Agility training is something that is a good idea for most healthy dogs, and you don’t have to compete in agility contests to enjoy the many benefits of agility. Agility is a good option for a dog you’ve raised as a puppy or a dog you’ve just adopted from the shelter. It’s something that big dogs can do as well as small dogs, and many different breeds are well suited for agility. Here are just a few reasons why you might consider agility training and using dog training equipment.
1. Agility Improves Your Dog’s Behavior
In general, dog training is important for every canine. Having a well-trained dog not only makes life easier for you and your family, it also keeps your dog safer and trained dogs really are happier because they know what you expect from them. Traditional dog training is a great idea, but you can also combine regular obedience training with agility training.
For instance, using a piece of dog agility equipment such as the pause table is a great place to teach skills such as stay and sit and lay down. In addition to these commands, you will teach many other skills during agility training and dogs that can obey agility commands certainly can obey obedience commands.
In addition, using dog training equipment is fun, and “obedience” training will be more like a game than a difficult chore. It also is important to note that many dogs act out or demonstrate unpleasant behavior because they are bored or don’t have an outlet for their excess energy. Agility training and using agility equipment is challenging, fun and provides them with a great way to burn off some energy.
2. Agility Provides A Unique Source Of Exercise
Obviously running around an agility course provides your dog with plenty of good exercise. However, because it is challenging, it provides them with a unique type of exercise. While a walk around the park or the neighborhood expends energy and keeps a dog in shape, dashing through a tunnel and leaping over jumps and heading up and down the teeter mimics the instinctive behavior of dogs in the wild. Dogs love these types of challenging activities and tend to be calmer and happier when they can use their agility equipment.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to mention that agility training is also a healthy option for the trainer as well as the dog. You will enjoy the benefits of this exercise as well, and if you join a local agility club, you also are sure to enjoy socializing with other dog owners as your pet dashes around the agility equipment.
3. You Can Start Agility At Any Time
People often mistakenly believe that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” While an older dog might not be healthy enough to run on the agility course, you don’t have to start training during the puppy months in order to teach agility skills or proper behavior. You can begin obedience training and agility training at any time. You can begin using agility equipment when your dog is a puppy or when your dog is three or four or five years old or even begin teaching a dog after adopting them from a shelter. In fact using agility equipment is a great way to bond with your newly adopted pet.
With agility training, it is wise to have a conversation with your vet to ensure that your dog is healthy enough for the jumps and other pieces of dog training equipment. Most healthy dogs, however, are perfectly able to handle just about any piece of dog agility equipment.
4. Agility Is Fun
Walking the same walk around the block or throwing a ball over and over again is fine, but agility is exciting. Watching a dog using agility equipment is fun and going to competitions is exciting, as well. You don’t even have to be concerned with winning to enjoy a day at an agility competition. Often people tell us that agility training seems overwhelming and difficult, but it’s truly just playtime for you and your pet.
Start out with one piece of equipment and make training a game. Once your dog masters one piece of agility equipment, add a second piece and so on. You will be surprised how quickly your dog begins to pick up the skills. Your friends and family also will enjoy watching your dog zip around the agility equipment, dashing through weaves and leaping through a tire jump.
If you aren’t quite sure where to begin, take a look at our start kits. These include just a few pieces of dog training equipment to get you going. After that, just add a new piece every few weeks or months until your dog has learned how to handle all of the agility equipment. Then you can work on improving time and accuracy and before you know it, you might be heading to your first competition.
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.
