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Nowadays, it has become fashionable for dog owners to train their dogs for agility. While agility training requires money and time, it also comes with a long list of benefits for both the owner and the dog. As long as the dog is healthy, you can be sure that agility training will be beneficial.
That is the case both if you have raised the dog as a puppy or if you have just adopted it from a shelter. Agility training is something that both young dogs and the mature dogs can do. While there are some dog breeds where agility training should be done cautiously, for most races, there will be no limit how much they should train.
Product Image | Product Name | Pros/Cons | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Expert Dog 9-Piece agility course kit | This agility course equipment is suited for a professional or advanced level. The kit comes with a paws grooming table, hoop jump, doggie crawl, dog walk, teeter totter, weave posts, and many other types of equipment. | |
 | BarkPark 7-Piece Dog Agility Course Setkit | This is an excellent dog park equipment that it is quite a comprehensive kit as compared to the others. The dog agility kit is among the widest-ranging, and this means that it needs more loading space. | |
 | Affordable Agility in the Bag | This is yet another excellent dog playground equipment. It comes with a sturdy carrying bags as well as some free-standing bases, hurdle jump, tire jump, tunnel, chute to train your dog to maneuver obstacles and a weave-pole set. | |
 | PetSafe Closed tunnel | When you realize that your canine is now ready for the advanced drills, it is time to acquire building dog agility equipment for that role. |
What is dog agility training equipment?
Many dog owners have the goal of making their canines fit physically. To achieve this, the dog owners need to ensure that their dogs are jumping, running and exercising in a way that enables them to develop their muscles and bones correctly. The good news is that there are lots of products on the market today that can help us to achieve the goal of having dogs that are not only healthy but are also in good shape.
The dog agility equipment is a collection of different obstacles such as tunnels, cones, paw pads, jump over and other kinds of accessories. All these have the goal of testing the ability of the dog to maneuver their way around them, ensuring coordination between the eye and the paw and providing self-awareness as well as the awareness of the surrounding landscape.
You should buy a dog equipment kit if you are planning to take the dog for hunting or if you would like to ensure that the dog is well poised for athletic success. In case you would want to train the dog for shows and other kinds of contest, you can be sure that agility will be a crucial factor that the canine will be tested for and you need to be prepared.
No matter what you believe, agility training can be a fun way for you and your dog to bond and have fun. Overall, it is a right mix of bonding and health benefits that should be a part of any owners experience.
Benefits of Dog Agility Training
There are various benefits of agility dog training.
1. Improved body health
The physical benefits of the exercise include improved stamina, weight loss, greater flexibility, better circulation and building of muscles. The dog will also have healthier lungs and heart. Physical activity is good for a dog as it helps to keep the dog’s joints in great shapes. Agility training can also protect the dog from joint and hip disorders as it continues growing older. Spatial awareness and coordination will also improve with agility training.
2. Enhanced mental clarity
Since the dog will need to think during training, this can help to sharpen his mind. Some of the by-products of agility training include increased alertness level & awareness, better skills in communication and higher levels of confidence. Behavior and obedience can also be significantly improved. This means that there will be less chance for a dog that is trained to become bored and restless.
3. Improve the natural instincts of the dog
Dogs naturally love chasing, hunting, and foraging. The course in agility training can offer similar coordination that is necessary during chases in the countryside and woodlands. There are also certain breeds of dogs that have been predisposed to be workers, and they can feel the urge to accomplish something. With agility training, it becomes possible for the canines to satisfy these urges and therefore, have a lifestyle that is more fulfilled.
4. A better relationship with your dog
When you take your dog through agility training, it is possible to develop a better relationship and understanding with him. It becomes possible to establish confidence and trust more profoundly. This also helps to improve the bond between you and your pet.
5. Improving the cognition of the dog
Probably you are trying to compete in different dog agility events. Some studies show that training your canine using specific agility tools has many different positive effects. Apart from the competition, if you are training your dog for showmanship, hitting and other kinds of extracurricular activities, it is advisable to purchase agility obstacles for your canine. This can go a long way in helping the pet owner to build up cognition, gracefulness, and endurance of the dog.
6. Improves dogs behavior
When you have a well-trained canine, this will improve your life as well as that of your family. Not only will it keep the dog safe but a trained dog is usually happier. This is because you are more likely to know what you can expect from the dog. The traditional way of training dogs is acceptable. However, you can also combine agility training with the general obedience training. For instance, using dog agility equipment like the pause table is a good way to teach the dog different skills like low down and sit. This is on top of the fact that agility training allows you to teach the dog many different kinds of skills.
