Hi
Any info greatly appreciated
i'm looking for agility classes in the Ilford, Essex area
any recommendations to any in this area please
thanks
Helen

Hi Helen,

I don't know of any but if you look on http://www.agilitynet.co.uk that's where I was able to find clubs in my area.

Good luck,

Rachel

The nearest I found when I was looking was Collier Row or Brentwood.

Maxine

That website is great thanks, have been thinking about starting my two in agility, do they have to have a good level of training first and is it best to wait until after the kevin stage to start them off.

Many thanks

Chrissy

Glad the website was great - I can't really offer much advice on when to start - my boy will be 3 in a couple of months!  and I literally only started last night!

However, thinking back to 10 years ago when I first started I think my girl was about 15m?

Why don't you get in touch with the clubs and see what they say - alot have waiting lists anyway - also you can't start until they are 12m.  But if you have a good level of training then I don't think you would have too much trouble.

Good luck Chrissy!

most clubs say must be 12 months or over due to damage to growing bones/joints.  Personally with larger breeds such as mine (setters) I wouldnt start until they are 18 months old as they do take longer to finish growing.  You need basic obedience skills, in our club we start out doing a control course in a hall and you have to pass the final test before you are let lose on a whole agility course in the equestrian centre.  The one thing you really do need is a strong "wait" command (Fagans is so good that when you call him out of it he stays put until you jump up and down and get excited :rolleyes: )

Agility is great fun - im think of getting a kelpie though because these are what are winning the ABC classes at the moment, there is no way fagan will ever beat one of them

Until I moved to Spain I used to go to Trent Park - http://www.trentpark.org/ - who train on a Monday night.  They're really great with some excellent trainers.

>strong "wait" command (Fagans is so good that when you call him out of it he stays put until you jump up and down and get excited  )

I think you may find this is a setter thing.  I used to train my setters in basic obedience and every one of them when doing recalls would sit and wait, and wait, and wait....you would call and still wait, look at you as if to say "but you just told me to wait" :D  Stubborn things!  Show them the food though and fastest recall went to the setter! :D

Alf does it too at obedience, he has everyone in fits cos I have to jump up and down and make stupid noises to get him to come :rolleyes: