While teaching dog agility skills to your furry friend is fun and an excellent way to provide exercise, not every dog is suited to agility training, and there are a few things you need to think about before training starts. If you wish to start agility lessons, here is some information that might help you get the most out of this experience.
Your dog's general energy level and physical condition also are important initial considerations. A dog that is easily tired by a walk or can only play briskly for 10-15 at a time might not be well suited to agility training. A dog that is partially blind or perhaps deaf or an amputee might still enjoy agility training, but some organizations do not allow these animals to compete. However, a dog in great condition with lots of playful energy can be the perfect candidate for agility training.
A puppy that has reached at least eight weeks of age also can begin enjoying agility training. Puppies are always anxious to play and are highly interesting in anything new, so this can be a great time to start. However, because they are still in development stages, you do need to supervise them carefully and you also need to purchase mini equipment for them to use. Carlson Agility is one retailer that offers this mini equipment for puppies and small breed dogs. You can purchase mini versions of pause tables, a-frames, dog walks and even a cute little mini chute and barrel. The mini pause table can be a great place to begin, as they learn important agility and obedience skills at the same time.
Purchasing mini contact equipment is a great way to start out, and it also has the advantage of fitting more easily in your yard. Purchasing mini weaves, mini tire jumps, mini a-frames and dog walks and other mini pieces means you can buy a larger variety of equipment. You can even bring them inside your home more easily, which means you and your dog can continue training on a rainy day. Your dog especially will enjoy training on days when they have been cooped up due to poor weather conditions.
If you have ever watched a dog agility competition, you probably were amazed by the skills and speed of these animals and it certainly is impressive to see. However, these dogs have spent several years honing these skills, and while your dog will learn them, don't expect to hit the Grand Prix of Dog Agility in a matter of weeks. Time and plenty of patience is needed for training, and always remember this is supposed to be a fun activity for you and your dog. Start out slowly by learning one apparatus at time. You might begin with a jump, a tunnel or a pause table. A-frames and teeters can be a bit intimidating at first. Once you are doing well on one piece of equipment, add a new skill and so on.
If you are getting started and need to purchase some equipment, check out the selections from retailers such as Carlson Agility. They offer a huge assortment of dog agility course equipment, such as dog tunnels and chutes, agility dog walks, dog agility A-frames, agility dog jumps and much more. One option would be to select one of their starter kits which contain just two or three obstacles to get you going.
Your dog's general energy level and physical condition also are important initial considerations. A dog that is easily tired by a walk or can only play briskly for 10-15 at a time might not be well suited to agility training. A dog that is partially blind or perhaps deaf or an amputee might still enjoy agility training, but some organizations do not allow these animals to compete. However, a dog in great condition with lots of playful energy can be the perfect candidate for agility training.
A puppy that has reached at least eight weeks of age also can begin enjoying agility training. Puppies are always anxious to play and are highly interesting in anything new, so this can be a great time to start. However, because they are still in development stages, you do need to supervise them carefully and you also need to purchase mini equipment for them to use. Carlson Agility is one retailer that offers this mini equipment for puppies and small breed dogs. You can purchase mini versions of pause tables, a-frames, dog walks and even a cute little mini chute and barrel. The mini pause table can be a great place to begin, as they learn important agility and obedience skills at the same time.
Purchasing mini contact equipment is a great way to start out, and it also has the advantage of fitting more easily in your yard. Purchasing mini weaves, mini tire jumps, mini a-frames and dog walks and other mini pieces means you can buy a larger variety of equipment. You can even bring them inside your home more easily, which means you and your dog can continue training on a rainy day. Your dog especially will enjoy training on days when they have been cooped up due to poor weather conditions.
If you have ever watched a dog agility competition, you probably were amazed by the skills and speed of these animals and it certainly is impressive to see. However, these dogs have spent several years honing these skills, and while your dog will learn them, don't expect to hit the Grand Prix of Dog Agility in a matter of weeks. Time and plenty of patience is needed for training, and always remember this is supposed to be a fun activity for you and your dog. Start out slowly by learning one apparatus at time. You might begin with a jump, a tunnel or a pause table. A-frames and teeters can be a bit intimidating at first. Once you are doing well on one piece of equipment, add a new skill and so on.
If you are getting started and need to purchase some equipment, check out the selections from retailers such as Carlson Agility. They offer a huge assortment of dog agility course equipment, such as dog tunnels and chutes, agility dog walks, dog agility A-frames, agility dog jumps and much more. One option would be to select one of their starter kits which contain just two or three obstacles to get you going.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. For further information about dog training equipment or to know more about other equipment like dog agility tunnels, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com site now.
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