Posts Tagged ‘agility training for dogs’
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Duration : 0:2:17
Agility training for dogs is a sport that has grown in popularity, and is a terrific outlet for your dog’s abundant energies. The agility training gets him into the best shape of his life, and also increases his mental sharpness through problem solving.
Of course if your pet is tired out and happy from his exercise sessions, he will have fewer behavior problems. Following so much activity, he will be more in a mood to kick back than to cause any problems.
Of course, not all dog breeds are well suited for agility training. For instance, dogs descended from the working breeds such as Retrievers, Shepherds, Herding Breeds (collies, cattle dogs) Spaniels and Terriers are physically more suited for the agility training than very large breeds such as Great Danes, St. Bernards or a Mastiff. Dogs that are too large aren’t physically able to handle the rigors of the agility training, and also don’t have the personality for this type of training. In contrast, dog breeds that are too small also physically can’t compete on the agility training courses-the jumps are too demanding.
If your dog seems to have the right personality (very athletic and energetic), you might want to train your dog for agility contests. Before even beginning agility training your dog must already be well trained for obedience. That is because your dog will really need to listen and pay attention to your directions and hand signals to do the agility tricks required.
Besides the regular basic obedience commands such as sit, stay and heel, you need to teach your dog hand signals to turn left or right, to go slow or fast, when to stop, etc. Therefore, pay attention to getting a good foundation with general obedience training first, before trying the agility training.
Your dog will need to have already reached his full size in order to be physically ready for his agility training. A puppy just isn’t yet ready for the rigorous obstacle course. That usually means waiting until your puppy is at least a year or so old, (perhaps a bit longer for a larger breed) to get started with the agility training exercises. Agility training exercises for older dogs, after about age 8, are not recommended-it is just too rigorous for them anymore.
If you want to see a close up example of how the agility training is done, look up a Dog Agility Club in your area and check it out. I think you will really enjoy watching the dogs perform the obstacle course. If you have seen a competition on TV, you already know how amazing these dogs are. The tricks these dogs learn through their agility training is really something to see. Without some very good training and ability, there is no way a dog could perform these courses.
If you watch an agility competition, it is clear that the dogs and their handlers are having a great time. Any dog enthusiast will really enjoy seeing the kinds of results that agility training for dogs produces. It is no wonder so many people are becoming interested in dog agility clubs.
Among other things, the agility training teaches dogs to crawl through a tunnel, jump over hurdles, climb up and down an A-frame structure, weave his way through a series of poles, and walking over a teeter-tooter. All these obstacles together serve to test your dog’s conditioning and agility. In addition to your dog, you will be getting lots of exercise yourself during the training.
If your dog seems like a good candidate for agility training, check out a club in your area and get started. Don’t be intimidated by how difficult the exercises look. By teaching each step progressively the training becomes something you and your pet can handle.
I hope you enjoyed this article introducing you to dog agility training.
Please click here to read my reviews of the best of the on-line dog obedience training programs: Online Dog Training Program Reviews.
