Green handler seeks experienced dog

In response to “No praise for you.” a regular reader compares matching newbie handlers with green dogs to putting a first-time rider on an inexperienced horse. Hello … disaster calling. The question she raises is valid: Would green handlers learn more from running experienced dogs before they attempt to train their own green dogs? After all, you can get already-trained field dogs? Why not already-trained agility dogs?

One of Lilly’s playmates is a dog like that. I call him Charlie, hunting dog in a box. At about 15 months old, he sold for something like $2,000 because he’s already trained to point, flush, and retrieve. He’s a really sweet boy too, having been raised on a farm with his parents and littermates.

I’m bracing for criticism as I write this, so let’s just consider this a mental exercise. No flaming posts, please.

Might not new handlers enjoy a better learning curve, if they could play agility at classes with an experience dog who will run for anyone?

Yes, I know every dog is different. I know that part of the process is building the bond with your canine teammate. And, I know at least some trainers would worry about clueless students accidentally screwing up their dogs by rewarding the dog for something the primary handler doesn’t want.

I get all that. I really do.

Borrowing a dog would feel a lot like borrowing someone’s spouse. And, that’s just icky.

And, yet, when failure upon failure piles up on green handlers, like me, wouldn’t it be nice to have a decent run now and again, just to see what it feels like?

Maybe experienced handlers could allow their green friends to do a practice run on the training field with their late-career dogs. If it goes well, maybe the green handler could even split trial costs and try running the more experienced dog competitively to get a feel for a higher-pressure environment.

I honestly don’t know what the attrition rate is for first-time agility students. Maybe a lack of “success” is partly to blame. It’s just a thought.

Unless, of course, there’s some big-name handler/trainer out there who starts selling agility dogs in a box.