Just like for humans, agility training for dogs makes them more confident, increases their speed, and increases their overall flexibility, while doing things on their feet. Agility training for dogs is one of the fastest growing sports for dogs in the world. This relatively new dog sport is not only fun for the dogs but fun for the owners as well.
A little history of Agility Training for Dogs
Agility training for dogs started in the late 1970s in England, and its invention was based on horse show jumping. Agility training for dogs and horse jumping help to make a strong relationship between the owner and the animal. Curiously enough, this kind of events are useful also to develop strategy and teamwork. You win an agility event with your dog if you and your dog complete the course in the fastest time with the fewest number of faults. As you can see, it is very similar again to horse jumping when the horse knocks down one of the poles of the fence.
Positive Benefits for Dogs
Another benefit related to agility training for dogs is the mental effect it produces on dogs and owners. Maybe this is why they often show an increased confidence in eachother after successfully negotiating an agility obstacle course as a team. Most of dogs have a dramatical physical coordination improvement after completing the basic training exercises that are used to teach jumping and ramp work.
For those hyperactive dogs, agility training provides them with a method of releasing some of that extra energy in a positive manner. The mental workout for the dog is often greater for the dog than the physical one. The teamwork that the sport builds between the owner and the animal builds a level of communication between the two that is very similar to how humans communicate.
To make a great team in agility training, your dog and yourself must be in perfect sync, since there is no leash or collar allowed on an agility course. The order of obstacles is different on each course and the pathway twists and turns, so the dog, to be successful, has to learn a whole new vocabulary.
Puppies
Puppies can start training with regular walks through the agility courses as early as four months. As they get older, conditioning walks of two miles or longer are recommended. Dogs must be trained not to rush the obstacles as not to injure themselves by falling from an a-frame or a dog walk. Ramps have cross-laths to help with traction when the dog sprints up the ramp.
In the event your dog who is afraid of heights (maybe yours is or maybe you are), the owner will coax through the uncertainty and by doing so will help his dog and himself.
I wish you my best in training your dog!
Dog agility training may start at an early stage of a dog's life. You can begin training your dog for this sport as early as puppy stage (around four months old).
Although a fun sport for both you and your dog, agility dog training is also a serious competition that is well organized and has many guidelines and regulations. Most experts recommend not starting agility training until your dog is at least one year old, at least not to enter in a competition before that age.
Most dog owners that are serious about their dog competing in agility competitions will enroll him in a training class - at least to help teach him the basics - then work with the dog on their own to enhance what he has learned. Agility dog training is one of the more advanced types of dog training, but it is certainly quite enjoyable for both you and the dog.
There are all sorts of important things you should know before you consider signing up for agility dog training, but the most important thing to do is before starting agility training ? have your dog examined by a veterinarian carefully.
You can begin to use Buja boards for motion training. Perch training can also be started with young pups. You can teach a variety of skills, drills, and exercises with four jumps.
In a dog agility competition, the obstacles are arranged in various course configurations as deemed suitable by the competition judge. During the agility competition both dog and handler move from each consecutive course to the next, with the difficulty gradually increasing. With patience and practice, your dog could become an agility "nut" and cover the course with a bark of excitement every step. Obstacles like the A-Frame (which is set to 6 feet high), the Dog Walk (two ramps attached to a cross-walk approximately 5 feet high), and the Teeter-totter challenge the dog in balance and fortitude.
You can really be ahead of the pack and have two sets of eight jumps.
Remember, during the cold winter months - don't give up on your agility dog training!
Both Francisco Cabrera-rosello & David Mcfarlane are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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