May 20, 2008

How To Start Training A Dog For Agility

by Floella McFee

Intro & History Dog agility training began as a sport in the UK in the 1970s, and involves successful completion of an obstacle course. It’s a great way to develop a strong bond between pet and owner; it can also help build confidence in timid dogs (and owners). It’s also a great form of exercise as it uses not just the dog’s physicality, but the intelligence as well. The human partner may find that their fitness improves as they are required to do as much work as the dog. Whilst agility training can be done to allow participation in competition, there’s no rule to say it’s not just for a fun time with your dog.

Type of suitable dog In the serious, competitive sport, the breeds of dog that excel at agility tend to be those that are generally classed as intelligent, such as Border Collies and Labradors. However, as long as your mutt is fit, healthy and has enough brain cells to cope the basic obedience commands, there is no reason why he or she can’t succeed in agility, even if it’s just for fun. It’s even suitable for puppies a young as 8 months. Some of the obstacles can be strenuous on the joints, so training any earlier than 8 months is not recommended.

Equipment Of course the object is to encourage Fido to complete an obstacle course, so to train you need the obstacles, as well as the space to run around in. Requirements are: a tunnel, cones for weaving, jumps, an “A” frame, possibly a see saw and a pause table. It would be best to join a local class or club. However, if money is no object it is possible to buy portable equipment that can be taken to a local park. You might want to have Fido’s collar and lead in the initial stages of training.

Procedure Don’t expect Fido to be brilliant after the first few goes, for a start he or she may not understand what is expected of him. If Fido is by nature timid the course may be a little scary for him. Set -up the obstacles and let Fido become familiar with them before beginning the training. Start slowly with one obstacle and some very low jumps, which you may have to complete with Fido until gets the idea. Encouragement is the key: your dog will respond and learn more quickly he or she thinks they’re doing the right thing: lots of praise and treats when Fido does it right. Never punish: bonding with your dog is supposed to be a fun activity!

If you are interested in training your dog, for whatever reason, then you can find some qualified help here. There are some wonderful articles available specifically written to help you to train your dog to do anything. And this is information is not restricted to agility training. If your dog jumps, bites or just cries in the night, then there is something that you can do about it.

About the Author:

Some of the basic requirements for dog training for agility, as well as a discovering the real secrets to dog training. Learn how to deal with excessive barking, nipping or jumping, without scolding or smacking your dog.