Hi everyone!
I'm so happy to have been excepted on to this forum.I live in Finland and I own a bordercollie (male) and a labrador retriever (male)..I seem to have some training problems with my bordercollie..He is very eager in agility infact maybe a bit too eager at times..I have trouble getting him to jump?He just seems to run straight threw?On Friday he is having xrays done just to be on the safe side but I think it could maybe have more to do with lack of concentration??
Agility is a completely new thing for me and so is having a bordercollie. He is now just turned 2yrs and is otherwise very obedient!I have done basic obedience training with him ever since he came to us at about 4 months..I thankyou before hand if someone might have some ideas for our small problem!

Welcome to the board Tracey,
How high is the jump you're starting the dog on? Is it one of those pole pcv pipe set ups?
For my part I've always started dogs on jumps at a low level in height, not something they can just walk over but high enough they have to get off the ground to clear but not so high they can comfortably go under. Say about chin high, mabe a little lower and move it up in small steps over a period of time. They get the hang of it.

If that doesn't help, I'm sure somebody here will have a better idea for you.
Again, welcome to the board.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Thankyou Randy for your reply and thankyou for welcoming me so warmly..Yes I started jumps from very low and slowly worked upwards..Last year he was jumping ok but this year things have changed..Nothing to do with agility but he had had a short fight with another male dog near our house one day and he won it!After that he has become very agressive towards male dogs!!Just seems strange that both things happened near eachother!!

Hi Tracy!

If you are running courses, I would go back to working with a single jump, and reward for proper jumping and concentration. When he can handle one jump, add another, and slowly build up the sequence length. There are some good agility videos out there that focus on jumping, such as Susan Salo's "Foundation Jumping", and Susan Garrett's "Success With One Jump".

Definitely get him checked out by the vet though.

Tracey,
Now I'm confused.
He used to do the routine fine but now he won't? Hmmmm, I think you're right about some getting x-rays. Gets rid of any lingering doubts. I'd wait for those results before trying anything.

What do you think the dog fight would have to do with it?

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Thankyou Tabatha for your advice.I have gone back to jumping the one at the moment!He loves balls and so that is the reward for a good jump!I thought we were ready for two but today when we tried the last one fell again!!I know he can jump but what causes this problem?
I don't know..but at least the vet will look at him on Friday and take xrays!!I'll check out those agility videos..thankyou very much.

I agree Randy that the Xrays are important not knowing whats caused this problem..as for the dog fight..well!!I just mentioned it as his attitude changed after it..but probably has nothing to do with his agility problem!!And yes its very possible that I'm doing something wrong..

I recommend going to http://www.cleanrun.com
They are the kings of anything to do with agility. You can find the "One jump" video by Susan Garrett there as well as lots of others.
Another big jumping thing is jump grids. Susan Salo is the Queen of jump grids. Look for stuff by her.
Another thing the agility people usually teach first is the three T's (tire - tunnel - table) and contacts. Hope there is nothing physical holding your dog back.
Anyways, check out that website for all of their great books and DVDs.
Some of them Leerburg carries as well.
I don't know how many people on this forum do agility, but it's a great forum for anything. Ask away.
Check out the awesome new article on "The power of marker training". I have lots of books, but sometimes it's nice to see it all clearly laid out in an easy to read concise manner.
I still remember when the board had less than 2000 members and marker/clicker training was definately poo-poohed
It's nice when you see long time dog people say "Boy was I stoopid!!!"
Makes everyone seem more on par on some things, and gives the newbies a boost.
You can teach an old dog (or human!) new tricks!

Thankyou Melissa for that advice and I'll check those out,great!!
I too hope that my dog will have "healthy" xray pictures...It would be ashame after all of my trying and searching for help..that he would have something badly wrong!!I don't think so though...

Hi everyone!We had the xray results and everything is fine...his hip xray result was A/B!The vet said that she sees no reason why he shouldn't jump!!