It can also be fun to use the dog training equipment. This means that the obedience training can be more like a game rather than a challenge. It is also worth noting that many canines tend to act out as a way of demonstrating bad behaviors when they get bored and don’t have an outlet to get rid of that excess energy. While agility training and the use of the equipment can be tough and fun, it offers a perfect way of burning off the excess energy.
Agility training provides a unique source of exercise
The running around that comes with agility training can provide your canine with plenty of healthy exercise. This is particularly the case because this is one of the most challenging activities. Walking your dog around the neighborhood will not only expend energy but can help to keep your dog in good shape.
However, dashing through a tunnel, leaping over different kinds of jumps and running up & down the teeter can mimic those mechanical behaviors of the wild dogs. Dogs usually love these kinds of challenges and are happier and calmer when they make use of the agility equipment.
You can begin agility training at any time
A common misconception that people have is that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Even though an old canine may not be very healthy to run an agility course, you do not need to begin training a dog while it is still a puppy for it to learn the agility skills or even undergo behavior training.
You can start using dog agility equipment when the canine is a puppy, or she is 3, 4 or 5 years old. In fact, one of the best ways of bonding with your dog is by taking it through this form of training. The most important things before you can begin taking dog agility training is to ensure that your dog is healthy enough to undertake the jumps and use the other dog training equipment.
Agility Can be Fun
While it is okay to take the same course every day around a block or even throw a ball at your dog, agility training can be more exciting. It can be fun watching the dog use the agility training kits, and it is even more exciting when you take your dog for the agility competitions. You don’t even have to be concerned about winning to enjoy your day at the agility completion. It can be a fun time for you and your pet. If you are finding the training to be challenging, you can start with the essential equipment only. Once the dog has masters that dog park equipment, you can now add a second.
If you are unsure what is the right agility training equipment, you can take our look at our list below. Choose one equipment, to begin with, and keep on adding a new one every week/month until you are sure that the dog has learned to handle all these kinds of equipment. After this, you should begin to improve the accuracy and time.
Dog Agility Training Tips for Beginners
In case you have just started with your dog on the agility training part, you can quickly become overwhelmed by the jargon, dog agility kits, competition rules, etc. There are several helpful tips that you can use to ensure that the training is useful and exciting.
Choose a lingo. During the course of an agility course, a trainer tends to use hand signals and verbal commands whose goal is to guide the dog within the path. While dogs can understand a wide range of vocabularies, it is advisable to ensure that the commands remain sweet and short. There aren’t some set rules on what you need to use for the verbal commands, and you can be successful with any command that you may give. The most important thing is to ensure that you remain consistent. Ensure that you use the same command words each time if the dog associates the command with the action.
Have an agility plan for your dog. Nearly all teachers work with a lesson plan, which is not cast in stone. The goal of the lesson plan is for the teacher to remain focused. It is essential to start by creating a daily schedule for your dog. The program can include a warmup around a particular block, which can then be followed by some 15 to 20 minutes of the step-by-step guide in agility training. It is advisable to start with a short warm up as this helps in the circulation of the dog’s blood before exercising. This can go a long way in helping to prevent injury. A brief workout can also help burn off some energy, thus helping the dog to focus on the task ahead.
Understand the rules. The first days of taking your dog through agility training will involve taking the canine though dog agility training equipment. However, if your goal is competition, you will need to have a good understanding of the rules of the competition.
Improve accuracy and then speed. When running an agility course for a dog, you and your best friend will be judged based on accuracy as well as speed. Even though both of these are important, speed won’t mean much if you do not have a clear run. You will need to ensure that the dog can confidently get through any obstacle no matter the angle or order. As the dog’s handler, your goal will be to ensure that your dog has the same vision as you. After the dog has perfected accuracy, you should now focus on speed.
Consider the social aspect. While any dog can be taken through agility training, the personality of the dog is also a critical factor in the competition. During the agility competitions of dogs, they also enjoy the socializing. Therefore, you will need to train your dog on socializing the dog before getting into the agility training.
Focus on fun. The goal of any dog sport is the fun. Whenever you feel as if the training is frustrating you, relax, take a deep breath and pat the canine on the back.
Top 6 agility training equipment
The right dog agility training equipment will depend on what you believe to be the strongest and the weakest area of your dog and the amount of training that you would like him to undergo in the future. In case you just started out, it can be a good idea to buy the starter kit.
