Watching dog agility competitions is exciting and if you have ever considered training your dog and hitting the agility courses, this is a great idea. Not only does it cement the bond between dog and owner, it provides a great source of exercise and even improves overall obedience.
Before you purchase a teeter-totter, jumps and weaves, it's important to lay a strong foundation just as with any other skill. For instance, you wouldn't expect a beginning basketball player to be able to dunk like Jordan nor would a young gymnast be able to hop on the balance beam and do a back flip. Your dog also needs to learn a few basic skills and then transition into learning each of the obstacles. Of course, you can certainly purchase some obstacles and allow your dog to sniff and explore these items at their own pace.
You might think that foundation training is kind of dull, but that's definitely not the case. Dogs love to play, and foundation training is really just fun playtime for your furry friend. For instance, grab some tug toys and head outside. Teach your dog to tug and hold on to the toy and then let go when you command. Then teach your dog to fetch and, more importantly, bring you the toy when you ask for it. Be sure to bring on the praise every time your dog is successful. Another option would be what is known as box games. You just grab some shallow boxes or bins and set them out in a row with enough space for the dog to hop in to one, then hop out and then walk over and hop into the next box. This teaches them how to work in sequence and continues to reinforce their obeying of commands.
If you are ready to purchase agility equipment, you might consider starting with some miniature agility obstacles, which are smaller versions of the regular obstacles. These mini pieces are fantastic for dogs just beginning agility training, as well as puppies and, of course, dogs of small breeds. Many agility organizations use this type of mini agility equipment for competitions involving small dogs, and even if you have a larger animal, there are a few advantages in purchasing some mini equipment. For one thing, these pieces are easier to learn skills on, and they fit easily in your backyard, so you can set up a whole course of obstacles.
One piece of equipment that is great for beginners is the pause table. This is a great way to build obedience as your dog not only must sit and stay on the table for a number of seconds, they also must learn to do so while you are at a good distance away from them. Begin by teaching these skills with you standing next to the dog on the pause table, and then gradually increase the number of feet between you and your dog. Using hand signals and perhaps a simple vocal command your dog will stay, sit and even lie down on the pause table.
From there you could try a few pieces of contact equipment, such as a mini dog walk, mini a-frame or mini teeter. All of these are great for puppies and terrific for a dog that is a bit timid, because they are not as high off the ground and less intimidating. The teeter can be a bit daunting for some dogs, because of the movement, so during your foundation training, you might think about using what is known as a wobble board, which also is called a rocker. Check out Carlson Agility, as they supply all of the dog agility equipment you will need, including mini agility equipment and full-size agility equipment. You can also find tons of helpful information about agility training on their website.
Before you purchase a teeter-totter, jumps and weaves, it's important to lay a strong foundation just as with any other skill. For instance, you wouldn't expect a beginning basketball player to be able to dunk like Jordan nor would a young gymnast be able to hop on the balance beam and do a back flip. Your dog also needs to learn a few basic skills and then transition into learning each of the obstacles. Of course, you can certainly purchase some obstacles and allow your dog to sniff and explore these items at their own pace.
You might think that foundation training is kind of dull, but that's definitely not the case. Dogs love to play, and foundation training is really just fun playtime for your furry friend. For instance, grab some tug toys and head outside. Teach your dog to tug and hold on to the toy and then let go when you command. Then teach your dog to fetch and, more importantly, bring you the toy when you ask for it. Be sure to bring on the praise every time your dog is successful. Another option would be what is known as box games. You just grab some shallow boxes or bins and set them out in a row with enough space for the dog to hop in to one, then hop out and then walk over and hop into the next box. This teaches them how to work in sequence and continues to reinforce their obeying of commands.
If you are ready to purchase agility equipment, you might consider starting with some miniature agility obstacles, which are smaller versions of the regular obstacles. These mini pieces are fantastic for dogs just beginning agility training, as well as puppies and, of course, dogs of small breeds. Many agility organizations use this type of mini agility equipment for competitions involving small dogs, and even if you have a larger animal, there are a few advantages in purchasing some mini equipment. For one thing, these pieces are easier to learn skills on, and they fit easily in your backyard, so you can set up a whole course of obstacles.
One piece of equipment that is great for beginners is the pause table. This is a great way to build obedience as your dog not only must sit and stay on the table for a number of seconds, they also must learn to do so while you are at a good distance away from them. Begin by teaching these skills with you standing next to the dog on the pause table, and then gradually increase the number of feet between you and your dog. Using hand signals and perhaps a simple vocal command your dog will stay, sit and even lie down on the pause table.
From there you could try a few pieces of contact equipment, such as a mini dog walk, mini a-frame or mini teeter. All of these are great for puppies and terrific for a dog that is a bit timid, because they are not as high off the ground and less intimidating. The teeter can be a bit daunting for some dogs, because of the movement, so during your foundation training, you might think about using what is known as a wobble board, which also is called a rocker. Check out Carlson Agility, as they supply all of the dog agility equipment you will need, including mini agility equipment and full-size agility equipment. You can also find tons of helpful information about agility training on their website.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. To discover an obstacle course for dogs, or to find more about training equipment for dog agility jumps, please go to the Carlson-Agility site today.
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