Dog Agility Training - Tips
Dog Agility
Training - Tips
- Safety.
Even if your dog's been cleared by your vet, you will still need to make
his safety a top priority. Evaluate each obstacle and each activity in
light of his capability and readiness. Don't push him too far or too fast,
and if your dog is young, be especially careful with any jumps, as the
concussion from landing too hard can damage soft joints that are still
growing.
- Leash. Many "purists" will tell you never to use a leash, but in reality
it can be a valuable training aid, especially in the beginning, and especially
if you are working alone without a helper. It can aid you in showing your
dog what you want him to do, and helping you maintain control before your
dog has learned his lessons. Don't be afraid to use a leash.
- When you introduce your dog for the very first time to an obstacle,
it is not necessary, or recommended to call it anything. If your dog is
shy of going in the tunnel, for example, you don't want him to associate
the word "tunnel" with something he is afraid of. But as soon as your
dog successfully goes through the tunnel, you can greet him on the other
end with treats and ecstatic praise "good tunnel!". From then on, it is
important to use consistent words for each obstacle. You can call them
anything, as long as you are consistent and each one sounds different
to the dog.
- Classes are a good idea both early and later on in your training. By
exposing your dog to a more realistic training scenario involving an actual
agility course, and the presence of other people and dogs, you're giving
both of you an advantage in learning the skills. Find classes by asking
around, checking the yellow pages, or looking on the internet.
- Competitions can be great learning tools, even if you and your dog are
doing agility mainly for fun and exercise. Consider entering a few competitions
in the beginner or novice class just to gain experience. You may find
you enjoy it enough to want to work on progressing to more advanced levels.
- Be patient. This is going to take awhile. It's fairly common for people
to take a few classes and think they and their dog are ready for competition.
You might even enter and make it through one or two, surprised that your
dog does better than you expected. But in reality, it's going to take
a couple of years for both of you to become comfortable with the sport
and its nuances. Don't rush it - the training itself will nurture the
bond between you and your dog, and you'll make lots of friends and have
a good time along the way.
- 15 minute practice sessions are plenty long enough. You might try several
sessions a day, but keep the sessions short, or your dog will lose focus,
lose interest, and not learn. If you're signing up for classes that last
an hour, be sure to ask if there are regular breaks.
- Warm up before beginning a practice session to help your dog be physically
and mentally prepared to work.
- Be sure to separate obedience exercises from agility work. They're both
necessary, but shouldn't be mixed in the same session. Once your dog is
running the courses you'll see how they work together, but wait until
then.
- Fun! Always, always keep your agility work lighthearted and fun. Not
only will you enjoy it more, your dog will respond far more and progress
far faster than if you allow any of your sessions to take on a negative
tone. Remember, it's not your dog's fault if he doesn't understand something.
It's only an opportunity to try again.
Learning
the sport of agility can and should be a fun and exciting adventure for
both you and your dog. No other sport requires such teamwork between dog
and handler, and you will marvel at the bond of trust you'll find developing
between the two of you as you work and progress together. Although it
requires dedication, study, and a whole lot of hard work, you will be
repaid many times over in fun and satisfaction as you participate and
progress in dogdom's newest sport.
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