In case you have the kit, but you feel that there is a certain area where the dog requires practice, make sure you select a particular one. All this will depend on the levels of skills. If you want to train the dog professionally, you can invest in the agility trainers that are expansive. This will increases the chances that the dog will be accustomed to the professional agility training in a quicker and faster way.
1. Expert Dog 9-Piece agility course kit
This agility course equipment is suited for a professional or advanced level. The kit comes with a paws grooming table, hoop jump, doggie crawl, dog walk, teeter totter, weave posts, and many other types of equipment. It is a good kit for dog agility training as it contains nearly everything that is needed for a beginner level as well as advanced training.
This kit is the right choice if your goal is to have your dog get into an agility competition. It is available in 2 color schemes: red & blue or beige & green. The components are usually made from steel that is coated with powder while a thermoplastic coating is coated on the stepping surface to prevent any cases of slipping.
2. BarkPark Best in Show 7-Piece Dog Agility Course Setkit
This is an excellent dog park equipment that it is quite a comprehensive kit as compared to the others. The dog agility kit is among the widest-ranging, and this means that it needs more loading space. This is the best choice for people who are searching for thoroughness and sheer volume of a kit.
One advantage of this kit is that it comes with a high number of items that are also versatile. The space needed is worth the effort especially when you consider that the kit has all the elements that are used in different competitions. This is also durable and will not collapse from harsh weather conditions. The only downside of this kit is that it can be quite pricey. However, if you are serious about training your canine to participate in a significant competition, this is a training kit that is worth investing in.
3. Affordable Agility in the Bag
This is yet another excellent dog playground equipment. It comes with a sturdy carrying bags as well as some free-standing bases, hurdle jump, tire jump, tunnel, chute to train your dog to maneuver obstacles and a weave-pole set.
What I like most about this kit is that is that has many great features. Many customers who have bought it say that they love the extendable and durable features that come with the kit. Pet owners who have purchased this kit say that they love its durability. Those who have had it for a long time say the Velcro attachments don’t wear out.
4. PetSafe Closed tunnel
When you realize that your canine is now ready for the advanced drills, it is time to acquire building dog agility equipment for that role.
Nothing beats the PetSafe closed tunnel which comes with three tubes and a chute that is detachable. The good thing with the chute is that it makes it possible for your dog to run without seeing you or the surrounding area.
This increases the magnitude of the challenge. It is easy to assemble the training equipment without having to use Velcro. The agility training kit also comes with a training guide.
5. Adjustable Аgility Weave Poles
This agility training equipment consists of 6 fully-adjustable poles that can be set for an offset or straight course.
Not only are they easy to assemble but they also meet the guidelines given by various competitions. The dog agility training equipment consists of:
1. A-frame. The canine will scramble up as well as the top as it touches the contact zone at the downside.
2. See-saw. The dog is supposed to approach this squarely as it touches the contact zone on the upside. The dog will hesitate slightly when it reaches the pivot point before moving downward and touching the contact zone downside. The dog is supposed to exit swiftly as the plank comes into contact with the ground.
3. Pause table. A canine will jump on top of the table where it will maintain on a down, sit or even stand position. The dog is supposed to stay in place for 5 seconds. It should then jump when commanded to do so. The 5 seconds also provide your dog with a resting opportunity before regrouping for his next obstacles.
4. Tire jump. The dog is supposed to jump cleanly through the obstacle instead of over it.
5. Broad jump. In an ideal situation, the dog is supposed to soar over several jumps before it clears the boards.
6. Dog walk. The canine is supposed to approach the dog walk squarely as it touches the contact zone on the upside. She should then run across the top before running downwards as it reaches the contact zone below.
6. Agility collars and slip – on leach
The dog agility collar is just like any other regular collar even though it doesn’t have any tags or attachments. The dog owner should ensure that the dog is wearing a collar or harness which includes the license tag of the pet and the tag that lists his name and your contact information.
However, many competitions do not allow the tags, and therefore, it is wiser to have another collar for use during the game. It is also worth noting that certain agility competition organizers do not accept any kind of collar. Therefore, it is advisable that you familiarize yourself with the rules of any competition. In case your organizations forbid the use of collars, a good idea would be to acquire a slip-on leash that you can take off just before the competition begins.
Even though it may be kind of nerve-wracking to see your canine running without a collar, the reason why this is prevented is for the sake of the animal’s safety as tags and collars can snag in other equipment. Choose one of these dog agility equipment, and they will not disappoint you.
