Agility Training – Beginning Steps
Do you have an active dog who has mastered basic obedience training? Are you looking to advance their training skills? We highly suggest agility training! This type of training can be a great way to give your dog a workout while training their brain at the same time. Not only that, but it will allow you, as a dog owner to create a better bond with your best friend. This article will go into detail about the basics of canine agility training and how to train your dog to understand the basic concepts.
Dog agility training is great because it helps get your dog active while working them physically and mentally. It is a fun and unique activity that you and your dog can participate in together! Agility training can also help your dog build confidence and mental focus. Now that you have an idea of what agility training is, it is time to get started! Below are some common props and tools that dog owners usually invest in if they are interested in agility training.
Weave Poles – These poles are places in the ground and your dog’s objective is to weave in between them.
Tunnels – You can purchase a collapsible tunnel – normally found in a children’s store. Navigating in and out of tunnels is an impressive skill.
Tires – We recommend that you use bike tires for this type of agility training, but you can truly use any tire if it fits your dog’s skill level. Hold the tire up and see if your dog can jump through it. This is an advanced trick, usually seeing how high your dog can jump.
Pause Table – This table is used as a “pause” station so that your dog can stop and rest during performances and lessons.
Teeter Boards – Think of this as a seesaw for dogs. Their objective is to walk along it while maintaining their balance.
There are many more props and tools which you can use for your agility obstacle course! Once you have created your course, it is time to introduce your dog to canine agility. You will need to make sure that your dog understands basic commands as they are used quite often during agility training. It may take some time for your dog to fully understand each obstacle and their objective so you must be patient. Once they begin to understand the areas of your obstacle course, you can pick up the pace and have them complete tasks without your assistance. This is where most of the learning and skills will come into play. At the end of the day, have FUN with it!
