After this weekend, I've made the decision to not do USDAA for a while. I finally realized that the equipment variations are causing some confidence problems in trials.

When we do AKC, the equipment is brand new from Max 200 and is always pretty much the same but basically in good shape. USDAA equipment is usually club equipment and is sometimes in pretty bad shape. In June, Whisper had major problems on the teeter at a USDAA trial and she'd NEVER had problems on the teeter before. The trial was a USDAA trial and the equipment way pretty rickety. I saw several dogs fall of the DW, and Rigal was even nervous on the DW because it moved too much. I'm assuming what happened that weekend is what happened this weekend. This weekend, the teeter (I trained Whisper to run to the end), slammed so hard and richoched her off the teeter that she flew off (she only weighs 16 lbs.), then she refused to put her feet on the teeter for the rest of the weekend. I've practiced with fast teeters but this was beyond that. And I think USDAA clubs don't care because the BCs can scream and fly down it and not care. Also the weave pole spacing can vary so greatly. Whisper started weaving very slowly over the last month since I went back to USDAA and I think it's because she doesn't know how far apart the weaves are going to be so she doesn't know how to pace herself. And this weekend, it varied from ring to ring. We've practiced with 18" weaves but it presents itself as a problem in a trial when she's already a little more excited and edgy.

I'd much rather have the happy little dog I had this spring. She was picking up a lot of speed and confidence and consistency and now it's gone. I've got a lot of training to do. But I don't think it's worth the risk for such a sensitive dog.

ETA: It might be different if I lived in the suburbs and had my own contact equipment or even lived within 15 miles of a training club so I could practice more. I will do some shows where I know she's been okay with the equipment.

Sounds like a good plan to me (of course I know NOTHING about agility!) If she's not happy with the variations in equipment at USDAA trials then I bet neither one of you is having as much fun. And ultimately, that's why you're there, right?

That sounds like a good decision, don't want to end up with her not enjoying herself or being apprehensive due to inconsistencies. I'd also suggest you write to the big wigs at USDAA with your experiences, hopefully they'll listen and tighten up the requirements. Having equipment that puts dogs at risk such as the DW you describe is just not okay.

I don't like USDAA. The jump heights are absurd. Agility, IMO, is not about how high a dog can jump; it's about how a dog and handler run a course. I see dogs jumping those heights and I think 'shoulder problems later in life...'

Really, the venue is just not acceptable for Princesses!

I don't think that the reason that many USDAA clubs use their own equipment is because border collies can scream down it and not care. The actual percentage of border collies that scream down the contact equipment no matter the shape it's in is pretty small. There are lots of reasons for trials for all venues to use their own equipment and I've seen it in USDAA, NADAC, and AKC. Haven't trialed in any other venues so I can't speak to them. One big reason for some USDAA clubs to use their own equipment is the fact that renting equipment from MAX or another equipment supplier is one of the biggest trial expenses and many (most?) USDAA trials don't make a whole lot of money. Couple that with the fact that many clubs (especially in the NJ/NY/New England area)have places where members train (so they have to have their own equipment)and using their own equipment for trials makes sense. No, it's not always in the best shape. The DW at Contact in June was definitely moving and not straight!

Btw, we had MAX equipment at our trial last weekend!!!

I would suggest that rather than giving up on USDAA trials that you get Whisper out to as many run thrus and fun matches, etc that you can so she is exposed to different equipment. It'll improve her confidence and your confidence too. How far from you is Skyline Agility Club? Don't they have a place to train and run thrus, etc? Are there any other local clubs?

I have a friend who does mostly USDAA and had an extremely sensitive dog (a BC by the way). She simply got equipment of her own and did a bunch of work desensitizing her dog in her backyard. I know that's not an option for everyone, but since for her USDAA was practically the only game in town, that's how she not only got around this issue, but even excelled in the venue.

Good luck!

I wish I had gone to LEAP last weekend but stupidly I entered in DAM Team and then couldn't compete and it wouldn't have been worth it anyway.

I don't want anyone to think I'm anti-USDAA. It's my favorite venue but I see a drop off in Whisper's performance.

