Your puppy is undoubtedly one of the cutest and sweetest of creatures, but this new furry friend probably is lacking a bit in the obedience department and also has a huge amount of extra energy. Because puppies need to learn how to behave properly and need a bunch of exercise, agility training can be a great way to provide both of these needs.
Not all dogs will enjoy the agility obstacles, but most do and you certainly don't need to restrict agility training to just a few breeds. Any breed is welcome in competition, and most healthy dogs truly benefit from learning the skills. While a good walk is always fun for a dog, agility training provides a more interesting and engaging outlet for your puppy's energy.
Because your puppy will need to learn to stay and sit and be still on command anyway, it is good to start out by learning how to do the pause table. On a course, dogs must take a break from jumping and running about to sit on this table for a pre-determined length of time. Your puppy can combine obedience training with agility training on this apparatus for double the benefit. As you might know, when you are on a real agility course in competition, treats and other incentives are not allowed. However, when you are working with a puppy, a little treat is a great way to help them learn a new skill. Eventually just a bit of praise will be enough, but in those early days, keep some tiny treats handy.
Playing with toys is another way to help get your puppy ready for the agility course. But you must think of this as structured play. For instance, when using a tug toy, you want your puppy to tug on the toy, but you also want them to let go when you give a command. When you toss a ball or toy, you want your dog to fetch the object, but you also want them not only to bring it right back to you, they need to release it. This builds up obedience and trust between the two of you. Learning to walk loosely on a leash next to you and then off-leash next to you also will help with agility course training.
Jumping is something that puppies adore, so this is a good early skill to introduce. Simply purchase a few single jumps and start by enticing them over just one jump and then onto the pause table. For safety, keep the heights very low to the ground. Once they understand to complete a jump and then sit and stay on the pause table, add another jump and keep them about three feet apart. The main goal here is to teach them how to move through the course, you aren't really concerned about their ability to jump. You simply want them to obey you.
Add a few more pieces of equipment as these jumps and the pause table are mastered. You might consider working with a tunnel or maybe trying out a dog walk. With puppies, it's wise to use mini agility equipment, which can be purchased from Carlson Agility. They sell all types of mini obstacles, including agility dog walks, agility a-frames, mini teeters and much more. Mini equipment also is a great idea for a dog that has a more timid personality and, of course, they are perfect for those cute little smaller breeds of dogs.
Not all dogs will enjoy the agility obstacles, but most do and you certainly don't need to restrict agility training to just a few breeds. Any breed is welcome in competition, and most healthy dogs truly benefit from learning the skills. While a good walk is always fun for a dog, agility training provides a more interesting and engaging outlet for your puppy's energy.
Because your puppy will need to learn to stay and sit and be still on command anyway, it is good to start out by learning how to do the pause table. On a course, dogs must take a break from jumping and running about to sit on this table for a pre-determined length of time. Your puppy can combine obedience training with agility training on this apparatus for double the benefit. As you might know, when you are on a real agility course in competition, treats and other incentives are not allowed. However, when you are working with a puppy, a little treat is a great way to help them learn a new skill. Eventually just a bit of praise will be enough, but in those early days, keep some tiny treats handy.
Playing with toys is another way to help get your puppy ready for the agility course. But you must think of this as structured play. For instance, when using a tug toy, you want your puppy to tug on the toy, but you also want them to let go when you give a command. When you toss a ball or toy, you want your dog to fetch the object, but you also want them not only to bring it right back to you, they need to release it. This builds up obedience and trust between the two of you. Learning to walk loosely on a leash next to you and then off-leash next to you also will help with agility course training.
Jumping is something that puppies adore, so this is a good early skill to introduce. Simply purchase a few single jumps and start by enticing them over just one jump and then onto the pause table. For safety, keep the heights very low to the ground. Once they understand to complete a jump and then sit and stay on the pause table, add another jump and keep them about three feet apart. The main goal here is to teach them how to move through the course, you aren't really concerned about their ability to jump. You simply want them to obey you.
Add a few more pieces of equipment as these jumps and the pause table are mastered. You might consider working with a tunnel or maybe trying out a dog walk. With puppies, it's wise to use mini agility equipment, which can be purchased from Carlson Agility. They sell all types of mini obstacles, including agility dog walks, agility a-frames, mini teeters and much more. Mini equipment also is a great idea for a dog that has a more timid personality and, of course, they are perfect for those cute little smaller breeds of dogs.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To discover an agility equipment for dogs, or to know further about other equipment like dog agility tunnels, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com website today.
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