Agility Dog Training-Positive Dog Training Techniques

Agility dog training has its beginning in entertainment. In 1979, a show was put together to entertain

Agility Dog Training

the crowd at Cruft’s Dog show in England. A dog trainer created an act with four dogs that melded show jumping and circus work into a crowd pleaser. Dog nature was also pleased, and within a decade agility training had spread from the United Kingdom to the United States. Agility dog training is the recess of dog schooling. Your dog loves to run, jump, and play, and he loves to please you. Agility training meets all these needs with its tight-knit teamwork and physical challenges.

Agility Dog Training-Positive Training Techniques

With any dog training, you must first learn to read your dog. Every breed, and within the breed, every individual dog has its own nature. Once you know your dog you can train effectively. Agility dog training accentuates positive training techniques, and some competitions will even disqualify teams seen using negative training. Agility is, as it should be, an extended, structured play time with your dog. Treats, calling him by name, and a positive attitude both on and off the course will make your dog a happy dog, and a happy dog will throw his heart into the agility dog competition for you.

Agility dog training courses generally consist of four parts. Jumps, which are designed to be similar to show jumps for horses, and whose height is determined by the shoulder height of the dog. Tunnels and weave poles challenge the dog in different ways. Finally then one of the contacts, which might be a dog walk, seesaw, pause table, or an A-frame. A dog walk is a raised, narrow board that the dog must run across. The pause table is probably the hardest for a dog racing through the course, as he must stop here and wait for a command to go on.

Agility Dog Training-A Team Effort

As you and your dog train for “agility dog training”, remember it is a team effort. You will need to be able to keep up with your animal as he races around the course. As he will be performing off leash, you will need to have superb control of your dog. Train with crowds in mind. If your dog has never been on stage, he might be stricken with stage fright and lose control in a crowded situation, something to avoid at all costs. Your dog must be happy and relaxed to do his best, so prepare for all aspects if you plan to compete, including wait time and a cool down after the trial. Remember to leave the ring after agility dog training celebrating even if you don’t think you will win – your dog deserves his accolades!