One of the best activities you can consider for your dog is agility training, particularly if your canine companion has lots of energy. This not only provides the exercise the dog needs, but also helps to improve obedience and confidence as well as cementing the bond between the two of you. One option is to purchase agility equipment and set it up in your yard.
One important part of this agility training is teaching your dog how to handle the various jumps typically found on an agility course. Dogs greatly enjoy these activities, and it is highly recommended that your training include between four and eight jumps of varying types.
As you probably have seen by watching competitions on TV or in person, there is a wide variety of jumps. A single jump is a good basic jump for first timers, and this is simply one pole on a stand adjusted to set height. You can start out with a few single jumps at a low level, increase the level to competition level and practice taking the jumps from the left and the right as well as placing other obstacles in between the jumps, such as a dog walk or A-frame and, of course, the ever important pause table.
Once your dog seems confident with a single jump, add a double jump and triple jump to the mix. These aren't higher, but farther. Instead of jumping over just one pole, dogs leap over two poles or three poles for a longer distance jump. Some jumps also are not made with poles, but with panels and you can also consider factoring in a panel jump obstacle or a fence wing jump with either poles or panels. Another fun jump is the tire jump, and every course includes one of these so you definitely will want to practice that skill.
In the beginning, it is probably all right to simply place two single jumps together to form a double jump, but eventually you will want to invest in an actual double jump and also a triple jump. This allows you to spread a bunch of jumps out in your yard for a solid practice section. Dogs really need to master that triple jump, so having one at your home can equal better success during a competition.
Even if you never plan to compete, dog agility is still highly beneficial for most dog breeds and you don't even have to try to make the equipment yourself. Shop around at sites like Carlson-Agility.com and you will find every piece of equipment that you could possibly need. They sell dog agility A-frames, pause tables, agility dog walks, tons of jumps, chutes and tunnels. If you aren't sure what to get, simply purchase a starter kit with some jumps and weaves and get going.
One important part of this agility training is teaching your dog how to handle the various jumps typically found on an agility course. Dogs greatly enjoy these activities, and it is highly recommended that your training include between four and eight jumps of varying types.
As you probably have seen by watching competitions on TV or in person, there is a wide variety of jumps. A single jump is a good basic jump for first timers, and this is simply one pole on a stand adjusted to set height. You can start out with a few single jumps at a low level, increase the level to competition level and practice taking the jumps from the left and the right as well as placing other obstacles in between the jumps, such as a dog walk or A-frame and, of course, the ever important pause table.
Once your dog seems confident with a single jump, add a double jump and triple jump to the mix. These aren't higher, but farther. Instead of jumping over just one pole, dogs leap over two poles or three poles for a longer distance jump. Some jumps also are not made with poles, but with panels and you can also consider factoring in a panel jump obstacle or a fence wing jump with either poles or panels. Another fun jump is the tire jump, and every course includes one of these so you definitely will want to practice that skill.
In the beginning, it is probably all right to simply place two single jumps together to form a double jump, but eventually you will want to invest in an actual double jump and also a triple jump. This allows you to spread a bunch of jumps out in your yard for a solid practice section. Dogs really need to master that triple jump, so having one at your home can equal better success during a competition.
Even if you never plan to compete, dog agility is still highly beneficial for most dog breeds and you don't even have to try to make the equipment yourself. Shop around at sites like Carlson-Agility.com and you will find every piece of equipment that you could possibly need. They sell dog agility A-frames, pause tables, agility dog walks, tons of jumps, chutes and tunnels. If you aren't sure what to get, simply purchase a starter kit with some jumps and weaves and get going.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys talking about dog agility training. To discover a dog training equipment, or to find more agility dog training equipment such as agility jumps, please visit the Carlson-Agility website now.
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