Once you’ve purchased agility jumps, weaves, a teeter, dog walk and other pieces of dog agility equipment, you might think that you are all set. While the equipment is the most important component of dog agility training, there are a few other agility dog supplies that you might add to your list of must-have items, including the following.
1. Water Dishes & Water Bottles
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you might be surprised how often people forget to bring water for their pooch and for themselves when training at the park or at competitions. Even if you are just training in the back yard, bring out a dish of fresh water for your dog and a bottle for yourself as well. Training is thirsty work, and it’s important that both of you stay hydrated.
2. A Comfortable Mat & Shade
When you head to the park or to dog agility competitions, you don’t spend the whole day training or competing. In fact, there can be a lot of downtime at these competitions. To keep you and your pet comfortable, bring a mat, blanket or beach towel and some type of shade to keep both of you cool and covered. There are plenty of handy pop-up shade tents take up almost no room in your trunk, and your shade and blanket are agility dog supplies that are definitely worth the investment. If your dog tends to overheat easily, consider purchasing a cooling mat at your local pet store or online. If it will be very hot at your competition spot, consider bringing a battery-powered fan.
3. Training Clicker
Clickers are used for all types of dog training, including dog agility but also with obedience training. Whenever your dog exhibits good behavior or executes a piece of dog agility equipment correctly, you tap the clicker and the sound lets the dog know that he or she has completed a task successfully. Clicker training is not your only option when teaching your dog either dog agility or obedience skills, but many people have great success with this method. If you prefer another training method, by all means, talk with agility experts about your options. Every dog is different, so what works with one dog might not be the right fit for your furry friend.
4. Agility Collars & A Slip-On Leash
An agility collar is just a regular collar that has no tags or other attachments. As a pet owner, you usually have your pet wear a harness or collar that includes their pet license tag and a tag listing their name and your contact information. However, these tags are not allowed during a competition, so it is a good idea to have a second collar just for competition.
Some agility organizations, however, do not allow any type of collar, so be sure you know the rules of your organization before you enter a competition. If you belong to an organization that forbids collars, consider buying a slip-on leash that you can take off just as the run begins. While it might be a bit nerve-wracking to have your dog run without tags or even “naked,” this is actually for the animal’s safety, as collars and tags occasionally can snag in equipment.
5. Agility Course Maps
As agility dog supplies go, course maps definitely won’t strain your pocketbook. You can download maps for free from many different websites. Every dog agility organization is unique, and you can find examples of course maps from USDAA, AKC, UKC and other groups. You will never know exactly what you will find on an agility course, but these maps will give you some idea of what you might expect when you get to the competition and they provide you with some fun options for setting up your backyard course, whether you wish to compete or not.
Of course, if you need any type of dog agility equipment, we have it all here at Carlson Agility. Our selection includes full-size and mini equipment as well as some helpful training tools. We also sell cross-fit equipment for dogs, as well as dog nose work supplies. If you have any questions about any of our products, don’t hesitate to send us an email today.
