TV got left on Eurosport last night after Tour de France.  I came into  the room to see this huge long row of poles that the dogs were weaving through at a tremendous pace.  It is an agility based show from Orlando - the dogs were performing in 90 degrees although they were dunked in cold water baths after and kept in a cooled tent.  Having just started agility with my girl I watched with interest.  The course consisted of a couple of tyre jumps, half a dozen normal jumps and a tunnel.  I didn't feel comfortable watching the number of poles that the dogs had to weave through - not sure it is that good for them?  It was clearly this ability that was being made a spectacle of.  Being new to agility I don't really know anything about it but seem to remember reading that dogs that step from foot to foot are more at risk of wear and tear on their joints.  Anyone else see this?  Is this just a one off competition or normal?

Hi,
I've seen them do this kind of thing but not sure where or when; I think it's Ok unless the weave is likely to just get longer and longer and then I'm not so sure.

Lindsay :)

THeres a competition in this country call the 60 weave pole challenge. Current record is just over 12 seconds, held by a GSD. There is actually a video clip of his recent run on agility net at the moment. I've done it with my collie but she was really slow at 20 seconds! But with this sort of thing you only actually do the weaves 2 or 3 times depending on how well you do.
Although weaving is probably quite stressful on the joints depending on how they dog weaves, tbh i think most of agility is high impact, which is why dogs have to be so fit to do it.
Mind you saying that my friends wsd does the weave poles in about 18 seconds, and she has 2 new hips thanks to congenital hip dysplasia and has had something done to her front legs due to ocd, and she seems ok with it.

I had actually found that clip last night before you posted.  Didn't know that they did replacement hips for dogs.  Learn something new every day!  It is me who needs to keep fit for agility too.  Only going around on the lead so far - there are 10 of us in the class so basically only get about 4 gos in the hour.  Rest of the time is spent waiting.  Don't waste that time though because it is good training being near other dogs and people that we don't get on our walks.