There are
many varied reasons why people train their pet dogs.
Probably the most obvious is for the correction of bad
behavior. Many are trained to learn confrontational
skills, while others undergo obedience training. And many
others, whose Owners consider them suitable for
competition, participate in agility training. .
Some dogs are bred specifically for certain jobs that
require important skills and a high level of discipline
for them to be able to perform their job well. More than
likely, you have seen police dogs in action; these animals
are trained for Obedience, and are trained for
confrontation. They are trained to keep criminals at bay
and they are trained to detect drugs and other illegal
substances that are being transported in and out of the
country. Many police departments believe their dogs are
even more reliable than modern high tech equipment, such
as x-rays.
Then there are dogs whose owners see a potential ability
in their pets to take part in agility competitions and
hopefully win cups. These dogs are trained with a great
deal of pride and zeal, to improve their obedience and
their agility. There are many dog shows that sponsor
agility sports and you may have seen one being done on TV
and enjoyed the spectacle. Agility is one of the best fun
sports for dogs and dog lovers. All round, it is a very
nice dog sporting competition to watch and makes a perfect
day's outing for the family.
Dogs who take part in agility training and who are good
enough to participate in competition events, will jump
over obstacles, crawl under various objects and show off
their climbing skills. These activities will have been
learned over a reasonable period of time during which as
an added bonus the dog's confidence will have been
enhanced.
Agility training and sporting competition is not really an
expensive pursuit. You may well be surprised to learn that
the only thing required to train your dog for agility is
dedication. There is no big expense or hard work involved.
When you see your dog achieve something, you will realize
that the achievement itself is sufficient reward. Another
benefit is that no breed is superior to another. For top
level competition natural ability is the key to success.
All you need to do is register your dog in a club and then
they can be registered for agility.
Training your dog for agility is relatively easy. All you
need to do is join a local dog training school and train
your pet basic obedience. The key to training your dog is
a gentle but firm manner and the use of adequate praise
and rewards until your dog knows what is required of them.
You, as their friend, should build up his or her
confidence in order for them to perform well in agility or
any other endeavor that may appeal to you both.
Of course, it goes without saying that you should train
your dog obedience early in their life. For agility
training you have got to be patient. Because your dog’s
bones need to develop, never make them run obstacle
courses until he or she is 12 to 18 months old. Up to he
age of twelve months, the best training your dog can have
is playing a game of tug-of-war with one of their toys.
This will let your dog understand that you are an
important part of the pleasure in his or her games. In
turn. this will create a special bonding between you, as
the master and as your companion.
The training for obstacle jumping and improving on your
pet's natural reflexes should begin at 12 months. You can
purchase a hurdle or quite easily construct a portable one
that you can take to the local park where there will be a
lot of space to practice. If you jog everyday, it would be
wise and beneficial to take your dog along in your runs.
Keep in mind that training your dog for agility will
require you to invest a lot of time. However, you should
also keep in mind that you and your dog will always have
fun in the process
