Dog agility equipment provides your dog with a wonderful source of exercise and fun, and it provides a fantastic bonding experience for dog and handler. While it’s generally very safe, no sport is entirely without risk, so before you start agility training, read our quick list of safety tips.
1. Visit The Veterinarian
Typically, any healthy dog can enjoy agility training and using dog agility equipment. Whether you plan to compete in agility events or just want a fun exercise option for your dog, it can be a good idea to let your trusted veterinarian give your dog a quick physical. If everything is ship-shape, let the agility training commence!
They say dog agility is a sport for every dog, but some dog breeds tend to be a bit more delicate than others, and aren’t as well suited to a fast-paced sport like agility. For instance, breeds such as Dachshunds and others with short legs may have difficulty with jumps. Still, this doesn’t mean that they won’t enjoy dashing through a tunnel or walking up and down a teeter. For these dogs, you might just stick with a few pieces of dog agility equipment that they can handle easily. Other breeds are prone to having breathing difficulties and agility might be too much for these dogs to handle.
2. Consider Investing In Mini Dog Agility Equipment
If you are training a puppy or a small dog, mini dog agility equipment is essential. Mini agility equipment also can be a great, safe way to introduce any dog to agility. The contact equipment and jumps are closer to the ground so there’s less risk of injury. Even if you upgrade to full-size equipment, we recommend keeping your mini equipment as it can make it possible for you to enjoy training inside your house on a rainy, hot or snowy day.
3. Remember To Warm Up Those Muscles
Humans warm up before exercise, and dogs should, too. A quick warm up gets the blood flowing and helps prevent muscle sprains and strains. You might start out with a brisk walk and then go through a series of stretching exercises. Not only can this prevent injury, it burns off a little of your dog’s energy, which makes it easier for your pooch to focus on your agility lessons.
4. Keep Training Times Short
You might have grandiose plans that include spending an hour or more per day working with dog agility equipment. However, while dogs do need exercise, too much exercise can increase the risk of injury, and it’s recommended that training sessions last no longer than about 20 minutes at the most. Dogs have short attention spans anyway, so long training sessions typically aren’t that beneficial.
5. Prepare For Summer Sessions
While humans have sweat glands in several locations on their body, dog sweat glands are limited to the few areas that do not have fur, such as their paws. It’s just harder for dogs to keep cool in warm and hot weather, so keep this in mind when you are planning out your training schedule. Plan short training sessions in the early morning or perhaps at dusk or even after dark, if you have sufficient lighting for your training area. Keep water close at hand, and take breaks. It also can be nice to bring out a blanket or mat and keep it in a shady area so that you dog can take a break in a cool spot.
6. Train In A Safe Area
If your backyard is large enough, this is the ideal spot for agility training. After all, this space probably is fenced, and because your dog is extremely familiar with this space, there will be fewer potential distractions. Another safe option would be to join a local agility club, which should provide a safe, fenced-in location.
Before you join a local club, take a tour of the facility to assess its overall safety as well as the general attitude of the dogs. If they seem a tad aggressive, this might not be a great fit. After all, agility activities are off-leash activities, so if the dogs seem aggressive or the owners don’t seem particularly responsible about keeping dogs controlled when not on the course, find another agility club.
7. Consider Your Dog’s Behavior
While most dogs love agility, not all dogs are suited to competition. If your dog is very nervous around crowds or perhaps aggressive toward other dogs or people, you have to be careful about agility contests. This doesn’t mean that your dog won’t have a blast running around a home agility course, but they might not be a great fit at competitions, where there are tons of people and unfamiliar dogs around.
You certainly can work on improving behavior and slowly start introducing your dog to more chaotic situations. Eventually, your dog might be just fine at competitions, but we do recommend that you bring along a dog crate for competitions. Your dog can rest here, and be safe. You can even cover the top and two sides of the crate with a towel. This can help your dog relax and get some rest and make it easier for them to ignore the many distractions one will find at agility competitions. Keep in mind that the only dog you can control at a dog agility event is your own dog, so make sure they are leashed unless they are competing and don’t assume that all of the dogs at the competition are perfectly trained and 100% docile. Even the best of dogs can have a bad moment, so keep your dog on leash or in a crate and close to you at all times.
8. Some Agility Equipment Is Riskier Than Others
As we stated at the beginning of this post, there is always a risk of injury with any sport. This is true for human sports and canine sports alike. A 2009 study showed that the majority of injuries occurred on dog agility equipment such as the A-frame and dog walk, no doubt due to the height of the obstacle combined with the speed of the dog as they navigate these pieces of agility equipment. While there’s no way to completely avoid the risk of injury, careful training on these obstacles can improve safety. If an injury occurs, contact your veterinarian and don’t begin training again until your dog has been cleared by their vet.
9. Let Your Dog Be The Guide
While most dogs love using dog agility equipment, not all dogs love competition. If you notice that competitions tend to stress your dog out, it might be better to stick with backyard agility fun. Sometimes, they just get nervous or stressed because of the excitement surround the competitions. Moving them into a crate, tucked away in a quiet spot away from foot traffic, also might alleviate this stress.
As your dog ages, you will want to reduce speed and jump heights and perhaps use fewer obstacles on your home course. Senior dogs can compete, but this senior class will compete on easier courses, to accommodate these dogs’ older bodies.
In the end, using dog agility equipment should be about bonding with your canine companion and having a blast. Agility can be one the best experiences you and your dog will enjoy together, whether you simply enjoy these activities at home or take part in agility dog competitions.
