I asked my vet if they would heart test our boy at a year because of his breed (ckcs) and also because we wanted to try agility with him and he laughed at me and said he had never heard of a cavvie doing agility and he would like to see thet he also then turned to the other vet and asked her and she agreed that she hadn't seen one either!

Am i going to be the odd one out at agility is it really as he said just border collies etc?

no its not just border collies - idiot vet - at my agility club we have all sorts - boxers, greyhounds, mixed breeds, labs, terriers, rotties - I have a setter bet he hasn't seen a setter either!!!!  cavs are great at agility!!! I have seen plenty having a go!  ANY BREED CAN DO IT! :)

Don't they have special classes for the smaller dogs to compete in? Or have I imagined seeing that :)

at the agility shows yes the classes are for smaller dogs - as the jumps are smaller but training they mix both sizes!  You haven't imagined it! :)

Used to be Min and Maxi, but now I think they have split it into three sizes in competition even.  there are also ABC classes (Anything But a Collie).

yes they have made it far simpler :

small

medium

large!

certain dogs will need officially measuring to confirm which class they fit into - don't have the height guides !  it's the dogs that waiver inbetween which need to be measured - e.g. my setter is definitely in the large class! :)

All dogs have to be measured Rach :) Even the obviously large ones, I think the regulations now say that obviously large dogs only need to be measured once whereas mine had to measured twice.

The height categories are..

Large Dogs, measuring over 430mm (1ft 5ins) at the withers

Medium Dogs, measuring over 350mm (1ft 1.75ins) and measuring 430mm (1ft 5ins) or under at the withers (shoulder)

Small Dogs, measuring 350mm (1ft 1.75ins)

43cm (that's only about 14 inches) though is pretty small to encompass all those dogs, from that size up to giant breeds?  Surely large should be dogs say 24 in hes plus, medium over 14 inches and small under 14 inches, or am I missing something.

43cm is 17" Barbara :D But yes you're right it leaves the majority of dogs in this class and a vast difference in size. My two collies are both just over medium height, their jumps are much bigger in relation to their height (max 65cm) than another collie that may just be an inch smaller but jumping medium which is a maximum jump height of 45cm.

Sorry mental maths was never my strong point, just knew it was quite a bit smaller than my girls ideal height at 49cm.

I am a little confused Border collie breed standard has them at 21 inches with bitches a little less, so assuming a variation of an inch or so no collie should be small enough to go in the medium class????

Yes, but you're talking about show border collies, and most in agility will be from working lines. My own two isds ones are 18" and there are lots smaller than them. Small collies do win an awful lot in the medium classes.

People actively seek out smaller collies to compete in the lower height class Barbara.

Oh really - didn't know that - my instructor said - if you are obviously large then wouldn't need it but certainly the medium and small!  not that we are competing yet anyway! ;)

Oops, your instructor must be at least a year or two out of date.

Do you know if they are training you the correct equipment heights?

yes definitely the new heights !!!  this was my old club too!  who had all brand spanking new equipment!

mind you as I'm not intending to compete (well not yet anyway) I really haven't taken too much notice - just having fun!  but did realise they had changed from mini, midi and maxi - so do listen to some of it :)

Hi Rachel, I had to take my boys to be measured, the measuring people had a bit of a laugh about it but unfortunately "rules is rules" you have to have a special little KC agility book, a  bit like a passport with their microchip number etc in. 

When are you going to start competeing ?? Fagan is leaving people on the circuit gob smacked with how well he can do it (and he left them in fits of laughter at paws in the park when he tried to retrieve the collapsible tunnel :rolleyes: )  He knows how to have a laugh, and loves making people laugh, you just never know what sort of mood he is going to be in !!

and ive seen cavaliers do agility, they do really well (as long as they dont get too fat :rolleyes: ) if you havent already enrolled in a agility club I would put your name down as most clubs have a really long waiting list.

Hi you!  how are you all - have sent you a pm so as not to go to off topic :) with a catch up!

There are definately Cavaliers doing agility where mine train!

Our classes have a complete mix of dogs of all sizes and types, definately not just border collies........ from memory, the smaller dogs include, Vallhunds, German Spitz, Border terriers, papillons, mini poodles, cavaliers, lancashire heelers and a cardigan corgi!

Yes as i thought another load of useless information from our vets!:rolleyes:

Wish they would stick to telling people stuff they are experts on diagnosing and treating illness.  Not breeding, or dog behaviour, or training or dogs sports, unless additionally to their Vet Career they are involved in these activities.

Cavaliers don't do agility ?? Have a look on this link to agility net & scroll down, they have enough Cavaliers to organize a league & there's a brilliant photo of a Cavalier doing the long jump, it's about halfway down the page

We have a few cavs at our training club that are not only top obedience dogs but also do agility - they're fantastic. You should see the height that one of them can jump. In relative terms I think it would be like my golden going over a 10 foot wall. :) Tell you vet he should get out more. He's obviously out of touch with what's going on in the dog world. My sister is doing agility with her tiny shiba X chi; you should see her go!

my friend trains her 5 cavs and they love it , your vet is only a vet after all, if they do not know anything about agility the proberly think that only collies do agility,
hope you enjoy your agility and it can become really addictive speaking from one who knows
carolann

A number of Pomeranian's do it too!  Not mine I hasten to add :d

My friend Barbara does working tials and obedience competions with her Border Collies but has had the most sucess with her little tricolour Cavalier called Orty. He is Immensee Ortello CDex UDex, display team dog and general all-round smarty pants!!  Sadly he passed away last year at a good old age and still with no heart problems. Working trials qualifications take some getting.