Dogs love to leap over agility jumps and while using jumps can be fun and a great source of exercise, it’s important to always keep safety in mind. At Carlson Agility, we offer just about every type of dog jump you might want, and we also can provide a bit of helpful information to those new to dog agility jumping or dog agility in general.
Types of Jumps
On competition dog agility courses, jumps will be the most common apparatus your dog will encounter. Depending on which organization is hosting the agility event, you will see a tire jump as well as single, double and triple jumps.
A single jump is just what it sounds like and requires a dog to jump over a single pole (also called a bar) at a set height. Double and triple jumps require a hire jump height, but these also require a longer jumping distance. For example, with a triple jump, the second and third poles are higher but also several inches away from the first pole.
In many competitions, you also will find panel jumps. For these, dogs jump over wide panels rather than just poles or bars. Sometimes panel or bar jumps will have side wings on them as well, which restrict peripheral vision somewhat and make the course more challenging.
Just about every general agility course also will have a tire jump, and some organizations, most notably the United Kennel Club (UKC) have specialty jumps such as a window jump.
Dog Agility Jumping: How To Get Started
The first step with agility training is usually to simply allow your dog to sniff around at the jump. We always recommend giving your dog a few minutes to become familiar with any new type of equipment.
Start with a basic single jump set at the lowest setting (or even on the ground) and lead your dog over it using a jump command and signal. Offer tons of praise once they make it across over the pole. Keep repeating this step again and again until your dog is comfortable jumping over the pole or bar with you a short distance away. Make sure you repeat the same command and use the same signal every time.
Once your dog has mastered the jump at the lowest height, you can gradually increase the height until your reach the competition height. Then just keep practicing and add in a few other pieces of equipment so that they learn to move from a jump to a tunnel or perhaps from a jump to weave poles or maybe a teeter.
Setting Jump Height
Jump heights vary based upon a number of factors. For dogs just getting started in dog agility jumping and for senior dogs, jump heights are lower. Additionally, heights are set based upon your dog’s height. To determine the height, measure the distance between the ground and your dog’s withers, which is the highest point on their shoulder blades. This is how dog agility organizations measure height.
Every dog organization varies slightly with height, so you can just pick the organization where you want to compete and set the heights based upon that group’s specifications. Our dog agility jumps are the same types of jumps used by groups such as the North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC), American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), Canine Performance Events (CPE) and other top agility organizations.
For instance, the NADAC has several height classes, but they also allow certain breeds to jump in some lower height classes, if necessary. For instance, if your French bulldog’s measurements fell into the 12” height class, you could jump in the 8” class. This is because these dogs often have more difficulty with jumping due to their physical features.
Basically, all of the dog agility jumping rules are created with safety in mind and all agility organizations tend to focus more on safety and fun than serious competition. Certainly, winning a competition can be a great moment for dog and handler, but agility is all about having a great time with your dog and providing both of you with a great form of exercise.
What About Puppy Agility Jumps?
Puppies are not allowed to participate in dog agility competitions, and puppies also should not be using jumps until their bodies are fully grown. However, while they won’t be able to enjoy dog agility jumping for a while, there are tons of agility activities you can do to get them ready for the time when they can use agility equipment.
You can get started with obedience training using the agility pause table. They can climb onto a mini pause table, or you can just have them use the platform without the stand. On the pause table you can teach them to sit, stay and lay down, and once they have mastered that with you by their side, you can start doing some distance training.
All dogs, whether or not they participate in dog agility, should be able to follow these basic commands and with their dog parent at a distance. This ensures that your dog won’t run out into the street or run out to meet a dog or another animal that might be dangerous.
Puppies also can enjoy a few other pieces of dog agility equipment, such as the dog agility tunnels and many training tools. They can use a plank or perch to strengthen muscles and to get used to the feeling of having their front or back paws on a platform while their other paws are on the grass. Our mini dog agility teeter also could be a fun option provided you are with them at all times and gently leading them across this plank.
You also can teach them how to obey other commands such as fetching and returning toys or perhaps finding toys that are hidden. Not only is this fun for your puppy, but it also helps cement the bond between the two of you. This close bond will make it easier to train them how to use dog agility equipment and agility jumps once they reach full growth.
If you want to get started with dog agility training, agility jumps can be a great way to get started. At Carlson Agility, we have all you need for dog agility jumping and we also sell every piece of dog agility equipment you might need, including mini agility equipment. All of our equipment is hand-made using the highest quality components. If you have any questions about agility jumps or other agility equipment, feel free to contact us at any time.
