Saturday, November 15, 2014

Three Benefits Of Dog Agility

By Cheng Bernhardt


Dogs make ideal companions as they are joyful, loyal and loving friends. Your dog gives you plenty of unconditional love, so to reward them for being a wonderful friend, it is a good idea to plan out some activities just for them. Dog agility training can be a great activity for you and your dog to enjoy together and here are just a few reasons why.

1. Agility & Exercise Go Hand In Hand

Obviously, dog agility is a great source of exercise, and you probably already knew that. Most people exercise their dogs with a few daily walks, and while this is great, it's not very exciting for you and your pet. Agility provides a bit more than the exercise you'd get with a walk; it provides a challenging type of exercise that truly appeals to dogs. The course actually is designed with instinctive dog behavior in mind. As they jump over obstacles, scurry across the dog walk and scamper around weave poles, they are engaged and excited about their activities.

2. Getting Social With Agility

Dogs love people, but most of them also love other dogs. After all, dogs are pack animals. Agility can provide you with plenty of opportunities for socializing and this can be a great tool for improving your dog's social skills. Obviously, you don't want to unleash a very aggressive animal on a group of friendly dogs, but a dog that's a bit shy or uncertain can build confidence by playing around with other agility dogs. An agility club can be a great way to introduce your pet to other dogs in a fun setting. Not to mention the fact that it's also a great way for the human companions to mix and mingle and build friendships.

3. Strengthen That Dog-Person Bond

If your dog is new to your household, he or she might be feeling a bit unsure. Spending time together doing something fun is a great way for you to learn a lot about each other. Consider getting started with a pause table, as this reinforces basic behaviors you want to instill in your pet, such as sitting and staying on command. As you spend time with your dog, you will learn the best ways to garner a response and your dog will learn about how to please you, and dogs love to make their owners happy.

Don't feel like you have to fill up your backyard with agility equipment. Purchase a starter kit or just one or two pieces of agility equipment to start. It might be good to simply begin with a pause table and some type of jump, such as a tire jump. Once your dog is able to sit, stay and lay down on the pause table, start moving a few feet away and practicing these skills and commands until you are a decent distant from your pet. Then add another piece of equipment. Teach your dog to go from the table to a jump and then add a third obstacle and so on.

If you are searching for quality agility equipment, consider shopping at an online store. Carlson Agility, for instance, sells every imaginable piece of agility equipment. You can purchase agility jumps, agility tire jumps, weaves, teeter totters, a-frames, dog walks and much more. They also offer most pieces in mini sizes for those smaller dogs and puppies. Even if you have a larger dog, a few pieces of mini equipment are great for rainy day training in your family room, basement or garage.




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