[-Kate-]

I would like your views on this one please.

Diesel is 4 (5 in Jan). As many of you know it took him a very long time to settle in. I now feel he is relaxed enough to start some agility. Im not thinking about going into competitions, i was thinking for fun.

Do you think hes too old for this?
Have any of you had experiences with agility and an older dog?
Is there anything i should be looking out for?
Any do or don'ts?
Im new to agility.
As far as i know hes had no formal training prior to being homed with us. Although he knows sit, paw, lie down, stay and recall is 98% effective :lol: :roll:

 

[...]

As long as he doesn't have any joint problems then I see no reason why you couldn't start training him now. After all 4 years old is still a spring chicken really :wink: .

Some of the dogs in our team are much older than him and they still cope very well, even if they are not as fast as they used to be.

Give it a go, I bet he'll love it.

 

[alfmar]

go for it!!

 

[Zensmum]

If introduced gradually so that he is able to adapt and build the muscles required I dont think that there should be a problem and it is more than likely that both of you are going to have a super time .

Have a go and enjoy it 8)

 

[Goldentouch]

My OH's dog is 11 years old and still enjoys coming to agility some weeks with us! He only started a few years ago when he was about 9, possibly even 10!

 

[-Kate-]

Thank you everyone
Looks like were off to Agility then!
He has no hip problems that im aware of, nothing that stops him from jumping on the sofa or bed anyway :roll:

 

[Fay]

Charlie is 5 next January too, and we're in a display team doing agilty

So, as the others say, take it gradually and give it a go!

 

[Dillsmum]

Cassie is about the same age ( and not particularly agile) and I would love to do agility with her if circumstances were different.

I was looking at some pictures today and thinking of trying to set up a mini agility course in the garden... I think she'd love it.

So why not.... 4 is still a mere pup in my opinion :wink:

 

[Rivermeadow-KMH]

Absolutely! Go for it! My hubby Tom started with Moss far older than that, and Fife is now 10 and still greatly enjoys agililty over lower heights.

The only thing I would say, and this applies to any dog of any age, is build up the fitness gradually - you will be using different muscles to those that he uses in every day life. Also make sure you warm him up before starting, and cool him down afterwards - don't just pop him back in the car straight after a run, walk him round a bit to cool down first. Common sense really!

Have fun!

Katy

 

[AlfiesMum]

I started Alfie at agility about 5 months ago when he was nearly 4 and he LOVES it, i just wish i'd started sooner!!

Alfie is so chilled out at home and very lazy that i thought he'd hate it and go under the jumps/ throw a wobbly if i tried to get him on the seasaw or dogwalk etc but i decided to just try him one week and we haven't looked back... He turns into a different dog during his agility classes and is so switched on and has such a fab time that i thoroughly enjoy it too

Its so different working Alfie after being use to working my spaniel though so my advice is go for it

 

[-Kate-]

Thanks everyone.
I just kept thinking 'you cant teach an old dog new tricks' everytime i thought about it.
Not sure how true that saying is though :wink: