When the heat of summer is at its peak, it can be tough for dogs to handle these high temperatures. However, dogs still do need some daily exercise, and it’s important to keep up with your dog agility training even during the hottest months of the year. To help you (and your pooch) beat the heat, here are a few handy summer training tips.
1. Train At Dawn Or Dusk
Obviously, temperatures are lower and the ground is cooler before the sun has fully risen and also at dusk. If possible, consider getting up a bit earlier than usual, taking a quick walk to warm up and then practice with your dog agility equipment. Dogs still love to exercise and work on their dog agility skills, it’s just tough for them to concentrate and do their best if they become overheated. Training at sunrise or sunset not only makes it easier on your dog, it also makes it easier on the trainer as well. After all, people as well as dogs certainly can suffer from heatstroke.
2. Keep Dog Agility Training Sessions Short
In general, a dog agility training session typically won’t last more than 30 minutes simply because dogs have fairly short attention spans. During the hot months, consider keeping sessions to just 10 or 15 minutes in length. If you complete 10 minutes in the morning and 10 in the evening, this can be all you need to keep up with your training. After all, a little bit of training is certainly better than no training at all.
3. Keep Water & Shade On Hand
Dogs overheat easily and it’s also not easy for them to cool down quickly. Keeping a bowl of fresh water and providing a shady spot can help keep your dog as cool as possible. This is a good tip to use throughout the summer and not just for the times when you are using your dog agility equipment.
For instance, if the family is enjoying a day by the pool or a day at the park and you want your furry friend nearby, keep shade and water easily accessible. This could be as simple as setting a towel or dog mat under a shady tree or perhaps purchasing a small shade tent or small canopy or even a beach umbrella so that your dog will have a cool spot to relax. There are raised outdoor dog beds with shades attached or you could purchase a small portable pop-up beach shade.
4. Take Training Indoors
If you have a large family room, great room or basement, consider taking your dog agility equipment inside for some cool training. Even the garage, with a few fans set up, might be cooler than the backyard.
It can be tough to fit agility equipment inside, so consider bringing in just one piece at a time or just one or two pieces, such as one jump and maybe a teeter or the pause table. We also sell a full line of miniature dog agility equipment, and this can be a perfect fit for indoor training when it’s simply too hot or too rainy for outdoor training.
5. Purchase A Wading Pool
Not all dogs love getting wet, but for those that do, consider investing in a small kiddie wading pool. This is a great option if you can’t really schedule training for very early in the day or after the sun sets. After a rousing session of dog agility training, your furry friend can splash about and cool off in the wading pool. As a happy bonus, you could even use the kiddie pool as a handy bathing tub when Fido needs a good wash.
These are just a few tips that can help your dog stay safe, cool and happy during his summer dog agility training sessions. Rather than skip out on training during the hot months, using these aforementioned tips can provide your pooch with plenty of summer fun. If you are interested in our mini dog agility equipment, head to our homepage and click on the link for Mini Contact Equipment. We have mini pause tables, mini teeters, mini dog walks, a-frames and more. These pieces are ideal for indoor training, for small breeds and, of course, for puppies.
Brad Carlson enjoys dog agility training. To find agility equipment or to find more about training equipment for dog agility equipment, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com website today.
