Paws For Agility

Training a dog on an agility course can begin at any age. That being said, special consideration needs to be given to training dogs under a year old. Puppies under a year of age have developing joints, so you don’t want to train them too hard as that can cause permanent damage.

When training a puppy you’ll want to start out on an easy dog agility course. The jumps should be a little shorter and the weaving exercises a bit simpler. As your puppy ages into a full grown dog, you’ll want to increase the difficulty of the agility course. Jumps can get higher, weaving can become more difficult, and you can add in elements like the teeter totter.

There are many obstacles a dog involved with agility training must master. There are many components to learn including jumps, climbing objects, and obedience objects. Tunnels are sure to be part of any agility competition. For larger breeds, training to go through dog tunnels is a bit more complex.

Larger dogs may not be able to stand completely upright inside dog tunnels and they may be fearful of such a small enclosed space. To train your dog to go through the tunnels you may want to start by having him or her lie underneath a table with a blanket draped over the top. This will simulate the tunnel and help your dog grow accustomed to being in an enclosed space. Another trick you can use is to have your dog enter the tunnel and stay.
Walk to the other end of the tunnel and command your dog to come. This will help him or learn the technique without breaking their other good habits.

Mastering weave poles is a difficult task for dogs. Most trainers keep a set of poles in their home to work with their dogs on mastering the event. There are several ways to approach training, but for a reluctant dog the channel method is increasingly popular.

In the channel method two parallel rows of weave poles are put side by side, with a channel running down the center. At first, let your dog run through the channel to the other end, like he or she is in an open tunnel. As your dog improves, rotate the poles base bringing the weave poles closer together. Slowly but surely your dog will begin to understand weaving and be more consistent in getting through the routine masterfully.

Many pet owners find themselves curious about specialty dog training, specifically agility training. Once a pet has mastered the basic commands – sit, stay, and rollover – it’s normal to wonder what else you could train such a smart animal to do. Often times, you’ll start with some simple at-home exercises like walking on their hind legs or playing dead, but once these tricks have been learned you’re always left wanting more.

If you consider yourself to be a training-focused pet owner, you should look into dog agility supplies. The options out there are extensive and allow pets to learn the ways of speed and agility with simple exercises. From jump-through tires and jump-over bars to obstacle courses and more, you’ll have your pet trained for show in no time.

It’s an unfortunate reality that exercise is something foreign to so many Americans. One of the circumstances associated with our lack of exercise is that our children and pets follow in our footsteps. If you own a dog then you know firsthand the detrimental effects of a sedentary lifestyle on an animal. They become lethargic and unhealthy and end up suffering from diseases that may have otherwise been prevented.

One of the greatest benefits of pets is that they make for great exercising companions. When we walk our dog or play with the dog in a park we’re also getting the benefits of more activity. In fact, we can be having so much fun we don’t even realize we’re getting god exercise.  Canine agility training is a great way to keep both you and your pets healthy. Agility training requires interaction and movement on the part of the owner. The dogs also benefit from the exercise and all the advantages of effective training.

No two canine agility courses are made the same, which makes training your dog a difficult task. Each organization has specific guidelines for setting up the obstacles, including the appropriate distance between the equipment, a designated number of turns and other relevant information. When it comes to devising canine agility obstacle plans, you want to be sure to include all of the basic apparatuses like the tunnel, tire jumps and weave poles.

It’s a good idea to intersperse difficult obstacles with those that are a bit easier. If you require the dog to do through the weave poles, complete a series of jumps and then leap through three tires, they’re not going to have enough energy to do much else. Also keep in mind that the dog’s obedience—not just their agility—will be tested during competition. Because of this, it’s imperative to make sure they heed to your orders and go through each of the contact obstacles the proper way each time.

In order to get your dog ready for competition, you have to effectively recreate the obstacles they’re going to encounter. Training for strength and endurance isn’t enough; if the dog isn’t familiar with the various apparatuses, they will be lost when it comes time to compete. Most people don’t have access to a dog agility course in their community, so the best option is to simply purchase the equipment yourself.

Not only does this allow you to train at your and your dog’s leisure, you can also adjust the equipment as they get stronger and more adept at the course. Start with the basic tools, such as a dog agility see saw, weave poles and a tunnel. Once they’ve mastered these obstacles, you can begin introducing more advanced equipment and connecting the various apparatuses to set up a functional course.

In my experience training dogs for agility courses, one of the most difficult apparatuses to prepare then for are the tunnels. If you’re unfamiliar with dog agility training, a tunnel may seem like a rather pedestrian obstacle. But most tunnels found on the course are actually agility tunnel bags, which don’t stay open all of he time.

Since the tunnel lacks a rigid structure, the dog will often become disoriented when they are going through. Especially during competition, where the dog doesn’t necessarily know what obstacle is next, it’s important for the trainer to be in constant communication with the animal. This will help them keep their bearings and find their way to the next piece of equipment in the course.

In my youth, I used to compete in a variety of athletic competitions—from swimming and crew to football and archery. As I’ve gotten older it’s been increasingly difficult to compete at a high level, but the competitive fire still burns deep inside of my. Recently I’ve been looking for a cathartic release from this sentiment, and I think I’ve finally found it.

My wife and I recently got a new dog, and I’ve been amazed by his unsurpassed physical prowess. He simply loves chasing down balls, running through the yard and swimming in our pond—basically anything that gets his blood pumping. Since he’s so athletically inclined, I decided to purchase some canine agility equipment and train him for competitions. As I guessed, he loves the training and both of us our chomping at the bit to get into some real contests.

After training dogs for decades, I’m quite familiar with the various apparatuses used to hone a dog’s agility. Of course, each of the different types of obstacles tests a different aspect of a dog’s fitness. But when it comes to pure agility, I feel that the agility weave poles are the best way to train and the truest gauge of the dog’s quickness.

My first introduction to the weave poles was actually during football practice, but the poles used for canines are practically identical—although they have been scaled down, of course. You can either purchase individual poles to stick in the ground at designated intervals or a set that has the poles already measured out and placed for you. The individual poles offer you more versatility when setting up your training course, while the sets are obviously more convenient.