PRACTICE

CAPITAL COMETS AGILITY PRACTICE

TUESDAY

Capital Comets offers weekly practices for members year round at the Saanich Fairgrounds at 1528 Stellys X Road in Central Saanich on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, except in August and over the December holiday season.  Most practices take place indoors in the Agriplex building on packed sand. When weather permits in late spring, practices move to outdoors.

Tuesday night practice is a time for members of the club to train their dogs and spend time with like minded people. At each practice the equipment is set up in an unique way, giving members a chance to work on different skills. The practice format changes every other week: two courses, usually a Jumpers and a Standard course are set up one week, and the next week three short sequences of obstacles are set up to allow handlers to practice particular skills. Participants can choose to follow the numbered set up or focus on specific skills, such as gambling or perfecting their dogs performance on contact equipment (the teeter, A frame and dog walk).

The club welcomes new members to come to practice who can demonstrate that their dog has reached a level of training and skill to safely use all the different equipment independent of instructor help. All members at a practice have equal time (multiple 1 to 2 minute sessions) to try each course or short sequence. Practice nights are a great way for handlers to develop, rehearse or refine their dogs’ skills, whether in preparation to trial, or just to have fun working with their dogs.

To participate in club practice nights, a person has to be a club member with practice privileges. To obtain more information about participation in Comets practice sessions please contact the Agility Coordinator, or Secretary.

Dogs must be at least one year of age in order to participate in practice night, and they must be approved by the Agility Coordinator prior to taking part – this includes young dogs being added by existing Comets members. To participate, dogs cannot be reactive/aggressive toward people or other dogs.

At the discretion of the Agility Coordinator, full members are welcome to bring younger puppies to practice night to work on familiarization to the venue or socialization around people and dogs. As a courtesy to fellow club members please remember that not every dog loves a puppy and ensure that your training takes place at a reasonable distance from the practice set ups. As noted above, prior to being accepted for Tuesday practice night, puppies are not permitted to use the equipment set out.

Participants must be willing to help with the set up and/or take down of equipment, so that the workload doesn’t fall on just a few.

THURSDAY

Comets Thursday night training sessions provide an opportunity to train your dog with direct peer support.

Full members may qualify to participate in peer-supported practices at the Saanich Fairgrounds at 1528 Stellys X Road in Central Saanich on Thursdays. These practice sessions take place between 5:00 to 6:25 PM, and 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Practices take place indoors in the Agriplex building on packed sand. These sessions have a limited number of participants to maximize the benefit of each practice within the time allotted. Waitlists will be established if the demand by club members to participate exceeds the spaces available.

Your peers participating along side of you will be more than willing to provide support if you request it.  That includes placement of toys or food targets, supporting restrained startlines, videoing your sessions on your phone, giving feedback when you ask for it, etc.

Please see session descriptions below prior to requesting participation in any session. For further information, or to request participation, please email the Training Coordinator.

FOUNDATION PROOFING (5:30 – 6:25 PM)

This session is ideal for young dogs being introduced to agility, as well as older dogs intending to build stronger foundations skills.  Reasonable recall is preferred but does not need to be perfect to start. To participate, dogs cannot be reactive/aggressive toward people or other dogs. Although drills and sequenced obstacles will always be available, there is no expectation to perform any of them as numbered.  You may choose to focus on only one or two obstacles to train each session if that meets your needs. The key in this session is to focus on developing or reinforcing skills and behaviours you wish to train/proof.  Limited to 12 dogs.

Participants must be willing to help with the set up of all equipment so that the workload doesn’t fall on just a few.

ADVANCED SKILLS PRACTICE - National/International level (6:30 – 8:00 PM)

Open to experienced agility dogs normally competing at the Master level. Limited to 12 dogs.

Sessions introduce complex handling including, layering, distance work and difficult weave entry/exits etc. to safely handle at speed in the latest national and international course designs introduced in agility competitions world-wide.  To participate, dogs cannot be reactive or aggressive toward people or other dogs. Criteria for participation include the dog being able to safely perform each piece of equipment at reasonable speed.  That is, skills should be present to allow the dog to run a drill or course and be able to change direction quickly, while being able to maintain speed and precision and performing all obstacles safely.

Participants must be willing to help with putting all equipment back in the lockers following the session so that the workload doesn’t fall on just a few.

PRACTICE COURSE MAPS (CLICK DOCUMENT ICON TO VIEW)

VIDEOS

Articles

Equipment making