Dogs truly are man's best friend, and you would be hard-pressed to find a human as capable of loyalty and unconditional love. Because they give us so much, it's nice to give them something as well, and getting out on a dog agility course can be a great way to help your dog get the most out of their life. Here are a few benefits your agility dog will enjoy.
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. Agility Provides Opportunities For Socialization
Does your dog shy away from other dogs? Often a timid dog dislikes being around other dogs, but through dog agility you can increase their self-confidence and introduce them to other dogs in a social setting. At an agility club, for instance, dogs tend to be well-trained and well-behaved which is an excellent setting for your shyer dog or perhaps a younger dog without much social experience. If you have a very aggressive animal, you will need to tackle that behavior through proper obedience training prior to letting them engage with other dogs, but most dogs enjoy the company of other dogs and agility provides plenty of opportunities to make friends.
3. Jump Start The Bonding Process
When you first get a new dog, whether it's a puppy or an older rescue animal, it takes a bit of time to bond. Teaching agility skills can be a fantastic way for you to spend time together, and because you are truly engaged with one another, it will cement the bond between you and build trust quickly. The pause table is a great place to start because you will be combining basic obedience skills with agility skills. By spending time together, your dog will understand you better and you will become more in tune with your dog's personality and learn the best way to manage your new friend's behavior.
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.
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. Agility Provides Opportunities For Socialization
Does your dog shy away from other dogs? Often a timid dog dislikes being around other dogs, but through dog agility you can increase their self-confidence and introduce them to other dogs in a social setting. At an agility club, for instance, dogs tend to be well-trained and well-behaved which is an excellent setting for your shyer dog or perhaps a younger dog without much social experience. If you have a very aggressive animal, you will need to tackle that behavior through proper obedience training prior to letting them engage with other dogs, but most dogs enjoy the company of other dogs and agility provides plenty of opportunities to make friends.
3. Jump Start The Bonding Process
When you first get a new dog, whether it's a puppy or an older rescue animal, it takes a bit of time to bond. Teaching agility skills can be a fantastic way for you to spend time together, and because you are truly engaged with one another, it will cement the bond between you and build trust quickly. The pause table is a great place to start because you will be combining basic obedience skills with agility skills. By spending time together, your dog will understand you better and you will become more in tune with your dog's personality and learn the best way to manage your new friend's behavior.
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.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To discover an agility equipment for dogs, or to find further agility dog training equipment such as obedience jumps, please check out the Carlson-Agility site today.
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