Pages

Sunday, 6 April 2014

The Many Positive Aspects Of Dog Agility Training

By Cheng Bernhardt


There are many undeniable facts about dogs. They are loyal, they are loving and they love to play. If you have a healthy dog with lots of energy, one fun way to expend this energy is through dog agility training. Dogs love these activities, and they also derive a host of benefits from these activities.

Dogs, just like people, need exercise. Agility training provides an abundance of exercise for your dog, and this is especially good for a dog with a ton of energy. While you might think only certain breeds, such as Australian shepherds or border collies are suited to agility, most dog breeds can have a lot of fun running around an agility course. While some breeds do seem to be highly successful in agility competitions, that doesn't mean your dog won't benefit from agility training, and all dogs need a good amount of exercise in order to stay fit and healthy. You'll be getting exercise, too, which is just one of the many benefits.

Most owners provide a few walks during the day and perhaps some fun chase time with a ball or squeaky toy, but agility training provides a different type of exercise. While there aren't PVC obstacles and plastic tunnels and chutes in the wild, dogs have an instinct to run, jump, scamper and crawl that goes all the way back to the time before they were simply furry couch companions. Sometimes, a dog truly needs more than a walk or having someone toss a toy, they crave the challenge of the obstacle course. A high-energy dog can become bored easily and often this leads to destructive behavior. With agility training, you might find that your furry pal stops chewing up your furniture or shoes.

Agility training also improves obedience and cements the bond between dog and owner. You spend a great deal of time together learning how to navigate each of the obstacles, and of course, what dog doesn't want to spend more time with their owner? You can teach a variety of obedience skills with agility training, particularly on the pause table, where dogs must sit, stay and go down. Agility training is all about following commands, so a well-trained agility dog is well trained in general.

One of the best things about dog agility competitions is that they welcome most dogs to participate, regardless of breed or size. The course can be adjusted for smaller breeds, and dogs are placed into groupings based on their size, their level of experience and their age. The whole atmosphere is one of fun and camaraderie despite that fact that this is a competitive environment. It's a fantastic hobby and you not only will enjoy competing but also watching other dogs zoom through the course.

You can begin by purchasing one or two pieces of dog agility equipment, such as a pause table and a jump. One company, Carlson Agility, makes it easy for beginners by selling a variety of different starter kits. There are eight starter kits and each is a little different. One has a dog agility jumps as well as a dog agility tunnel, while another includes weave poles and jumps, and others include different mixes of equipment including a-frames, dog walks, tire jumps and other fun items.

For a small dog or a puppy, Carlson Agility also offers miniature equipment just for them. They are simply scaled down versions of the regular equipment and even larger dogs can use them. They make great starter equipment and they often fit better in your backyard or even in the house for some fun training on a rainy or snowy day.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment