Dog Agility Training - Is Your Dog Ready For It?
Some may believe that all dogs are naturally agile and fit. Why would they need dog agility training? After all, they are able to run, jump and chase balls or Frisbees, so what could some dog agility equipment and training do for them?
While it's true that most dogs are naturally gifted athletes in their own right, agility training means more than training dogs to sit, run or jump. Dogs have very muscular bodies in proportion to their weight. These physical characteristics make them able to run fast, jump high, and perform many other spectacular stunts. Some of these stunts require dog agility training in order for the dogs to learn how to do certain stunts or perform certain tasks when their owners say a particular command.Dog agility training can also improve speed and overall time for an obstacle course and it can teach the dogs how to perform some stunts in a specific way. This type of dog agility training is particularly useful for show dogs that need to run, jump or maintain a certain pace to meet the show's requirements. Show dogs and owners must also be in step while following a certain obstacle course in a predetermined order. Learning how to do these tasks is already difficult to start with, and dogs must also learn to do these things in a specific way, at a particular speed, following a particular command or signal, etc.
Dog agility training makes show dogs fun and interesting to watch but before you sign your dog up for some dog agility training, you should consider a few things. First, most schools only accept
dogs that are at least 18 months old as younger dogs are still growing and developing. Trying to force young dogs to learn different stunts can impede their growth or cause some long-term damage. It's also important to consider your dog's physical characteristics. Smaller dogs with short legs aren't necessarily the best jumpers and larger dogs may have problems crawling through tunnels and other small spaces. A good dog agility school takes all these things into consideration and can adjust its training to meet the needs of your dog, based on his size and breed. Similarly, if you decide to train your dog by yourself, you should keep these factors in mind.Some owners assume that agility training should include punishment whenever a dog doesn't perform as well as it should. Experts in dog agility training know that rewarding dogs is much more effective than punishing them it when they don't perform as expected. Giving treats to your dog, petting him, playing with him and his favorite toys are all great rewards that can be used to let your dog know how proud you are of his performance. Dog agility training should be fun for the dog and the owner. It should never be a chore or cause trauma to the dog or the owner.
You should remember that not all dogs will respond the same way to dog agility training. Some breeds are naturally skittish or hyper and it may be difficult to teach these dogs to jump and run on command. Don't let your dreams get the best of you.
By Daniel Waser
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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