Yes, I totally know it's a training issue. BUT I live in NYC and have traveled to every club in the area, NY/NJ/PA. Remember getting anywhere outside of Brooklyn takes 2 - 2.5 hours each way. I work until 10 at night and get up to leave at 5 AM 2 - 3 times a week to go to an agility class or private lesson or train at a facility. I don't get home until 12 - 1 in the afternoon. That's 8 hours of my day, then I come home and work and teach at night. This is the way to practice without traffic. It's just impossible to do more than I'm doing already. I go to matches when they're held. She practices on all the funky homemade equipment I can find including all weave pole spacing and teeters. I am lucky to practice other mornings in my training space which is tiny - 700 s/f. I don't have a back yard.

It's basically a compromise. I see her excel in one venue and not another. I want to do this for her benefit. I can't do more than I'm already doing. Moving out of the city is not an option. Not now while Mr. Y's parents are in such poor health. It ain't going to happen.

One thing I do at agility trials is "test" the equipment. I check the dog walk to make sure it isn't shimmying, I check the "weight" of the teeter, I check the aframe, and I check the tire- just about everything. All the obstacles have specs - even in usdaa. Since USDAA is the only venue I compete in, (when I compete that is!) I would say that only once did I have a problem- and that was with the angle to the aframe- EXTREMELY dangerous.

I know there are people in NYC who do agility. Any idea where they train in the city? Different places than you?

Maybe you can just pick USDAA trials where you know the the equipment is going to be good? Either MAX or MADAgilty equipment? The premiums say where the equipment is from usually...I think.

There are people who are from NYC who do agility. They train at various places but pretty much in the same boat as far as training goes. Staten Island is part of NYC but I don't train there. We're good doing AKC for now. When she's ready, we'll go back to USDAA but not now.

I think it sounds like you're making an excellent decision.

Around here, not many places that I know of rent equipment so you're pretty much at the mercy of the club hosting the trial. Most of the time, everything is okay, but there's been a few times that I think I would have been better off skipping a run or two.

Despite not having many local USDAA trials, I really do like them. But since we primarily do NADAC, Indy has had some teeter issues at USDAA trials that have really set us back in our training. Since she is a recovering teeter-phobic - I'll probably stick to NADAC for now. Even if we practice the teeter at multiple locations, it's just not the same as performing it in a trial setting...especially if she only sees it a few times a year!

Me too.



That's interesting. I wouldn't say Whisper is teeter phobic but it was the hardest to train for us. When raising the teeter even an inch, she thought it was strange and avoided it, but then loved it once we taught her so I guess it's not surprising that this is coming out. And she's been on some funky teeters. Mountain Freaks has a teeter that most dogs hate - Rigal wouldn't go on it and Whisper was fine with it. I do think a lot of it is the pressure from a trial.

Kim - a quick question, how do your dogs do with the rubber contacts? Actually I thought of entering her one day in NADAC to play tunnelers. I don't think she'll have issue with the rubber contacts, since there is no longer a teeter.

You know, I can't say for sure that she has ever seen "real" rubber contacts. I think most of the clubs around here just use non-slatted contacts, but they aren't rubber. And one club uses this interesting carpet type of covering which she seems to love. I've heard so many good things about the rubber contacts though that I bet she would love them too.

NADAC's fast wide-open courses would probably suit Whisper quite well actually. Indy loves them and there's no place she performs with more speed and confidence than a NADAC trial. The only thing that might throw Whispy off is not having slats...if she hasn't seen them before she might hesitate, especially on the dogwalk as she might mistake it for the teeter. I've seen that happen quite a few times...most dogs seem to do just fine, but something to consider if you have a semi-softie.

We did an ASCA trial recently with no slats on the contacts. (With ASCA they can do either one) Echo had a hard time with it and he isn't a soft dog. He slid down the A frame and he did think the dog walk was the teeter. We wont be trialing at that place again! I had taken Quinn and he never had an issue but he is a much larger dog.

I've never done ASCA before...is the A-Frame lowered? I usually see more dogs have trouble with the dog walk, but I could see the sliding issue. Although it seems like there would be less risk of toe jams without the slats...

It would be nice to see more of a standard across the board, but I suppose that's what multiple venues are for.

My teacher cautioned me about the same issues she had with her dogs. I don't think I'll be doing NADAC because of this. She needs consistency right now. I'm kind of bummed.