If you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge and diving into the world of dog agility, purchasing a dog agility kit can be a great first step. At Carlson Agility, we offer several starter kit options, and we also can provide you with some helpful information about this exciting dog sport.
Our Dog Agility Kit Selection
One of the questions we are most often asked is which piece of dog agility equipment should I teach first. There really is no perfect answer to this inquiry. In general, jumps are relatively easy to teach, and weave poles can be the most difficult, but you never really know. In general, we recommend that new handlers do some research and start with the equipment that they feel will be the easiest to teach their dog.
We offer six different dog agility kits, and these kits can be a great option for someone new to dog agility that doesn’t know quite where to begin. For instance, Starter Kit A includes a full set of weave poles and four wingless jumps.
Jumps are the most common pieces of dog agility equipment on a dog agility course, so this kit allows you to provide plenty of jumping practice and you also can get started with the weave poles, which can be the most difficult apparatus to teach. Getting an early start can be a good option to consider with weaves.
With Starter Kit C, we offer you a wide range of fun agility equipment, including a tire jump, single jump, weave poles and a pause table. This dog agility kit is a great option for someone getting started because you can teach four different skills using this set.
Starter Kit D and Starter Kit E are two of our easiest-to-teach sets. Both include a pause table and D includes two jumps while E includes four jumps. Dogs typically learn jumping fairly easily and the pause table, while not the most exciting apparatus, offers a great way to teach basic obedience skills such as how to sit, stay and lay down.
Starter Kit F is a great option for a dog handler that loves a challenge. This set includes a teeter totter, four jumps and a full set of weaves. Again, weaves can be challenging, and the teeter also can be a bit challenging to teach, as well, but it’s a lot of fun once your dog gets the hang of dashing up and over the teeter and maneuvering through those weave poles.
Starter Kit G is another fun option for handlers that want to tackle some of the more difficult pieces of dog agility equipment. This dog agility kit includes a teeter, weaves and a tire jump. Once your dog masters these three agility obstacles, chances are that your furry friend will have little trouble with the other pieces of agility equipment.
Additional Dog Agility Equipment
Our kits include several items that you will find on all agility courses, but we also sell any other piece of dog agility equipment that you might need. A typical course will include the following:
- An Assortment of Jumps (including a Tire Jump)
- Weave Poles
- A Pause Table
- An Agility A-Frame
- An Agility Dog Walk
- Agility Teeter Totter
- A Dog Tunnel
Mini Dog Agility Equipment
Dogs of all ages and sizes can participate in dog agility, and there’s even an entire agility organization dedicated to the tiniest agility dogs – the Teacup Dogs Agility Association. However, all agility organizations have classes for smaller dogs and these furry pals simply use smaller pieces of agility equipment.
If you have a small dog and want to get started with agility, we offer an assortment of mini agility equipment including mini jumps, a mini pause table, a mini teeter, a mini dog walk and a mini a-frame. Our mini equipment is competition-quality just as with everything we sell at Carlson Agility.
5 Great Reasons To Teach Dog Agility
Just about any healthy dog can be a good fit for agility training. Some breeds, such as those prone to breathing issues, might not be the best match for agility, but in general, most energetic dogs will enjoy agility training. Here are some reasons to consider agility training.
1. Dog Agility Provides A Complete Workout
Dog obesity is a serious issue and overweight dogs are at higher risk for heart disease and some types of cancer. With agility, your dog will enjoy a complete workout, targeting every muscle group. And, as a side benefit, running around an agility course is good for your health, as well.
2. Dog Agility Improves Your Bond
Dogs love to please, and they love to spend time with their human friends. Spending time teaching agility skills provides you with the perfect opportunity to strengthen the bond between you and your furry companion. If your dog is a new addition to the family, agility training can serve as a great way to build trust.
3. Dog Agility Boosts Confidence
If you have a timid dog, such as a rescue dog, practicing dog agility skills can help build your dog’s confidence. With a shy pooch, simply start slowly and patiently and provide tons of praise for a job well done.
You might start a timid dog with a basic jump. Begin by just helping them to walk over a jump pole placed on the ground. Then you can encourage them to leap over the pole and then gradually add some height, providing praise along the way for a job well done.
4. Dog Agility Can Improve Behavior
There are many reasons why dogs “misbehave” and often it’s because they either have too much energy or they feel anxious. Exercise, especially engaging exercises such as agility training, can mitigate both of these issues.
There are many studies that show that exercise can reduce anxiety in humans, and it’s just the same for our furry companions. However, it is important to note that it’s wise to keep training sessions fairly short, 10-20 minutes at most. You could schedule a 15-minute morning agility session and a 15-minute evening session, but dogs have short attention spans, so longer sessions can be less effective.
Order A Dog Agility Kit Today! Each of our dog agility kits is handmade using the highest quality components. In addition to our starter kits and individual pieces of dog agility training equipment, we also offer helpful training tools such as guide wires, Buja boards, agility training ladders, perches and planks. If you have any questions about our agility equipment, don’t hesitate to send us an email at any time.
