If you are new to the world of dog agility, it will be helpful to learn about all of the different pieces of agility equipment that are used for competitions. While every dog agility group, from UKC to USDAA, has different rules and different course designs, there are a few pieces of agility equipment that you almost always find on the course. These include items such as the pause table, plenty of dog agility jumps, weave poles, a see-saw or teeter totter, a dog tunnel, a collapsible chute and an agility dog walk or A-frame or perhaps both.
When it comes to jumps, most organizations will include single pole jumps as well as double or triple pole jumps. A panel jump also is a very common site, and you often will see a tire jump. Jumps can be fairly easy to train a dog to navigate, and you always will find several agility jumps on any course. So if you are planning on a buying a few pieces of agility equipment, jumps are always a good choice.
UKC also sometimes throws in a window jump, which is very similar to a panel jump with a window-size hole cut out of it. Other hurdles you might find on a UKC course include a picket fence hurdle, log hurdle or a water hurdle. UKC and NADAC also use some hoop obstacles on some courses, and UKC has some other interesting and unique agility equipment including the sway bridge and a swing plank.
The pause table is generally an easy obstacle to teach. It is here where your furry friend must sit and stay and "pause" during their time on the course. Each organization will have different height requirements for this obstacle as well as rules about how long the dog must stay. It might not seem like the most exciting obstacle, but the pause table is a fantastic training tool and a great way to combine your obedience training with your agility training.
Some contact obstacles are easier to teach than others. Contact obstacles include agility equipment such as dog tunnels and chutes, the agility A-frame and the agility dog walk. The chutes and tunnels can seem a bit daunting at first, but generally it doesn't take long for dogs to warm up to these items. The teeter-totter, however, because of its movement, can be a bit frightening, and some dogs also are intimidated by the height and angle of the A-frame. For these pieces of agility equipment, simply provide an abundance of praise and give your dog plenty of time to warm up to these two items.
All of these pieces of agility equipment can be purchased from online retailers like Carlson Agility. You can find everything you need for training as well as specialty equipment such as K9 training equipment. If you have a timid dog, a puppy or perhaps a small dog, then simply purchase mini agility equipment instead of the full-size version.
When it comes to jumps, most organizations will include single pole jumps as well as double or triple pole jumps. A panel jump also is a very common site, and you often will see a tire jump. Jumps can be fairly easy to train a dog to navigate, and you always will find several agility jumps on any course. So if you are planning on a buying a few pieces of agility equipment, jumps are always a good choice.
UKC also sometimes throws in a window jump, which is very similar to a panel jump with a window-size hole cut out of it. Other hurdles you might find on a UKC course include a picket fence hurdle, log hurdle or a water hurdle. UKC and NADAC also use some hoop obstacles on some courses, and UKC has some other interesting and unique agility equipment including the sway bridge and a swing plank.
The pause table is generally an easy obstacle to teach. It is here where your furry friend must sit and stay and "pause" during their time on the course. Each organization will have different height requirements for this obstacle as well as rules about how long the dog must stay. It might not seem like the most exciting obstacle, but the pause table is a fantastic training tool and a great way to combine your obedience training with your agility training.
Some contact obstacles are easier to teach than others. Contact obstacles include agility equipment such as dog tunnels and chutes, the agility A-frame and the agility dog walk. The chutes and tunnels can seem a bit daunting at first, but generally it doesn't take long for dogs to warm up to these items. The teeter-totter, however, because of its movement, can be a bit frightening, and some dogs also are intimidated by the height and angle of the A-frame. For these pieces of agility equipment, simply provide an abundance of praise and give your dog plenty of time to warm up to these two items.
All of these pieces of agility equipment can be purchased from online retailers like Carlson Agility. You can find everything you need for training as well as specialty equipment such as K9 training equipment. If you have a timid dog, a puppy or perhaps a small dog, then simply purchase mini agility equipment instead of the full-size version.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To find an agility equipment, or to find more agility dog training equipment like agility jumps, please go to the Carlson-Agility.com site now.
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