Your puppy is undoubtedly one of the cutest and sweetest of creatures, but this new furry friend probably is lacking a bit in the obedience department and also has a huge amount of extra energy. Because puppies need to learn how to behave properly and need a bunch of exercise, agility training can be a great way to provide both of these needs.
Not all dogs will enjoy the agility obstacles, but most do and you certainly don't need to restrict agility training to just a few breeds. Any breed is welcome in competition, and most healthy dogs truly benefit from learning the skills. While a good walk is always fun for a dog, agility training provides a more interesting and engaging outlet for your puppy's energy.
When you get started, consider working with a pause mat or training pause table. The regular pause table might be a bit too large for your puppy, so opt for a mini version or simply use the top of the table when teaching your puppy to sit and stay on command. These are essential obedience skills, so not only are you introducing dog agility skills, you also are teaching your puppy to sit and stay and lay down. While you cannot use treats on the agility course, at this stage of the game, a treat can be a very good motivator for a little guy with a short attention span. As they master these skills, you also will need to widen the distance between the two of you. On the course, the dog and handler are many feet apart so your puppy needs to learn to obey you even if you are far away.
Playing with toys is another way to help get your puppy ready for the agility course. But you must think of this as structured play. For instance, when using a tug toy, you want your puppy to tug on the toy, but you also want them to let go when you give a command. When you toss a ball or toy, you want your dog to fetch the object, but you also want them not only to bring it right back to you, they need to release it. This builds up obedience and trust between the two of you. Learning to walk loosely on a leash next to you and then off-leash next to you also will help with agility course training.
Playing with toys and learning the pause table are important, and your next step might be to start teaching them about jumps. A mini jump can be purchased or you can just lower the regular sized jump to its lowest point and introduce the obstacle to your puppy. At first, they simply need to learn to go over the jump pole and then to move directly to the pause table. Once they can go from jump to table easily, add another jump in the sequence. Keep the jumps approximately three feet apart from each other. Again, the focus is one following directions and not clearing jumps and perfecting their style.
Of course, once you've learned some jumps and the pause table, you can add even more agility equipment to the mix. Carlson Agility sells mini equipment ideally suited to puppies, smaller breeds and timid dogs that are just starting out with agility training. You can purchase mini teeters, mini pause tables, mini dog walks, mini a-frames and a miniature chute and barrel, as well as mini jumps. These also are great because their smaller size makes them fit into your backyard much more easily.
Not all dogs will enjoy the agility obstacles, but most do and you certainly don't need to restrict agility training to just a few breeds. Any breed is welcome in competition, and most healthy dogs truly benefit from learning the skills. While a good walk is always fun for a dog, agility training provides a more interesting and engaging outlet for your puppy's energy.
When you get started, consider working with a pause mat or training pause table. The regular pause table might be a bit too large for your puppy, so opt for a mini version or simply use the top of the table when teaching your puppy to sit and stay on command. These are essential obedience skills, so not only are you introducing dog agility skills, you also are teaching your puppy to sit and stay and lay down. While you cannot use treats on the agility course, at this stage of the game, a treat can be a very good motivator for a little guy with a short attention span. As they master these skills, you also will need to widen the distance between the two of you. On the course, the dog and handler are many feet apart so your puppy needs to learn to obey you even if you are far away.
Playing with toys is another way to help get your puppy ready for the agility course. But you must think of this as structured play. For instance, when using a tug toy, you want your puppy to tug on the toy, but you also want them to let go when you give a command. When you toss a ball or toy, you want your dog to fetch the object, but you also want them not only to bring it right back to you, they need to release it. This builds up obedience and trust between the two of you. Learning to walk loosely on a leash next to you and then off-leash next to you also will help with agility course training.
Playing with toys and learning the pause table are important, and your next step might be to start teaching them about jumps. A mini jump can be purchased or you can just lower the regular sized jump to its lowest point and introduce the obstacle to your puppy. At first, they simply need to learn to go over the jump pole and then to move directly to the pause table. Once they can go from jump to table easily, add another jump in the sequence. Keep the jumps approximately three feet apart from each other. Again, the focus is one following directions and not clearing jumps and perfecting their style.
Of course, once you've learned some jumps and the pause table, you can add even more agility equipment to the mix. Carlson Agility sells mini equipment ideally suited to puppies, smaller breeds and timid dogs that are just starting out with agility training. You can purchase mini teeters, mini pause tables, mini dog walks, mini a-frames and a miniature chute and barrel, as well as mini jumps. These also are great because their smaller size makes them fit into your backyard much more easily.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To discover an agility equipment for dogs, or to learn further about other equipment such as dog agility tunnels, please visit the Carlson-Agility.com website now.
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