Agility Training For Dogs
Agility training for dogs is a growing trend, and Dog Agility Clubs are popping up all over. People are finding there are many benefits to getting involved with agility training for their dogs. Besides giving your dog a really positive outlet for all of his energy the agility training you are giving him is going to make an even stronger bond between you and your dog. The exercise will get your pet into the best condition of his life, his confidence level and his ability to solve problems and really listen to your commands will also improve dramatically. A dog that is happy and tired out from his training exercises is also much less likely to be having problem behaviors. After all that agility training he just wants to relax-he’s just too tired to cause mischief.
Not all breeds of dogs are well suited to agility training, so agility training for dogs of certain breeds or mixed breeds will be easier-as these types of breeds are more physically gifted to perform the agility training obstacles courses. For instance, agility training for dogs of the working breeds such as Retrievers, Shepherds, Herding Breeds (collies, cattle dogs) Spaniels and Terriers fits their sizes and personalities well. However, agility training for dogs that are very large-including over sized breeds such as Mastiffs or Great Danes-is probably not as appropriate. The very large breeds tend to tire out quickly and just don’t have the nature for this type of activity. On the other hand agility training for dogs that are very small is also not a good fit-the obstacles include jumps that a dog with short legs wouldn’t be able to make. The hurdles in competition are too high for him, but there is no reason you can’t agility train your small dog at home with undersized hurdles. He’ll still have a ball, and so what if he doesn’t get to win the blue ribbon at the Dog Agility Club?
If you would like to see a quick example of agility training I insert a YouTube video showing a couple of the tricks being performed. The agility training can be a lot of fun for both the dog and his trainer.
Click here to see a short YouTube video introduction to Dog Agility Training
If your dog seems to have the right personality-very athletic and energetic- he has the makings of a dog well suited for agility training. Agility training for dogs begins with the need to have already done a good job of obedience training your dog, because he will need to listen and pay attention to you closely in order to perform the tricks required. In addition to the regular basic obedience commands such as sit, stay and heel, you will need to teach your dog to turn left or right, to go slow or fast, and to respond to your hand signals. So agility training for your dog will require some more advanced training than just sit and stay, including learning many different dog training hand signals. But don’t worry, it is nothing that you and your doggy can’t handle with consistent practice sessions.
Besides the need to have your dog well trained to listen to your commands, there are a couple of other constraints to the agility training to consider. Before starting the agility training for your dog, make sure your dog has finished growing up. A puppy isn’t really ready for the obstacle courses until his body has stopped growing so much. Usually after a year or so old, a little longer for a larger breed, is a good time to start. Agility training for dogs over about 8 years old is not recommended so much, as the courses are a bit harder for an aging dog than one in the prime of his life-just like us folks, darnit.
You may have a Dog Agility Club near you, so look one up and visit the Club to check out how the agility training for dogs is being done. It is really something to see, if you haven’t seen the agility competition on TV. Clearly this agility training for dogs gets the dogs to do some amazing tricks. There are a variety of obstacles that the dogs must jump over, or crawl under or crawl through, and it takes a well trained dog to do them all cleanly. You can clearly see how much the dogs enjoy doing the tricks on the obstacle course. The trainers are also having a great time. If you are a dog enthusiast you will really enjoy seeing the results that agility training for dogs produces. No wonder the Dog Agility clubs are becoming so popular.
Agility training for dogs is obviously a great way for you and your energetic dog to have a good time together. Your dog will learn how to crawl through a tunnel, walk over a teeter-tooter, jump over hurdles, climb up and down a tall A-frame structure, and weave his way through a series of “weave poles”. All these obstacles together really test your dog’s conditioning and agility. By the way, you will get lots of exercise yourself, while training your dog.
So, check out a Dog Agility Club near you and get started with agility training for your dog and see how much fun it can be for the both of you. Don’t be daunted by how hard the tricks seem. You can progressively teach your dog his agility training step by step.
For more information on teaching your dog obedience training and preparing him for his more advanced agility training, you should check out the best on-line dog training program, and find out their expert advice on agility training for dogs-Secrets to Dog Training.
Click here to go to Secrets to Dog Training.