Sniffing during Agility Class - Advice

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Today was Rooney's first Beginning Agility Class.  There were 5 dogs total with one of those being the instuctors dog.  Every dog other than Rooney was 2 years old, Roo is 8 months, he was also the smallest dog.  The class is held in an outdoors, fenced in area.  Rooney did very well for his first time and of course being a beginner class we started with the basics.  Super low jumps, the tunnel, table and tire.  He really was better than most except for he kept wanting to snuffle the ground.  Sniff, sniff, sniff.  Only one other dog was doing that.  Is he smelling the other dogs or as the instructor mentioned - they have seen a racoon in the evening in the arena.  How do I keep Rooney's attention on me and focused on the tasks when he would rather be tracking something?  I was doing a lot of "leave its" but it was a losing battle at times.

[Carla & "Beans"]

So exciting for you both :)  No advice... looking forward to reading the replies.  Beans' (Australian Labradoodle) trainer/facility will not let him participate in Agility until 1 year/age!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Rooney is only 8.5 months and because of that he is not allowed to do any jump higher than his elbow, so they are really low - lol.

[Nancy - Opal, Meadow & Tariki]

My girl was so pre-occupied with everything but me... so I just got on the ground with her at the beginning of class and did a lot of "who's my favourite girl?" and snuiggles and rubs and hugs - in a really over the top way.  I should have renamed the class "Mommy and Me night" I also just fed her small bits of her training snack while I was trying to hold her attention.  Bonus feed.  I'd ask her to sit and then rewarded her every 10 or 20 seconds until we started work.  She became so fixated on what she could do for me in order to get a snack.  She is not a food driven dog but I did this every class and she started to forget about the other dogs and anything else.  Now she really does not show interest in anything except what I am doing.  You can't over treat.

 

We just completed our fist fun run yesterday.  We suck.... LOL.

[Kyoko]

Agility is so much fun! You would love it, Jane!! At Charlie's school, dog s also have to be 1 year old, and have to have some obedience training as pre-requisite. In obedience class, we did a lot of attention game where you want dog to automatecally look at you as their default behavior. In the beginning, we clicked and treated as soon as the dog looked at us, and worked to extend the duration. ( Dog looks at you , count 2 and click and treat, count 4 click and treat so forth and so on.) However, it is still hard when they go to a new place, outside where there are a lot of distructions, etc... Good luck and have fun!!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Yes, Rooney has had obedience class and did very well with keeping his attention on me but that was in inside class room.  Now this field is outside and the scents of other animals just over-whelms him.  I might try going a few minutes early and letting him run the field off lease, sniffing to his pleasure.  THEN leash him and let him know that onced leashed - sniffing is done.  What do you think of this strategy?  Rooney doesn't have a yard to run free in a fenced area, he is only outside on a leash and he isn't allowed to sniff while walking.  His dog park is fenced so that no small animals can get in so this is really a new experience for him.

[Kim Williams]

Congrats on starting agility with Rooney.  Get ready to have a blast!  I have a MAJOR SNIFFER also.   Parris loves to sniff so much....after she runs a course at an agility trial, she gets her treat cup....then she gets to sniff to her hearts content.  Do you have access to this agility field before class or after class?  Make sure the sniffing is just curiousity and not stress.  If you could allow Rooney to sniff before class and notice if it is the same.  If Rooney takes off sniffing.....turn and run the other way as fast as you can.....try to be more fun than sniffing. I spent about 2 months running the opposite way of Parris to "cure" this sniffing issue.  It really helped.  When we starting trialing.....she started sniffing in the ring.  Once again I had to be sure it wasn't stress....it wasn't....I just have a sniffer.  As she has matured, it has gotten so much better.  Welcome to the wonderful world of agility!!!

 

[Adina P]

How is it interfering with his agility?  Can you put him in a sit stay?  Might be tougher with smaller dogs, but if mine are in a sit stay they'd have to lower their heads VERY low in order to sniff anything.  And lowering of head below shoulders in a sit stay gets a correction.  What does his trainer say?  I ask because if you're working with a trainer, they are usually the best to assess and recommend for such things.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I didn't address the issue with her yet, there was an advanced agility right after our class so I will be speaking with her before Rooney's next go round.  Only once during the course did the sniffing happen while he was on course but it was driving me nuts between our turn.  Rooney is only 20 lbs so very close to the ground - lol.  All of the other dogs were big.  Rooney held his table stay the best so I was excited about that.

[Stella]

Home made meatballs!!!  Guarantees a good focus on you! 

He is young, so this is a new experience for him and there are so many distractions.  Try taking him out to busy places - near school yards, outside the dog park etc etc and work on your "watch me" there to get him used to focusing on you when there are other things going on.