The pause table might not be the most interesting component on the agility course, but the skills you teach whilst your dog is on the pause table are some of the most crucial skills we ever teach our dogs – to sit, stay and go down.
These three skills, if obeyed, can keep your dog safe in a variety of situations. If your dog will obey these commands, even with you at a distance, they are highly unlikely to run into the street or chase after wild animals, etc.
Using the pause table and other pieces of dog agility equipment definitely can improve your dog’s behavior in general. Dogs love agility and love to please, and spending quality time with you strengthens your bond. Dogs with a strong sense of trust and a strong bond with their person tend to be better behaved and more obedient.
Additionally, agility training expends a great deal of energy, and dogs need this type of specialized exercise. Often dogs that are bored or don’t receive enough positive attention are the ones that are destructive and disobedient. With a couple of walks each day, some warm-up exercises and 20 minutes of agility instruction can go a long way toward making your dog happier and healthier, both in body and spirit.
We could rhapsodize on and on about the benefits of using dog agility equipment, but for this article let’s stick with the often-overlooked pause table. The pause table can be the perfect introduction to agility training. It’s not as intimidating as equipment such as teeters, dog walks, a-frames or tunnels, and it’s not as difficult to teach as weaves.
Dogs love jumps, but these can be intimidating and if you are teaching a puppy, you wouldn’t want to start with jumps anyway, as these can be dangerous for their growing bodies. The pause table is a perfect item for puppy training or training a new rescue dog because you can teach obedience skills and agility skills at the same time. Before you start training, consider the following:
1. Make It Fun
The pause table lacks the excitement of the teeter, the tunnel, the weaves and jumps, but that doesn’t mean that pause table training can’t be fun. Spend a few minutes just playing around and burning off some steam before you start a pause table training session. That will make it easier for your pooch to focus.
Consider using some tiny healthy treats in the beginning, if your dog doesn’t seem interested. Eventually, of course, you’ll do away with treats because they aren’t allowed on the competition course, but in the early days, treats can be a powerful ally.
At any rate, whenever your dog successfully sits, stays or lays down for a set amount of time, be sure to lavish on the praise. If they make mistakes, which they certainly will do, just repeat the command patiently and then reward with praise and a tiny treat when your dog is successful. The more enthusiasm you show, the more enthusiasm your dog will muster for the whole experience.
2. Start Low
Some dogs aren’t quite sure about hopping up on a table several inches above the ground. The good news is that you don’t have to start training on an elevated pause table. With our agility pause tables, you can remove the green top and just place it on the ground and have your dog just stand, sit and stay on the tabletop.
This is an especially good idea with puppies, as they probably should not be jumping up and down on and off the pause table. Keep in mind, our selection of dog agility equipment includes a mini pause table, which is ideal for smaller dogs as well as puppy training.
3. Be Consistent
As the say goes, “consistency thou art a jewel,” and this is definitely true with agility training. When it comes to choosing hand signals and verbal commands, you definitely need to use the same words and signals every time.
It’s also smart to be consistent with your training routine. Make an effort to get out there every day and do some training. You don’t have to spend hours and hours on agility training. In fact, keeping sessions short, about 15-20 minutes, is best. A worthy goal would be two 15-minute training sessions per day, perhaps one in the morning and one in the early evening.
4. Practice Distance
Distance training is a huge part of dog agility. During competitions, you will be providing signals to your furry friend at a distance; you won’t be right by their side. Additionally, for general dog safety, teaching your dog to obey you off-leash from a distance will increase their safety in many situations.
The pause table is the perfect piece of dog agility equipment to start your distance training. Once your dog has master the commands sit, stay and down with you standing adjacent (perhaps on-leash), start practicing the skill with you taking a few steps away. When your dog can handle a distance of a foot or two, start increasing the distance until you are several feet away.
Once your dog has mastered these skills on the pause table, it’s smart to work on them in other situations. For instance, simply have your dog sit and stay in different parts of the house so that they understand that these commands extend beyond the time they spend on the pause table.
5. Mix It Up
Once your dog has perfected those pause table skills, add a few other pieces of dog agility equipment to the mix. For puppies, you might add a tunnel and perhaps lay a jump pole on the ground and have them walk over it. For older dogs, you might add a single jump and a tunnel.
Spend time teaching each individual skill and then lead your dog on a short course. Perhaps you do a jump, followed by a tunnel, then the pause table and then another jump. Once they’ve mastered this short course, add another piece of dog agility equipment.
With puppies, it’s best to avoid many pieces of equipment until they are fully grown, but you can still work on obedience skills with the pause table and get them used to the idea of following you around a short, safe course.
Whether you need a full-size pause table, a mini pause table or another piece of dog agility equipment, we have everything here at Carlson Agility. All of our equipment is handmade using the best possible materials. If you have any questions about pause tables or our other dog agility products, send us an email at any time.
