You may have seen dog shows on television where a canine travels through an obstacle course. This event may have piqued your interest, and you may consider training your dog to perform these tricks. While not for everyone, dog agility training can be a great way for you to bond with your dog, and perhaps earn some awards as well.
Show business
There are professionally televised events where owners exhibit their dog’s abilities. Like all professional athletes, however, not every canine makes the cut. Despite the fact you may not have a furry phenomena in your home, you may still want to consider learning dog agility training techniques.
Why would you want to start this type of training with your pet? Because agility training is an excellent to physically and mentally exercise your pet. While many dog owners may walk their dogs or play fetch with them to keep them fit, not many humans try to exercise their pets mentally. This neglected activity can actually be detrimental to your dog, and may be the root of some behavior problems. Some breeds, especially ones known for their intelligence, require mental as well as physical training to keep them happy and healthy. A bored pet is more likely to create mischief, so engaging your dog in mental exercises, whether with specially designed toys or agility training, will keep him happy and out of trouble.
It is important that you work with dog at least once a week. Agility training may be a great way to add some fun and excitement to your regular training routine. If you have an active pet, adding some jumps and pole maneuvering to training your dog to heel, fetch, and back up may keep your pet (and you) from becoming complacent about training time.
In addition, dog owners who use agility training form a close relationship with their canine companion. Once their dogs are in the circuit, they have to rely on voice commands and their dog’s abilities to complete the obstacle course. This creates a sense of deep trust and respect between human and dog, with an ability to understand what the other needs intuitively. This type of bond is special and one other dog owners may desire but don’t know how to achieve.
Agility caveats
When considering dog agility training, there are some important caveats to keep in mind:
Don’t start too young: puppies under a year old are still growing and may not have the attention span to handle complex commands. Start small and wait until your young dog is fully developed before adding complex agility training.
- Young at heart may not be enough: if you have an older dog, you can still consider agility training, but keep your dog’s activity level in mind. If your dog has issues with arthritis or joint problems due to old age, limit the jumps you use in training.
- Get the basics down first: Make sure your dog has mastered basic obedience commands and handles training well before adding complex agility sessions. Furthermore, you may want to teach your puppy commands such as go left, turn right, or jump before working on an obstacle course with your pet.
- Don’t forget the praise: as with obedience training, positive reinforcement works best when teaching agility commands. Using a clicker combined with toys, treats and praise will help encourage your dog to learn the new commands.
Agility equipment
Typical obstacle course training equipment includes poles, tunnels and hoops for jumping. You can purchase this equipment or find out if there is a course where you can rent time for training. Veterinarians, pet stores, and kennel clubs are different resources you can use to find out what options are available. You may not want to invest heavily in equipment until you know how far you will take this type of training.
Dog agility training is an excellent way to mentally stimulate your pet as well as provide him or her with physical exercise. You will form a strong relationship with your dog and will find the adventure rewarding, even if you never attend a single dog show. With a little research and considering your dog’s personality, you can determine whether you want to start agility training with your pet.