Are you a regular watcher or attendee of Crufts? There’s
nothing more rewarding then spending time training your dog.
The agility course is always one of the most memorable parts
of dog competitions. It’s not just about whether they can complete the
obstacles but how they respond to the trainers commands as well.
Your aim might not be to compete at Crufts 2016 but there
are a frequent agility tests in village / town shows and festivals in your
local area. There may also be dog agility courses in your area if you are
interested in participating in competitions.
The first stage is to encourage your dog to jump before
tackling any other obstacle. You will need to stay stocked on treats as well of
course. You will find that your dog will
love trying to understand how to get the reward.
In competitions your dog must be off lead and have no form
on incentives to finish the tasks and obstacles. It is just your voice, gestures and body
language that will help provide guidance and motivation to complete the course.
Also courses must be complex enough that the dog cannot
complete the course in order without the aid of its trainer so the obstacles
are strategically placed. As such, the dog may have to do u-turns and go back
on itself that it would otherwise not do.
Some of the most common tasks are, hurdles, tire jumps,
pause boxes, tunnels, dog walk, A frame, see-saw and more.
Ideally your dog should also be obedient and able to follow simple commands first which can help bring control to your whole training session.
Whether you’re looking to train your dog in order to compete
or looking to spend some time in the garden with your pet, you and your dog can
have fun completing little obstacles at home.
