jeudi 30 octobre 2014

Three Reasons Why You Should Consider Dog Agility

By Cheng Bernhardt


Dogs make ideal companions as they are joyful, loyal and loving friends. Your dog gives you plenty of unconditional love, so to reward them for being a wonderful friend, it is a good idea to plan out some activities just for them. Dog agility training can be a great activity for you and your dog to enjoy together and here are just a few reasons why.

1. Agility Provides Great Exercise

Obviously, dog agility is a great source of exercise, and you probably already knew that. Most people exercise their dogs with a few daily walks, and while this is great, it's not very exciting for you and your pet. Agility provides a bit more than the exercise you'd get with a walk; it provides a challenging type of exercise that truly appeals to dogs. The course actually is designed with instinctive dog behavior in mind. As they jump over obstacles, scurry across the dog walk and scamper around weave poles, they are engaged and excited about their activities.

2. Agility Provides Opportunities For Socialization

Does your dog shy away from other dogs? Often a timid dog dislikes being around other dogs, but through dog agility you can increase their self-confidence and introduce them to other dogs in a social setting. At an agility club, for instance, dogs tend to be well-trained and well-behaved which is an excellent setting for your shyer dog or perhaps a younger dog without much social experience. If you have a very aggressive animal, you will need to tackle that behavior through proper obedience training prior to letting them engage with other dogs, but most dogs enjoy the company of other dogs and agility provides plenty of opportunities to make friends.

3. Jump Start The Bonding Process

When you first get a new dog, whether it's a puppy or an older rescue animal, it takes a bit of time to bond. Teaching agility skills can be a fantastic way for you to spend time together, and because you are truly engaged with one another, it will cement the bond between you and build trust quickly. The pause table is a great place to start because you will be combining basic obedience skills with agility skills. By spending time together, your dog will understand you better and you will become more in tune with your dog's personality and learn the best way to manage your new friend's behavior.

Don't feel like you have to fill up your backyard with agility equipment. Purchase a starter kit or just one or two pieces of agility equipment to start. It might be good to simply begin with a pause table and some type of jump, such as a tire jump. Once your dog is able to sit, stay and lay down on the pause table, start moving a few feet away and practicing these skills and commands until you are a decent distant from your pet. Then add another piece of equipment. Teach your dog to go from the table to a jump and then add a third obstacle and so on.

Online stores, including Carlson Agility, sell all the agility equipment you might need. At Carlson Agility, you will find pause tables, agility dog walks, a-frames, teeters, tunnels and chutes, weave poles, all types of jumps and much more. For a tiny dog or a puppy, opt for the miniature agility equipment, which allows smaller animals to practice agility safely. Of course, mini equipment also can be used with larger dogs for some great indoor training so that you can keep practicing even if the weather is poor.




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