10 Tips Your Dog Might Love Agility Training

Dog agility training is a fun way to exercise both you and your dog.  Most dogs love dog agility training, but how can you tell if your dog loves dog agility training?  Here are ten tips that your dog might love dog agility training.

1. Your dog perks up when he hears you talking about dog agility training with friends and family.  He may even walk over to you expectantly and wait to see if you will take him out.
2. He gets excited when you purchase a new obstacle.  He recognizes that he has gotten a new toy and is eager to get outside and try it.
3. When you put on your sneakers, your dog waits by the door.  He knows you wear those shoes during agility training, and expects to go out.  He sees your shoes as a sign that he will go out and train.
4. When you take your dog outside for a bathroom break, he heads over to the dog agility course.  In fact, your dog may even temporarily forget the fact that he has to go to the bathroom.  This shows that your dog is dedicated to his agility training.
5. Your dog stands by the door every day after you come home.  He evens stands by the door after you have taken him outside to go to the bathroom.  This is a sign that your dog is ready to go out and begin his daily training.
6. You dog’s tail is wagging throughout every agility training session.  This is a sign that your dog is happy and enjoys what he is doing.
7. Your dog does not fuss when you put on the agility training leash.  Very often, dogs will put up a fuss when their owners put on their leash.  Dogs that love agility training are often happy to put on their leash because they know it will lead to training.
8. You dog whines when agility training is over.  He may even be difficult to bring back in the house because he does not want to leave.
9. Your dog barks every time you pass the agility training course, even when it is on a trip to the veterinarian.
10. After a few days without agility training, your dog is lethargic or moody.  It could be that the weather would not permit outdoor activity.  Your dog is missing the activity and attention, and reacts poorly as a result.

Agility training is one of the best ways you can spend quality time with your dog.  This is the reason why the majority of dogs love agility training.  If your dog loves agility training, make sure that you take the time to provide dog agility training opportunities to your dog on a regular basis.  This will ensure the happiness of your dog.

Preparing Your Dog for the Demands of Dog Agility Training

Any human or beast about to embark on a new endeavor needs to be prepared in order to perform.  Here are some ways to be sure your dog is ready to take agility training classes.

It might be best to start with a general, basic obedience class.  Agility training is fairly specific, and if your dog hasn’t learned to come or sit yet, he may not have much luck with the weave or obstacles.  Also, taking an obedience class allows you to know your dog’s temperament and attention span.

Agility training is good exercise for the dog and his human, and furthering your dog’s fitness might be one of your goals for the training.  But, if your dog has been very sedentary, it’s a good idea to ease him into a gentle, regular exercise routine before hitting the agility course.  Agility involves jumping, quick turns, balance, and running.  It’s not fair to make a couch potato dog jump into a full-on boot camp.

Pay attention to how your dog responds physically to the training.  He may be more tired or hungrier than usual, so you need to act accordingly.  Of course, lots of fresh, cool water is always a necessity, but never more so than when a dog is trying a new skill.  Also, don’t skimp on the quality of dog food.  Some foods are full of fillers, and don’t really provide the nutrients an active dog needs.

When you’ve begun a new exercise routine, you occasionally have sore muscles or blisters.  The same risks lurk for your dog.  Check the pads on his paws, in particular.  The turning and different surfaces involved in agility training could cause sore or abraded paws.  Give your dog a quick once over every day to make sure he has no cuts or bruises.

Does your dog suddenly seem listless?  Or is he regressing, and exhibiting undesirable behaviors that have previously not been a problem?  It could be that the new routine is too much, too soon.  See if you can ease into training, attending only once or twice a week to start.

Don’t let the dog get overheated.  When choosing a training facility, be sure it’s well ventilated and kept at a comfortable temperature for lots of exercising dogs.  Evening or morning classes might be better than those during the heat of the day.

Research agility training ahead of time so that you have a realistic idea of what to expect from your dog, and so that you understand your responsibilities toward your dog.

Dog Agility Training Overview

In February 1978, the sport of dog agility was first seen at the Crufts Dog Show in England.  It was first developed as a form of entertainment intended to fill the time between the obedience championship and the group judgment.  It soon became a popular sport and favorite part of the majority of dog shows.

In 1977, John Varley was assigned the task of designing a new form of entertainment for the Crufts Dog Show.  Varley was an experienced horseman, not an experienced dog trainer.  Because of this, Varley was inspired by competition horse jumping and with the help of his friend, John Meanwell, he designed an obstacle course designed for dogs.

Agility training a dog is not as difficult as you may expect.  The hardest part is getting your dog started.  Dogs as young as one year old can start agility training by working on hurdles.  You will first need to get your dog’s attention, but this can be accomplished by starting a game of tug-of-war with a toy.

Very often, classes are offered on dog agility training at a local pet store, animal organization, or community center.  This is an excellent way to learn how to get your dog started in dog agility training.  You will learn some of the tricks of the sport and will have access to an obstacle course.  This allows you to learn about the various components on the obstacle course.  You can take notes and draw pictures of the apparatus.  When you are building your own obstacle course, you can use these notes and drawings to help you create the perfect obstacle course.

