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Dog Agility Handling & Training at AthleticDogs.com

Training for Agility - Time to Work!

Agility handling requires a specific set of skills. Your job is more than simply giving commands; you must also be physically fit and agile, able to read a course and strategize for speed and accuracy, and train your dog to respond to subtle physical and oral cues.

The keys to agility success are speed and accuracy...both on the dog’s part and yours!

Working with Your Dog

Training your dog for agility begins with mastering the absolute basics – sit, down, stay, and the like – first, in order to develop a strong relationship between you and your dog. Without the fundamentals, it is nearly impossible to develop the skills to successfully manage your dog on an agility course. Generally, dogs can run much faster than humans, so you will need to be able to control your dog from a distance and trust that he or she will follow your commands.

Once the basics are mastered, training for agility is simply a matter of mastering one obstacle at a time. Some obstacles are easy to teach (jumps, tunnels) while others require quite a bit of effort (weaves, chutes). It is a good idea to sign up with a good agility trainer to start, but you will need to equip your back yard with your own set of agility equipment if you want to compete. Fortunately, the AthleticDogs.com store has everything you need!

Like any other sport, a once-a-week practice isn’t enough. The more familiar your dog is with each obstacle, the easier it will be to communicate your instructions in the ring. It is in your best interest to have a set of your own equipment and to spend at least a few minutes per day working with your Athletic Dog!

Once your dog understands how each obstacle works and can complete it successfully most of the time, your training focus will shift to speed. The best agility competitors complete their runs at full speed, with both dog and handler flying around the ring at a full-out run.

There are a number of tricks for introducing your dog to the more difficult obstacles, such as using lower jumps and wobbly boards to introduce the sensation of having the equipment moving under them!

Successful Agility Teams

The success of your dog depends on several factors, including:

• The dog’s temperament: Some dogs just charge right on and over the equipment while some are more timid and require more encouragement. Both situations present some challenges – the aggressive dogs must be trained for more accuracy, the timid pups need extra support to boost their confidence.
• The dog’s size: Smaller dogs can have trouble with both the chute (getting tangled up in there) and the teeter (having the patience to let it drop).
• Basic training: The better a dog’s basic training (sit, stay, down), the easier agility training will go.
• The bond between dog and handler: The stronger the bond, the easier agility will be. Of course, training for agility will tend to strengthen that bond as well.
• Dog and handler fitness: The dogs must be physically fit to meet the SCT and to avoid injury. The handler must be fit enough to run the course at full speed as well. Of course, those with physical limitations can also be successful agility handlers, it simply requires the ability to handle the dog very well from a distance.
• Natural Speed & Accuracy: Different dogs have different natural abilities – slower dogs must be trained to make every step count, faster dogs must work on accuracy and attention.
• Level of commitment: Training for competitive agility requires frequent practice – a once per week class is not going to earn you a Champion title! Fortunately, the AthleticDogs.com store carries all the recreational grade equipment you need to turn your backyard into an elite agility training facility!

Training Techniques

Many of the standard agility obstacles require actions that are not necessarily natural for the dog. Thus, specific and measured training steps must be taken to develop a competitive agility dog. The teeter, weave poles, and contact obstacles can be particularly difficult to master, especially at high speeds!

The most important factor in basic agility training is to develop a strong bond between the dog and handler team. It is essential that the dog and handler work together quickly, efficiently, and safely in order to complete the sometimes-confusing agility trial courses. Any experienced handler will tell you that there are minor and major adjustments to be made in working with different dogs, depending on their size, shape, personality, and other factors.

For each piece of agility equipment, there are a variety of ways to successfully train your dog. The AthleticDogs.com Agility Training Handbook provides specific techniques, tips, & tricks for getting your agility dog making clean runs in good time. It is essential to work with your dog at home on a regular basis to master the agility obstacles.

To start, however, it is a good idea to find an introductory agility course to become comfortable with the equipment and expectations. Classes are available throughout the country, and provide access to agility equipment and the guidance of an experienced handler. Group classes are also good for training your dog in a distracting environment...he or she will learn to focus on you regardless of what is going on around them.

Training the Trainer

The best agility dogs and trainers are in excellent physical shape. Merely teaching your dog the obstacles will not turn out a champion. Like any other sport, the best athletes are the best conditioned! Check out the AthleticDogs.com store for conditioning equipment for BOTH handler and dog!

Check out AthleticDogs.com’s links to agility instructors across the US and Canada.

Handler Conditioning

The best agility handlers are physically fit – able to run full speed through a course and agile enough to make quick turns – all while maintaining a strict focus on your dog. One of the great benefits of dog agility is that it keeps both the dog and handler healthy and in shape!

It is essential that you be in excellent physical shape to compete at the highest levels of dog agility. Agility is an athletic sport for both members of the team, and it is critical that you take the time to improve your own speed and agility to allow your dog to reach his or her potential in the sport.

Check out the AthleticDogs.com line of conditioning equipment for agility handlers. The better your conditioning, the more success you and your dog will have at the agility trials!

Check out the Agility Equipment available through theAthleticDogs.com store.

AthleticDogs.com’s ebooks on training for agility are coming soon!