces of sausage (~30 reinforcements-worth), and a bunch of kibble. It was a brand new bag of kibble and a new kind. I wouldn't normally have taken kibble, but before we left home I had used a few pieces and he took it so rough he bruised my finger...and he's NEVER rough with food! Training Plan: My job is to bring high value reinforcers. The walks in public will help decrease his initial stress/arousal in new places.
- Time until attentive. We skipped the first activity (tunnel), I didn't feel like he would stick with me after coming out. Even though he was offering 2o2o and tricks right when we entered, he was on the edge of his ability to focus. And in fact, I didn't let him off leash until the very last activity of the night. Training Plan: Those trips out in public.....

Or goal is to do a trial at the end of December. That’s eight weeks. Can we do it?