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 set up all of that cool dog agility equipment and start teaching your dog how to go up and down an a-frame or navigate weave poles, it is wise to lay a solid foundation. As with any sport, one doesn't start out performing at Olympic levels, we have to learn beginning skills first. Dogs are no exception, and they need to have some basic foundation training prior to learning how to run the agility course. This will make it easier for your pet to tackle jumps, see-saws, tunnels and all of the other fun agility equipment.
The good news is that foundation training is not only easy, it's a lot of fun for you and your pet. Basically, it's just structured playtime where you teach a few essential skills that translate easily to the agility course. Playing with tug toys is an excellent way to start building a foundation. Your dog needs to learn how to tug on a toy but also to let go on command. They need to learn how to fetch the toy and, more importantly, bring the toy back to you. Another fun and helpful activity is the box game, which teaches sequencing and further cements the obeying of commands. You set up three or four boxes in a row and teach your dog to jump in and out of each box in order. Be sure to select boxes, baskets or bins that are very low to the ground to make this easy and safe, especially for puppies, small dogs and older animals.
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.
You might begin with a pause table, which teaches some essential skills. Your dog will learn to sit and stay and even lie down on the table. Once the dog has mastered these skills, begin distance training. This simply means that you walk a few feet away from the pause table, still expecting that your dog will obey the commands. Keep working on increasing the distance between you with your dog obeying your vocal commands and hand signals.
Aside from the pause table, other contact equipment you will need includes the dog walk, the teeter-totter and the a-frame, all of which are available from Carlson Agility in full-size and mini sizes. The smaller versions of pieces such as the teeter and a-frame are excellent for beginners or puppies who might be intimidate by the height of the obstacles and the movement of the teeter. If your dog seems uncertain about the teeter, consider having them using a rocker or wobble board, which is low to the ground but still allows them to get used to stand on something that moves. Carlson Agility not only sells all types of high-quality agility equipment, the website is filled with helpful information that will help you make agility training a big success for you and your dog.
Before you set up all of that cool dog agility equipment and start teaching your dog how to go up and down an a-frame or navigate weave poles, it is wise to lay a solid foundation. As with any sport, one doesn't start out performing at Olympic levels, we have to learn beginning skills first. Dogs are no exception, and they need to have some basic foundation training prior to learning how to run the agility course. This will make it easier for your pet to tackle jumps, see-saws, tunnels and all of the other fun agility equipment.
The good news is that foundation training is not only easy, it's a lot of fun for you and your pet. Basically, it's just structured playtime where you teach a few essential skills that translate easily to the agility course. Playing with tug toys is an excellent way to start building a foundation. Your dog needs to learn how to tug on a toy but also to let go on command. They need to learn how to fetch the toy and, more importantly, bring the toy back to you. Another fun and helpful activity is the box game, which teaches sequencing and further cements the obeying of commands. You set up three or four boxes in a row and teach your dog to jump in and out of each box in order. Be sure to select boxes, baskets or bins that are very low to the ground to make this easy and safe, especially for puppies, small dogs and older animals.
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.
You might begin with a pause table, which teaches some essential skills. Your dog will learn to sit and stay and even lie down on the table. Once the dog has mastered these skills, begin distance training. This simply means that you walk a few feet away from the pause table, still expecting that your dog will obey the commands. Keep working on increasing the distance between you with your dog obeying your vocal commands and hand signals.
Aside from the pause table, other contact equipment you will need includes the dog walk, the teeter-totter and the a-frame, all of which are available from Carlson Agility in full-size and mini sizes. The smaller versions of pieces such as the teeter and a-frame are excellent for beginners or puppies who might be intimidate by the height of the obstacles and the movement of the teeter. If your dog seems uncertain about the teeter, consider having them using a rocker or wobble board, which is low to the ground but still allows them to get used to stand on something that moves. Carlson Agility not only sells all types of high-quality agility equipment, the website is filled with helpful information that will help you make agility training a big success for you and your dog.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves 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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