Hi,I live in Frosterley,Weardale,and am interested in getting 'into' agility with my very inteligent jrt.Can anyone tell me how to get started please?

Most Agility clubs will not take a dog for training until it is at least 12months old so in the mean time do obedience trailing with him and have his knees, elbows and hips checked over to make sure they are sound, in a JRT or a Parsons it is the knees that are most likely to be a problem.

Not sure about this but if he is a JRT or an unregistered Parson then I think you may need to register him on the activities register but I am not sure about this and the club will advise.

http://agilitynet.co.uk/ have a look on here for clubs near you. In my experience you often have to go on a waiting list to get into a club that but could just be around me in south london. I did agility just for fun with my pomx at a club where they also do competitive agility. We were taught exactly the same things I didnt enquire as to whether she could have competed so dont know about the activities register but I would think there is info in the kc website and the clubs will know

Have fun my little one loved it

If you go to the website  agilitynet you will find a list of clubs all over the country. If there are several in your area I would recommend you going along to watch a session at each club and then ask to put your name down at the one that you feel is right for you.

Not sure how old your dog is but if it is too young to start training properly at the moment there are lots of things you can be teaching him/her that will benefit you when you join a club. A rock solid wait, how to play with a toy and left and right directions are a huge benefit if they are learned in advance.

I started out doing agility just for fun and to create a greater bond with my dog but was bitten by the bug and now compete regularly. The club where I started my training doesn't differentiate between competition training and those who wish to do agility for other reasons so everyone gets a great start and can enjoy having fun with their dog and go on to compete if they so wish.

ETA if your dog is too young to start formal training some clubs do puppy foundation training - not a piece of equipment in sight but lots of things to work on and give your pup the confidence, balance and skills that will help enormously when your dog is old enough to start formal training.
If you wish to compete in KC shows your dog will need to be registered with the KC if it is not already registered. Non registered dogs need to be registered on the Activity Register and you can find details of how to do this on the KC website.

As others have said look for clubs on agilitynet and be prepared to have to wait for some time for a place to come up unless the trainer offers one to one sessions which are generally easier to get into quickly but much more expensive.
There are several clubs in the Barnard castle area,one to one sessions in Lanchester and I have heard good things about Jaqui Tarn  who is  in your area.

Always go along to watch a training session before signing up to see if you like the methods used. The dogs should look keen and eager to do the exercises and never pushed or pulled through equipment. also they should be rewarded by using either food or toys and not shouted at for making mistakes.

As for preparation start by building on a reliable wait,a send on by getting the dog to run ahead for a toy or treat and teaching a left and right by tossing a toy and saying left/right.

I taught my pup to walk over a large plank of wood on the floor to get used to different surfaces,go through a tunnel that was given to me by a neighbour,kiddies play tunnel,and to walk over jumps put flat onto the grass.He did this from six months old as no jumping was involved.

Also make sure your dog is happy around other dogs and also physically in good shape by not being overweight.

Also a good and reliable recall is a priority.

I started out doing agility for a bit of fun when my husband was in Iraq,got bitten by the bug and spent the next five years competing nearly every weekend all over the country.I have cut back a bit now as said dog is now at the top level and a senior lady!
I still do shows with my chin but tend to do more breed shows now.

hi

you have quite a local club, Weardale, which meets at the show ground at Wolsingham... if you look on agilitynet.com you'll find details under clubs and also local shows... weardale club have a championship show in july, others nearby are Hare n Hounds - in winter at Catterick (Richmond Equestrian Centre) and you can go along to the show to find out what it's all about - BUT don't forget it's cold in january!  We have lots of shows thanks to Hare n Hounds & local clubs, mostly in Barnard Castle area - easter is at Helmsley, HnH used to have a show at Stanhope but last one there was last year.

Dogs are usually 12 months before starting, but you can do some pre agility training and go along and find out if you might enjoy it before then, and there may well be a waiting list.

If you fancy competing (it's quite a 'bug') then dogs have to be KC registered (breed or working/activity registrations) and have to be measured - you need either a photo or microchip (the most popular) and attend a measuring session after 15 months of age and again about a year later for all except 'obviously large' dogs who only have to have one measure.

Hope you'll take it up - I'm not so far from you near Durham so if you want any help just let me know

Penny

If you find there is a waiting list for a club near you, have a look round for agility training classes. I can't get to any local clubs, so I found a nearby trainer offering 1-1 classes with great facilities (all-weather sand-school) who competes in agility herself. She also has group classes but they are at an inconvenient time for me. I will probably never compete with my dog, but we have both got a great deal out of the weekly lessons for the last 6 months - and it's cheaper than going to the gym!

Thanks for that everyone it has put me in the right direction.