Agility-- how old is "too old"

Too old is not a number, but more of a physical and mental capability. I have a good friend who has an eleven year old Chihuahua mix who just debuted in agility last fall, and already has one Q in Novice Jumpers. Little Pedro may be eleven, but he in no way acts like it!

I would have a thorough vet check, including blood work, and talk to your vet about your dog's physical health, ensure they are kept lean (too much fat is hard on any body, but mostly on older bodies!!!), and just make sure it's all about the fun.

 As long as they are healthy (like really, deep down, sports physical and bloodwork healthy), and you're just in it for fun.... why not? I've had faint ideas of playing with Jewel, but I worry about her long legs, LOL .

 I'd say if your dog is healthy and you start slowly to build the dog up gradually, that you should be able to do agility.  Sioux is eight and we still do some in the yard now and then;-)

 Kota turned 11 this month and he's still as excited to do it as ever!  He tires faster so we typically don't do full weekends, but he loves it, so we keep playing!

Bailey is aprox 7ish years old. (possibly 8, I just keep telling myself that hes closer to 7 so he seems younger, even though I know he is deffinitely starting to show his age...) He still loves doing agility. Well, he loves doing anything for food, but he has always really enjoyed doing agility. Running is his passion (second to food, of course) so agility is a great thing for him.

BUT, I worry about his long legs. I dont let him jump high anymore. He used to be able to jump a 4.5ft jump from a stand still, no running start. He still probably could, but I dont let him. All my agility jumps are at around 20 inches, which is a pretty easy height for him to jump. We will keep doing agility in the backyard just for fun and exercise, as long as he wants to and is physically able to.  

 Is there also a minimum age that the dog should have to get him into Agility?

 You can start teaching an 8 week old puppy some of the prerequisite things that will help him succeed in agility, like start line stays, exercises to build rear leg control, walking on low raised planks, and wobble boards, walking through the jump uprights, and going through the tunnel and chute. I wish I had known of the place I am taking my dog now for agility classes. This place runs a puppy class that includes these prerequisite and skills that are safe for puppies.

 Hi,

I have been running Bouviers in agility now for several years.

My Bouvs. also carry obedience titles which helps me with the waits on the pause table and on jumps when I am going to do a sequence.

My concern with an older dog is always a fall from the walk way which is a high obstacle..  It would be like an older person with a fall and bones which might not knit as well.

Other than that, is your older dog enjoys agility and is fit, it is great to let your dog enjoy him/herself. 

Different dogs age differently - I have a Bouv. who is probably over 11 years, and was always a super fast dog who could still run a course easily but I don't like to see her race over the walk way anymore.  She can do jumps and see-saw, and tunnels  which she loves but I will not risk her running full speed on the high walk way, especially if the surface is wet from rain.

So as long as your dogs enjoy their experience, I would let  the oldies indulge in some fun.

Anytime they begin to refuse to do jumps, or obstacles they have run in the past, I would not force them as they might have arthritis or another old age physical problem.

Regards.

Rhapsody

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