Friday, August 12, 2011

Ziggy Learns Agility

Ziggy just completed a six-week beginning agility class at Infinite Pawsibilities.  You may wonder how a deaf dog can do agility.  Ziggy is happy to demonstrate:

Here's Ziggy going up the A-Frame.  Many dogs find the A-frame a little bit scary at first, but not Ziggy.  This has been one of his favorite from the very beginning!

Then there's the dog walk.  Ziggy can walk just as well as any dog, and he's pretty much fearless, so he has no problem with this one either!

There are two different types of tunnels in agility.  Like most dogs, Ziggy loves the tunnels!

The hardest obstacle for Ziggy, other than the weave poles which he is still learning, are the jumps.  Because he is so intently focused on me he forgets to watch where he is going and sometimes runs into the jumps before realizing that they are there!
 Being deaf does not stop Ziggy from learning Agility.  I use a flashlight instead of a clicker to let him know when he's doing something right, and he's so food motivated that he will do anything to get me to "click".  We've started sequencing the obstacles together, and he's doing very well with that.  Being deaf does cause a bit more of a challenge, because I can't tell him where to go ahead of time (which obstacle to do next) with a voice command.  He has to be looking at me which distracts him from the obstacles.  So he may never be an agility champion, but we're having a great time together and that is what counts!  One of my good friends is also in the class with her Airedale Terrier, and it's a lot of fun to take the class together.  Next week we will start Intermediate Agility!

So if you ever see this dog:
Lexi
or this dog...
Ziggy
please make sure to congratulate them for their hard work in completing Beginning Agility!

11 comments:

Casey Jones said...

Grrrreat job Ziggy...I see Hollywood in your future.

brooke said...

Awww the Zigster! Good job!
I think we need video of him doing his agility!
The puppy kindergarten we went to had a few agility obstacles set up. Darwin liked the dog walk one. She'd probably do them all except the tunnel!

Kari in Alaska said...

Great job Ziggy

Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com

Tucker The Crestie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tucker The Crestie said...

Great job, Ziggy! You're an inspiration to us all!

Kolchak Puggle said...

Seriously, how has Ziggy not been snapped up by some family?! He does agility now too? What a sweet boy. Good work Zig!

Cupcake said...

To Ziggy and Lexi, Congratulations!!

Wow, heading off to Intermediate Agility, that's great!

Bev said...

Great job Zigman!

Hanna at Dog Products said...

I am not at all surprised that being deaf, Ziggy is excelling in agility. Many people conquer amazing obstacles with a variety of handicaps, so why shouldn’t dogs?

Hey Ziggy. Congratulations for doing so well in agility. You are one brave pup. You too, Lexi. Congratulations. Hope your mom is rewarding you generously with delicious treats.

I would also like to congratulate mom for giving her pets the opportunity to show off what they are made of.

Purrfect Haven said...

we loved the first photo best of all... Ziggy crouching and cool and a bit unsure (so unlike Ziggy)... great stuff. Darcy, Bingley and Helen xx

Two Pitties in the City said...

Ziggy is quite talented. Just one more thing to add to his resume.