The senior and agility (border collie, how much, bulldogs, bite) - - City-Data Forum

Dashdog · 07-16-2010, 03:33 AM

As many of you know Jazz and the late Dash grew up doing agility and now I have Dazzle an agility dog is progress be it a long progress with him due to his breed.

Tonight I took both Jazz and Dazzle to the agility club practice and as the two courses were being adjusted before any other dogs were running I let Jazz do the tunnels, the chute, the teeter the weave poles and a few hurdles I set to 6 inches. Her old back legs do not allow her to jump as much as she would still love too.

We did it several times and when we walked off the course she had such a pep in her stride and has continued that all evening. She knows she still has it and was thrilled to show everyone else that seniors still got it. I think there is a demo at a retirement home coming up so I may take her and let her do her modified agility as the old folks would love seeing a senior still out there doing its favorite thing. I am thinking it may be a good thing for her to do modified agility to keep her motivated and in love with life as I get the feeling that some senior dogs have the need to still work.

I was talking with one of the club members that has been in the club a long time and if we are correct Jazz is one of two dogs that was in the club 13 years ago and is still alive. The other is a 16 yr old pointer but he does not even come to practice now. Kind of sad that all the other dogs we knew when we started are gone.

On a a happier note , the trainers two border collie pups were there to watch I think they are 12 weeks now and she does not allow them on the grass yet but they do sit in an Ex-pen on the cement and watch. The adorable male reminds me so much of my Dash as he has the I can do that attitude and is really a smart puppy. We were resetting jump heights so several of us were out on the course with dogs in tow and the male puppy jumped over the Ex-pen and ran onto the course and came right to Dazzle. Dazzle was over joyed by this. Humm Dash said he would come back

I hope this is not him as I am not getting a puppy and she wants this one to only go to a home that will show him and I am not into the whole conformation thing.Actually I think she is hoping that her husband will give in and allow her to keep two instead of just the female.

It was a hot day but this evening had a nice cool ocean breeze and being we are about 1 block off the ocean where we do agility it was a perfect evening as that cool breeze made it so very nice. One of the things I love about living here are beautiful evenings like this.

latetotheparty · 07-16-2010, 05:03 AM

GO Jazz!!

yes, absolutely let her do what she feels up to doing...... i think taking her to senior demo is an EXCELLENT idea......

a little tiara on her head would be the cherry on the sundae......

jordan5 · 07-16-2010, 07:22 AM

Wow, what an awesome story...I think that puppy is trying to tell you something though

. But your story makes me even more excited to start agility with Sydney next year

Dashdog · 07-16-2010, 01:24 PM

That little puupy may be trying to tell me something but the timing is all wrong as Jazz would not tolerate a small puppy very well as she just does not like puppies at all. I also fear that in the near future that We may have to put my dad into assisted living and that would mean Phoenix along with the cat come live with me. When I owned Phoenix for 1.5 yrs it was difficult having her because Jazz picked on her due to Phoenix's deafness and limited vision as she would stare at Jazz. But they do well when together at my dad's house.. My brother could not take Phoenix as she is terrified of his bulldogs, My one sister has a dog that is quite dog aggressive and really needs to stay an only dog and my other sister has two dogs and her young grandson and so her plate is full and Phoenix is also terrified of small children.

Phoenix was given to the humane society by some people that had found her alone along a highway out in the country when she was about 6 months. They tried to keep her but had a young child that she would knock over so they gave her to the HS about 1+ years later. At about age 2 I met her and adopted her and I think the previous people must have punished her when she did knock the kid over as she is terrified of Kids. She is about 9 yrs old now so if something happens and she needs a home it will be back with me. So a puppy is just out of the question rigt now. But what a great puppy that little boy is.

Thre really is no question of how much Jazz loves agility as when she was in classes they were on a Thursday at 5PM. One week my nephews were with me as I was taking them and Jazz camping over the weekend. Thursday I had just the boys at the beach and we got home a few minutes past the time I would have left for agility. I opened the door and Jazz bolted past something she never did. she raced out to the car and sat down at the door and looked back at me. She knew she was supposed to be heading to agility so I told the boys back in the car and we rushed off to class.

A year later when I got Dash his obedience classes were the same night as agility club practice that Jazz and I had been going too for some time. Well the night of class #1 Jazz was beside herself that I was taking Dash and not her as I think she thought we were going to agility. After class as Dash and I walked in the door she ambushed him and attacked him . It was like she was laying there waiting and full of anger, Good thing she had an inhibited bite and did no injure him but it did terrify him. It was the only time she ever got into a fight with Dash. After that she went to class and sat in the car so she knew we were not at agility. I think I can say Agility was her passion as she knew which nights meant agility no doubt about it.