Teach 7m old Puppy Sit up & Agility

KerrK

Would it be safe for me to teach my Papillon puppy to "Sit Up"? He is still growing and I don't want to harm his hips, if the trick does require too much strain. And if I do need to wait, how old would it be safe to start with it?

I also want to know when I can start to teach him agility. I've heard to wait at least 18 months for large dogs. How about a smaller dog such as a Papillon? Right now he is about 7lbs. I've started him with basic commands; he knows 'stay' and he is pretty good at a distracted recall. I also started to teach him to "target", he's doing well.

What else would be helpful to teach him before he starts agility classes? As of now he knows: Sit, Down, Stay, Spin, High-Five, Go to Kennel, Speak, and he's learning Target and weave through my legs.

Any suggestions and info would help! Thanks.

Criosphynx

Welcome to the forum!

How wonderful! I'd love to see any videos you have of him in action!

He can start the hard physical stuff once the growth plates close...small breeds, luckily its less than two years...I want to say around a year...but don't quote me on that. Perhaps contact the breeder you got him from and ask when paps stop growing.

you can start teaching contacts and weaves now tho...or jumps that are only an inch or so off the ground...its easy to raise the hieght later. The main concern about strain is the jumping

At 7lbs its really hard to strain/hurt his hips, I'd be comfortable teaching that trick.

KerrK

Criosphynx:
Thanks! ^-^

I've been planning of getting him on video doing his tricks.

Yeah that's basically what I've heard. I remember when we got him the breeder said they grow fairly quick and by 12 months they are usually full size. But I might wait until he's 14 months to start anything strenuous, just to be safe.

What are contacts?

I've tried tunnels with him before, he did wonderful! Took to them the first time. I’ve never tried weaving though.

Thanks for the help!

Criosphynx

Contacts are the dogwalk....a frame and teeter...no jumping involved so you should be ok

weaving is interesting to teach...I have been reading up on it (I have weaves arriving in a week) and most trainers recomend using guides or there is a method called 2 x 2.

AdoJrts

Hi there,
I know this is a little old but would love to add my two cents lol.
I compete and I am also an instructor for agility.

You can do many, many things to prep your pup for agility.
Handler focus vs obstacle/task focus is one
Targeting
Working them in a loose heel position on both sides of the handler
Spirals (hard to have them on the inside)
Changing paces i.e slow walk, fast walk and running with them staying with you
Contact boards
Sending out and around objects (for those distance skills that you'll need)
Sit/Down Stays
Flatwork Front crosses, Flips & Rear Crosses
Tippy Boards
Plank work
Ladder work
Backing up (ladder work and backing up teach them hind end awareness)

You can teach them to jump, or at least know how to send to, run -by (with handler and recall over a jump but with the bar laying on the ground or use a cut in half 4 inch plastic piping.

Weaving should not be taught to puppies because it is far to mentally and physically challenging and it is the last thing that is taught, typically at a year of age (with Garrett's 2x2 method, weaves can be fully trained with amazing entries within a couple of months)

Most associations allow dogs of all sizes to start competing at 18 months old and it is very common for them to be ready at that time.

Most of this can be taught in your own home, however if you are considering competing on any level I would strongly suggest that you enroll in a Puppy Agility Foundations class, with an instructor that competes and titles their dogs, along with their students doing very well in agility.

Good luck and have fun but be warned agility can be sooooooooooo addicting lol.

Lynn