Jumping is a natural part of canine behavior and one of the most common dog agility obstacles. Incorporating dog jumps into your agility training can be a fun way to exercise your dog and be entertaining to watch once they get the hang of it. Getting started is easy and can take place all in your own home. Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin using dog jumps with your furry friend.
1. Start Slow
Start off your training sessions with a little warm-up to get their muscles ready and get your dog in the mindset that you are going to need their full attention. Remember that you are training your dog and it is not a competition yet. If you have a timid dog, take your time with each jump and let them build confidence in their own time.
The most important thing in dog agility is trust. Take time to work on obedience and basic commands with your dog before you begin dog jumps. Once your dog is confident with your cues and you have a strong bond with one another, you can begin to introduce dog jumps into your training.
Begin with jumps raised only a couple of inches off the ground as your furry friend gets familiar with the exercise. Slowly begin to increase the difficulty as your dog improves. We recommend using our single jump and then moving on to the double jump and triple jump.
If you have a small dog or a senior dog, just make sure that you keep the heights low for their safety. Dog agility organizations offer categories based on size and age, and each category has specific height requirements for safety. Our jumps are easy to adjust to whatever height your dog may need.
2. Set Realistic Expectations
When you start using any type of dog agility equipment with your dog, remember that patience is key. Your dog is most likely not going to be able to clear a triple jump on its first day of training or run through weave poles perfectly the first time. Remember to give your furry friend lots of praise and treats when they are following directions and handling obstacles correctly.
Do not stress if your dog struggles or gets overwhelmed with the jumps at first. Set your dog up for success by setting realistic expectations based on their breed, size, and age. Keep in mind that agility training is meant to be fun: take breaks when you or your dog get are getting frustrated with a jump and praise them every step of the way.
In general, keep dog agility training times short. Typically, 10-15 sessions work best, although some dogs might be able to concentrate for longer periods. Short sessions, however, accommodate their short attention spans. This advice applies when using any piece of agility equipment including agility jumps, dog agility a-frames, a dog agility teeter or any other item.
3. Work as a Team
Dog agility is a team effort. Your furry friend will not succeed without your help throughout the training process. In the beginning, you can try training with a leash. You may want to use a longer lead, around six to twelve feet when you begin training, and slowly guide your dog over the first couple of jumps. Once your dog gets the hang of it, however, remove the leash so that they can jump freely over the obstacle.
When your dog approaches a jump, assign a verbal command such as “jump” or “over” that you will say as they pass over the bar. Your dog will begin to connect the word with the action and soon they will be jumping like a pro. Reward your furry friend when they go over the jump and discourage them from trying to go around it. We recommend you start your training in a quiet environment so your dog can easily hear your cues and stay attentive.
Remember that eventually, you must train off-leash. Using the lead can be fine in the beginning, but as you progress, your dog will need to be entirely off-leash with you at a set distance from them. Leashes and often collars are not allowed on competition courses, as this is a safety issue and the whole point is that the dog can handle the entire course using only hand signals and/or verbal commands.
4. Be Safe
Dog jumps can only be fun if both you and your furry friend are training safely. Before you begin dog jumps, make sure your dog is in good health and ready to endure this training process. Do not begin jumping if your puppy is not fully grown, you do not want to strain their joints. Instead, work on basic obedience training and bonding with your furry friend so that when they are full grown, they are ready to begin jumping.
Ensure that the environment you are training in is safe for your dog to be landing on repeatedly. Avoid practicing jumps on concrete or any asphalt-type surfaces. During long training sessions, this can strain your dog’s muscles and do more harm than good. It is also important to avoid slippery surfaces that both you and your dog could injure yourself on.
5. Have Fun
If you have watched dog agility in person or on television, you have seen how fun it looks for the dog and the handler. That’s because it is fun! Agility training like jumping is a great way to introduce your dog to new experiences and get them the exercise they need on a regular basis. Training and competing with your furry friend is a fun and rewarding experience for both you and your dog. Agility is known to decrease anxiety in dogs and increase trust between a dog and its owner so why not give it a try? At Carson Agility, we offer all necessary equipment you may need to begin jump training from your home including single, double, and triple jumps. Additionally, we offer fence wing jumps, wing sets, panel jumps, mini jumps, tire jumps, UKC window jumps, and obedience jumps as well as any other type of dog training equipment you may need.
