The Ins and Outs of Dog Agility Training

Dog agility training has benefits for both the dog and its trainer. It helps keep you fit, the dog enjoys it, and it's great fun to root for your dog in competitions.

Sure, dog agility training may be more challenging than other kinds of training, but it's so enjoyable. In case you are not familiar with dog agility, it has become quite a sport for both dogs and owners. It became very popular in Great Britain, and its enthusiasm has spread to North America as well as Australia.

Dog agility is required for dog show events. These are comprised of a number of varied courses that your dog must negotiate. Each course has the average of twenty-six obstacles. Your dog must be able to finish each course flawlessly in the fastest time in order to win. This may sound easy, but... could your dog do it? Some course obstacles are very difficult, requiring a lot of consistent training to master.

The two main categories of courses are jumping and agility. Jumping courses require your dog to jump over increasingly difficult obstacles. A typical jump is comprised of a four-foot high pole held on either side by two stands that your dog must clear without knocking the pole down. Then there are weaves, which are a set of six, eight or twelve poles that your dog must bob over and through without missing a single one. Agility courses contain contact points on varied obstacles that your dog must touch with its paws. This requires a lot of dog agility training.

For a dog to be entered into a jump or agility show, it has to be registered with a kennel club, such as the Scottish Kennel Club (SKC), or the American Kennel Club (AKC) depending on whether you are in the U.K. or the USA. Kennel club members usually meet on a regular basis either once or twice a week to train together. Together they organize practice courses to help their dogs improve their weak points.

Kennel Clubs will not allow dogs under the age of one year for agility training. Therefore, it is advisable to invest in some jumping or agility equipment at home to start your dog. Pups can be trained from as young as six weeks, starting with the jump poles lying flat on the ground and, of course, taking care not to use potentially hazardous manoeuvres. Special training obstacles can be found at related pet stores.

It takes a lot of dedicated agility training to get your pup ready for its first show. The first requirement is that your dog must be able to run the complete course.

Although this kind of training may sound like a lot of hard work, it really is not. As a hobby, it is exciting! Look at dog agility training as being the key to a hobby of camaraderie among the trainers, competitive spirit, and lots of fun with your dog!

One of Ann's loves is dogs and training them. You can find her informative videos and resources at: Puppy Training Tips.