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Dog Agility Training
The competitive dog sport of agility is a competition in which dogs compete one
at a time to navigate a serious of obstacles in a pre-determined pattern to
determine which dog can complete the course without errors, or with the fewest
errors, and in the quickest time. There are a number of different groups which
organize and sanction agility trials. The rules of the game may vary slightly
from one sanctioning body to another but overall the game is generally the same.
Some of the variations may include the obstacles which are used, the size and
geometry of these obstacles and the way in which the jump heights are
determined. The height of jumps in an agility trial is generally based on the
dog’s height at the withers. This measurement helps to ensure dogs are jumping a
height which is appropriate for their body size. Another difference which exists
among the sanctioning bodies in the sport of agility is the types of dogs which
are eligible to compete. Some organizations allow dogs of all breeds and even
mixed breed dogs to participate. However, agility trials which are sanctioned by
a governing body may have specific qualifications regarding the breed of dog
which is allowed to participate. For example breed registries such as the
American Kennel Club (AKC) sponsor AKC agility trials in which only dogs
registered with the AKC are eligible to participate. This article will provide a
few basic tips for training a dog to participate in agility.
Some dogs will seem to be almost naturals in the sport of agility and may be
trained to compete very easily. These dogs may be acquiring a wealth of titles
and trial wins after only a few competitions. However, this type of dog is
rather rare and most dogs will require a great deal of training before they are
capable of competing, and doing well, in agility trials. A typical beginning
class in agility may be 6-8 weeks long and during the course of this training
period the dog may be introduced to all of the obstacles individually and may
begin working on competing two or more of these obstacles in a pattern.
Depending on how quickly the class moves and the skill level of the dog, and
handler, involved some dogs may be ready to begin competing after this class.
However, they will likely improve over time if they take more advanced classes
and become more confident navigating the obstacles. Most group classes will not
likely properly prepare a dog for his first competitive agility trial unless the
trainer is moving particularly fast and the dogs are all learning rather
quickly. Similarly a dog with natural talent taking private classes which allow
him to progress at his own pace may be well prepared for competition in novice
trials after only a basic agility class.
Treats and praise are often two
of the most effective training tools when teaching a dog to navigate agility
obstacles. The treats can be used to both lure the dog over or through the
obstacles as appropriate and to reward the dog when he navigates the obstacle
correctly. Some of the obstacles such as the dog walk or the A-frame have areas
in which the dog is required to touch before exiting the obstacle. These areas
are known as contact points and failure to make contact with these areas in a
trial is considered a fault and may result in the dog losing points or incurring
time penalties. Smaller breed dogs typically do not have a problem with hitting
contact zones simply because they have a smaller stride and must take more steps
while on the obstacle which makes it very natural for the dog to touch the
contact zones. However, larger breed dogs with longer strides may be prone to
flying off the obstacles quickly and without touching the contact zones. Ideally
the dog should be trained from the start to touch these contact point without
slowing down to do so. Allowing the dog to skip the contact points in the
beginning can result in the dog forming bad habits which can be difficult to
break in the future. Likewise training the dog to stop on the contact points can
also result in the dog developing the bad habit of stopping or slowing down each
time they approach a contact zone. This can result in the dog routinely having
slower times than dogs of similar speeds that do not hesitate in the contact
zones.
There are a number of agility obstacles which are routinely difficult for many
dogs. These include the dog walk, the teeter and the A-frame. The dog walk is
both high and narrow while the teeter is narrow but also rotates around a pivot
point and moves as the dog crosses this pivot point. The A-frame is a high
obstacle which can also be intimidating to some dogs. Narrowness, movement and
height are all factors which can intimidate a dog so care should be taken to
introduce these obstacles slowly and cautiously. Failure to do so may result in
the dog becoming afraid of the obstacles and unable to compete in trials because
of this fear. These obstacles can be introduced gradually by using modified
versions of the obstacle which are not as high, not as narrow and do not move as
much as the standard versions of the obstacles. As the dog masters these
modified versions the trainer may make gradual changes to make the obstacles
more similar to the standard versions. These gradual changes can be made several
times until the dog is capable of navigating the standard obstacles.
One final note regarding agility training is the sport of agility involves the
dog and the handler working closely together to complete the course. The
location, positioning and order of the obstacles will vary from one trial to
another and it is the handler’s responsibility to study the course ahead of time
and assist the dog during the trial in navigating the source. The handler will
use a series of verbal and visual cues as well as his body positioning to give
the dog instructions while running the course. Mistakes made by the handler may
result in the dog taking an obstacle out of order or missing an obstacle
completely. Both actions will result in a penalty which will affect the dog’s
overall standings in the trial. For this reason the handler also requires a
great deal of training to successfully run a dog in an agility trial. Most
handlers feel as though their dog is ready for competition long before they are
ready.
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