Hoopers

[Jean Wilkins]

Breakaway Action Dogs (BAD) in Frederick, Maryland offer Hoopers at their April & August trials.

Artful Dodgers in Maryland offers Hoopers at their June trial in Frederick, MD and November trial in Millersville, MD.

Come plays with us.

We go up to Dover so it is driveable for you.

Jean
Member of BAD, Artful, & Pawzazz......these clubs all like hoopers!!

[marycallaway]

Thanks!!!

[KarissaKS]

Any ring time is good time.  Never a waste.

I'd be in the ring for every run offered with each of my dogs if it was feasible. However, when you run four dogs sometimes you have to be a bit choosier about you enter. That's when goals come into play. And since the All Around is not one of my goals, I tend to spend my money on classes that will help me achieve the goals I do have set for myself and my dogs.

My new dog got entered in Hoopers at her first trial this month because I figured it would be a low-pressure easy class for her to get some ring experience. It's nice for that sort of thing (doesn't require the brain power of weaving or contacts, for example).

Personally, I have many other ways of testing my handling and challenging myself more than Hoopers does. I enjoy Hoopers, but just don't have the money to throw at it anymore. It's not like we don't see plenty of hoops in the other classes anyhow...

[Shirley Wallace]

There's another bonus to hoopers besides testing your handling skills (or lack thereof  ) - I have found hoops to be a great help in rehabbing dogs that are recovering from injuries.  No jumps, no contacts, no weaves, but the dog is able to get out and play and be active.  A hoopers class may be a problem with quick turns, etc., but it's a good form of exercise.
Shirley in MN, who has used a hoops a fair amount for rehab purposes

[Maureen deHaan]

Speaking of Hoopers and its "worth":

The shelter where I rent ring space in the winter is small with a crappy floor so my classes are focused on hoopers and EGC style stuff with tunnels - we don't jump or really work other equipment in the winter months that often - all we work on in the winter is handling handling handling - and hoops, barrels and gates tell you wonders - just today we were working serpentines with just hoops and how to effectively draw the path using a tight and or a switch - using crosses or not staying close or using distance depended on the team- those that can draw the path had no problem with a serpentine in any way - even a double switch serp - those that have poor path drawing skills could not get through a 3 hoop serp - and they probably could with jumps - even the two 7 month old puppies did great on the hoop serp b/c the handlers know how to draw the path - much to the chagrin of the advanced handlers who don't effectively do so   just saying' there is a LOT of worth in hoops (and barrels and gates) whether or not you enter it in a trial - a useful training tool -

We at Play~Bow love and embrace the hoop and EGC!!