Beginning Agility Question

Maybe you have to go to a meeting? Im sure they cant not let you do agility. They probably just want to see how he is around the equipment and new enviroment?

I am going to a meeting tomorrow about conformation and agility. I cant wait!! Then one of the ladies that shows English Setters is gonna look at Lillie for me. She used to handle Irish Setters.  

The evaluation will have NOTHING to do with the agility equipment.  You are not expected to know any of the equipment, nor is it even preferred.  Instructors would rather deal with a clean slate than have to fix problems caused by impromper training.

Many agility clubs either require that you complete an obedience class with them prior to starting agility or you have to have a private assessment (which it sounds like this is).  Most clubs want to make sure that you have basic control over your dog.  Where I train, they recently started requiring that a dog have a sit, down, stay & recall before being allowed into agility.  This requirement is because we've had a few people who DON'T have these skills and they ruin the experience for everyone else.

Most beginner agility classes are performed on leash.  If you happened to find a club that starts off leash, I would expect their requirements to be even higher.

By the sounds of it, though, you & your dog sound prepared.  If she's guardy over tennis balls, though, I wouldn't use them as your reward/motivator in class.

I totally agree with Karissa.  They want to meet you and see how you and your dog interact and how she follows your lead.  They will also weed out any aggresive or ill behaved dogs that will be a distraction in this way.

Any time I have joined a class the first one is always dog free, an orientation so to speak.  This may be a little of that as well.

Sounds like you will be fine, have fun!

I agree, they are probably trying to weed out aggressive/ out of control/ possibly physically impaired (obese, lame) dogs.

 Or dogs who, like Emma, have a serious hitch in their gate that an untrained eye wouldn't see. If Emma were in an agility class, it'd be a huge liability for the club. If any regular person sees Emma, they don't ever know that something's wrong.

jennie_c_d

 Or dogs who, like Emma, have a serious hitch in their gate that an untrained eye wouldn't see. If Emma were in an agility class, it'd be a huge liability for the club. If any regular person sees Emma, they don't ever know that something's wrong.

Serious hitch?  Would you explain for me? 

Thanks for the helpful responses everyone. I feel much better after reading these! I think we are pretty much prepared, only I need to continue working on his recall. I will not use tennis balls as his motivator - he loves hot dog pieces and hasn't had any in months so I think that will work well for him. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and we'll be accepted into the class. I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions when I start, but thanks again all! :D

I would assume Karissa is correct - the dog just needs to have very basic obedience down and be able to listen to you and follow you.  I don't think he even needs to be particularly well socialized.  We have reactive dogs in our beginner levels and those dogs just stay a few more steps away from everyone else, as long as the handler can demonstrate the dog is under control and will not bark and lunge the entire time.  So I would guess as long as you have your dog under control, you'll be fine.  Most dogs have some fear issues with an obstacle that they need to get over as they learn so that should not be a deal breaker unless your dog dislikes agility because of it (for example, Coke finished the beginner level and is afraid of the chute so we don't really do it because he's never going to compete and I want it to be fun for him.  We do the chute with it rolled up like a short tunnel and that's it).