Some of the key components of the typical dog agility obstacle course are an A-frame, a dogwalk, a teeter-totter, a crossover, various tunnels or a tunnel maze, and various jumps.  Some other components that are also often found on a dog agility obstacle course are a table, a pause box, and weave poles.  All of these components can easily be replicated at home for training purposes.  Some local dog parks also have small dog agility training obstacle courses.

When you are training your dog, it is important to remember that you should never force your dog to perform any task that makes your dog anxious or scared.    Pay attention to how your dog reacts to each obstacle.  If your dog does not appear to feel comfortable with the obstacle, take your dog to another obstacle.  It may be that your dog will need to become more confident with the other obstacles and work his way up to a larger or more complicated obstacle.

There are many resources online regarding dog agility training.  Several books have been published about dog agility training as well.  An excellent resource on dog agility training may also be your dog’s veterinarian.  They may be able to guide you to local resources on dog agility training.

Equipment Needed for Dog Agility Training

Dog agility training is quickly becoming a popular sport among dog owners because it is an excellent way to exercise with your dog and have fun.  Thousands of people have created their own dog agility obstacle course to train at home.  While you may think this is a difficult task, it is really quite easy to build at home.

The first thing you will need is a comfortable pair of sneakers.  You will be on your feet for a few hours, so it is important that you will be comfortable.  Be sure that your shoes breathe, especially if it is hot outside.  If you are wearing shoes that are not appropriate, you will not be able to properly or effectively train your dog.

There are also several books about dog agility training that can help you get started.  These books contain valuable information about training.  You will also learn how to construct your own dog agility training obstacle course.  Many books have lists of supplies you will need to build specific obstacles and will provide the proper dimensions for the construction of the obstacles.

One of the most common obstacles is also one of the easiest to build.  A see-saw is almost always a component of a dog agility obstacle course.  You can either build your own see-saw, or you can purchase a see-saw and set it up as a part of your obstacle course.  If you are just starting out and do not have a lot of money to spend initially, you may be able to find a child’s see-saw at a local garage sale.  This is an excellent size to start with.  Once your dog becomes comfortable with the task of balancing on the see-saw and walking across the obstacle, your dog will feel more comfortable tackling the larger obstacles.

Tunnels are also a popular component of a dog agility training obstacle course.  Again, you can start building your course very simply by purchasing a vinyl tunnel at your local pet store.  They are really not expensive and can be easily found at most stores.  While many competitive agility courses have elaborate tunnel mazes, you do not need to start off training your dog to train a maze.  Start small and build to larger tunnels.  If your dog is not comfortable with the tunnel at first, you can start with using an old tire to get your dog used to maneuvering through a tight space and then build to a larger tunnel.

There are many other components to a dog agility training obstacle course.  As you learn more about the agility training process, you may decide to build more obstacles.  As you and your dog become more comfortable with the training, you can introduce new obstacles to challenge your dog.

Benefits of Dog Agility Training for Your Dog and You

Are you interested in helping your dog learn discipline?  Do you and your dog need to exercise more?  Are you looking for ways to spend more quality time with your dog?  If so, dog agility training may be the solution you are looking for.

Many dogs respond well to discipline and training.  Dog agility training allows you to establish yourself as an authority figure to your dog.  It provides you with an excellent opportunity to positively reinforce the behaviors you want to encourage.  It also allows you to correct behaviors you want to discourage in a non-threatening way.  Once you start training your dog, you will notice that your dog’s behavior is significantly improved.  You will also find that when you need to correct your dog, he is more responsive and understands your commands better.

If you need more exercise, dog agility training is an excellent way for you to get in that extra workout.  You will be running alongside your dog as he completes the obstacle course so that your can reinforce the positive behaviors and correct any negative behaviors.  This is as strenuous a workout as running in the park with your dog.  After a few weeks of training, you may find that you have lost a few pounds along the way.

If your dog needs more exercise, dog agility training is also an excellent way to provide that exercise for your dog.  Many dogs enjoy a challenge, and completing an obstacle course is an outstanding way to provide your dog a physical and mental challenge.  If your dog tends to be more sedentary, an obstacle course might be an effective way to trick your dog into being more physically active.  If your dog is focused on having fun, he will not realize that he is getting a vigorous workout.

Many people love having a dog, but they are so busy that they cannot truly spend the quality time your dog requires.  This causes the owner stress, but it also stresses out the dog.  Dogs tend to be social creatures, and if you do not spend time with him, your dog can become lonely and depressed.  It isn’t that difficult to find the time to include dog agility training in your schedule.  If you replace your daily trip to the gym with daily dog agility training, you will still receive a quality workout and you will be able to spend more time with your pet.  You will soon find that you and your dog are closer than ever.  Both you and your dog will be much happier as a direct result of dog agility training.

Dog agility training provides terrific health and emotional benefits for both you and your dog.  Once you begin agility training, the benefits will surpass your wildest expectations.