When you get started with agility training, your biggest worry might be wondering how to teach all of the skills to your pet. Creating an agility training plan can be a good way to get started. There is much to teach and much for your pet to learn, but the good news is that your dog doesn't have to learn every skill immediately.
It's often easier to simply begin with the pause table. It might not be the most glamorous obstacle, but it certainly teaches vitally important skills. You will teach your dog commands such as jump up, jump down, stay, sit and lay down. The three latter skills are huge parts of general obedience training, anyway, which is why it can be good to start here. Create a word and signal for each skill and be sure to consistently use these same commands.
These skills won't be mastered overnight, so you must be as patient as possible, but typically once your dog has truly mastered one set of skills, it is easier to teach them new ones. Once they can manage to jump up, sit, stay and obey these commands, begin training with you at a distance. You can't be next to them on the course, so they must be able to follow your commands when you are far away.
As you add obstacles, you also will be adding new signals and command words. This is why it is wise to start slow and add more obstacles slowly after each new skill is mastered. Your second obstacle might be a single jump. Start out each lesson by reviewing pause table skills and then move on to the jump. Once your dog seems to have that down, attempt to begin with the pause table and head straight to the jump. Then perhaps you might add a second jump or maybe a tunnel or even a teeter totter.
In the early days, it isn't a bad idea to use a small, but yummy treat to motivate your dog, but using treats or toys should be stopped fairly early on. After all, you cannot use treats on the course in an actual competition, and dogs eventually work better and learn faster when you forgo using treats. Replace the early treats with positive reinforcement. A gently pat and a word of praise will make most dogs happy. Dogs love to please and praise is something they truly crave, so use that instead of food to get them to obey commands.
Of course, you will need to purchase some quality agility equipment, and Carlson Agility sells all the pieces you could possibly need. They offer contact equipment such as the pause table, dog agility a-frame, teeter totter and dog walk as well as weaves, teeters and an assortment of jumps, from regular single jumps to tire jumps and more. You can begin by purchasing a starter kit or perhaps a few pieces of mini agility equipment, which is ideal for puppies, small dogs and animals new to the sport.
It's often easier to simply begin with the pause table. It might not be the most glamorous obstacle, but it certainly teaches vitally important skills. You will teach your dog commands such as jump up, jump down, stay, sit and lay down. The three latter skills are huge parts of general obedience training, anyway, which is why it can be good to start here. Create a word and signal for each skill and be sure to consistently use these same commands.
These skills won't be mastered overnight, so you must be as patient as possible, but typically once your dog has truly mastered one set of skills, it is easier to teach them new ones. Once they can manage to jump up, sit, stay and obey these commands, begin training with you at a distance. You can't be next to them on the course, so they must be able to follow your commands when you are far away.
As you add obstacles, you also will be adding new signals and command words. This is why it is wise to start slow and add more obstacles slowly after each new skill is mastered. Your second obstacle might be a single jump. Start out each lesson by reviewing pause table skills and then move on to the jump. Once your dog seems to have that down, attempt to begin with the pause table and head straight to the jump. Then perhaps you might add a second jump or maybe a tunnel or even a teeter totter.
In the early days, it isn't a bad idea to use a small, but yummy treat to motivate your dog, but using treats or toys should be stopped fairly early on. After all, you cannot use treats on the course in an actual competition, and dogs eventually work better and learn faster when you forgo using treats. Replace the early treats with positive reinforcement. A gently pat and a word of praise will make most dogs happy. Dogs love to please and praise is something they truly crave, so use that instead of food to get them to obey commands.
Of course, you will need to purchase some quality agility equipment, and Carlson Agility sells all the pieces you could possibly need. They offer contact equipment such as the pause table, dog agility a-frame, teeter totter and dog walk as well as weaves, teeters and an assortment of jumps, from regular single jumps to tire jumps and more. You can begin by purchasing a starter kit or perhaps a few pieces of mini agility equipment, which is ideal for puppies, small dogs and animals new to the sport.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To find an agility equipment, or to find useful agility dog training equipment like dog agility kit, please check out the Carlson-Agility website today.
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