What Is Dog Agility Training?

There is more to training your dog than teaching it to obey your commands. There is dog agility training which teaches your dog to perform different types of sport, including jumping, climbing obstacles and even dodging in between poles. Dog agility training is an offshoot of horse show jumping and it was first showcased in the UK in 1979 at the Crufts Dog Show and from then on, it has rapidly grown in popularity for the entertainment value, as well sports value of it.

Must Be Able To Obey Simple Commands

Dogs by and large are very agile creatures, though the dogs that are most suited for sports competition are those that are medium in size and also the larger varieties. Any dog that is being considered for dog agility training, must first be checked by a veterinarian and he should also be able to obey simple commands, such as sit and lie down and come. It has been noticed that dogs that are well trained to obey, succeed at dog agility training much better than those with problems obeying simple commands.

Dog agility training can be carried out in many different ways, though the trainer must ensure that the method used suits the dog the best. The agility training must be fun for the dog and it would be wise on the part of the trainer, not to become overly critical of the dog, or try and make it ultra competitive.

Essentially, dog agility training means making the dog weave its way through an obstacle course under the supervision of a handler. There are different types of obstacles including tunnels, poles, jumps and ramps for the dog to traverse. To begin with, the dog starts off with the simplest of obstacles and as its skills improve, the level of training becomes more difficult. The agility of the dog helps to evaluate the type of a training the dog can be taught.

When dogs have been trained in dog agility training, they will then enter into competitions in which the judge selects the direction of the obstacle. The dog must follow the course along with its handler and once the dog has successfully completed an obstacle course, he is entitled to receive an agility title, along with plenty of praise ,goodies and of course, many toys.