Customers often ask us which piece of dog agility equipment should be purchased first. However, there really is no right answer to that question. You truly can begin training with any piece of dog training equipment. Still, some pieces definitely are easier for most dogs to master than others, so here is a list of agility equipment that typically ranks from easiest to hardest to learn.
Pause Tables
These are part of a category of agility equipment known as contact equipment, as the dog comes into contact with dog training equipment. The pause table is the point in the agility course where dogs must hop on top, sit (or perhaps lay down) and remain still for a set amount of time. It’s not flashy and fun, but it can be a good place to start, and you can use it to teach some basic obedience skills as well as distance training.
Basic Jumps
There are many types of jumps on an agility course, including single bar jumps, double jumps, panel jumps and much more. When you first start out with dog training equipment, simply purchase two or three single bar jumps and practice doing a series of single jumps then perhaps put two jumps together to increase the jumping distance. Dogs tend to understand jumping and agility jumps fairly quickly, so these can be easy beginning pieces of agility equipment. You can even start out with the bar very low and raise the bar as your dog progresses.
Tunnels & Chutes
Some dogs will have a bit of anxiety of about heading into a tunnel or chute. To make it easier at first, have someone kneel at either end of the tunnel or chute and then coax the dog through the tunnel, perhaps with a small treat. Before you know it, your dog will be zipping through this piece of dog agility equipment with ease.
A-Frames & Dog Walks
These aren’t that hard to learn, but some dogs don’t like the elevation at first. Simply be patient and lead your dog across these pieces of dog agility equipment. Eventually your dog will be able to walk across them on his own and then you can work on speed and accuracy.
Tire Jumps & Harder Jumps
By this point, your dog is probably excited about learning to use some of the more advanced pieces of dog agility equipment. Adding a tire jump or a broad jump into the mix can be a great idea. During all of this training, as you add new pieces of agility equipment, don’t forget to set up an agility course and have your dog navigate through all of the pieces of agility equipment that have been learned so far. It’s also wise to mix up the order of equipment, as you will never know what to expect from a competition course, so it’s best to train for all possible scenarios.
Teeter-Totters
Most dogs enjoy the teeter, but the movement can make some dogs nervous at first. Just as you did with dog agility equipment such as the a-frame and dog walk, take your dog through the motions slowly and patiently until he or she gains confidence.
Weave Poles
Not only is it fun to watch dogs dash through these poles, dogs adore this particular set of dog agility equipment. However, in most cases, this is the most difficult apparatus to teach a dog, which is why it can be best to wait until later in training to introduce the weave poles. These don’t have to be introduced last, but it is a good idea to learn a few other skills first prior to tackling weaves. By the time your dog has learned how to use several pieces of dog agility equipment; he or she will be very well trained and more inclined to follow your weave pole instructions.
At Carlson Agility, we have every piece of dog agility equipment that you might need. This includes contact agility equipment, jumps, weaves, chutes, tunnels and much more. We also have several different starter kits that can be helpful way to begin with agility training. If you have a puppy or smaller dog, consider purchasing some of our affordable mini agility equipment.
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.
