If you have ever watched a dog agility show on television or seen one live and in person, you might be thinking that these obstacle courses could be something your dog would really enjoy. Most healthy, active dogs probably would enjoy these fun activities, and they certainly will enjoy being outside and spending time with their precious owners.
However, while you might be tempted to grab some jumps and a teeter totter and get going, it is important to dedicate your first lessons to building a strong foundation. After all, a novice skier doesn't begin on black diamond runs and you don't learn to drive by hitting the course at the Indy 500, one starts by learning the basics. This is true for dog agility training, as well. Once you teach some basic beginning skills, you will have a much easier time with cool agility obstacles such as tunnels, jumps, weaves and teeters.
While it might not sound exciting, foundation training is a great deal of fun for dogs. You can start out with toy play. This simply means providing a set of tug toys and teaching your dog to tug, let go on command and bring a toy to you. Provide plenty of positive feedback for your dog when they tug, when they let go and when they bring you the toy. Box games are another fun foundation skill, and you can simply set out a few plastic bins or boxes that are low enough on the ground for your dog to hop in safely. Set them up in a series with some space in between and then have them jump in each box. Basically, with all of these foundation games, you are teaching your dog how to obey your commands.
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.
However, while you might be tempted to grab some jumps and a teeter totter and get going, it is important to dedicate your first lessons to building a strong foundation. After all, a novice skier doesn't begin on black diamond runs and you don't learn to drive by hitting the course at the Indy 500, one starts by learning the basics. This is true for dog agility training, as well. Once you teach some basic beginning skills, you will have a much easier time with cool agility obstacles such as tunnels, jumps, weaves and teeters.
While it might not sound exciting, foundation training is a great deal of fun for dogs. You can start out with toy play. This simply means providing a set of tug toys and teaching your dog to tug, let go on command and bring a toy to you. Provide plenty of positive feedback for your dog when they tug, when they let go and when they bring you the toy. Box games are another fun foundation skill, and you can simply set out a few plastic bins or boxes that are low enough on the ground for your dog to hop in safely. Set them up in a series with some space in between and then have them jump in each box. Basically, with all of these foundation games, you are teaching your dog how to obey your commands.
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 now.
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