Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Dog Agility: Fun For The Whole Family

By Cheng Bernhardt


Most healthy, energetic pets will enjoy dog agility training. Dogs who love to run and play and pounce on toys will love the challenge of leaping over jumps and scurrying through tunnels and around weave poles. Dog agility can be a sport that involves your entire family, and there are many ways to get everyone involved.

While everyone can certainly help with training, it is important that everyone who handles the dog is consistent with commands and training. Everyone needs to be focused on the same commands and rules or the dog will become confused. This is especially true if you plan on entering a competition. Keep in mind that even with obedience training, it is important that the whole family uses the same command signals and words.

For children younger than 18, there are quite a few programs out there just for them, and you can enroll then in the American Kennel Club junior handler program or perhaps the one sponsored by USDAA, the United States Dog Agility Association. The latter is the country's largest organization for dog agility. Your local 4-H club probably has some dog agility classes or programs for young handlers, so considering giving them a call, too. Not only will your child learn how to train your pet, they also will learn a lot about the importance of proper animal care.

Joining an agility club might be a good first step for your family. You can take a few classes, try out some equipment and learn how to set up a course at home. You also will gain a great deal of knowledge from the staff and the other members. Clubs are located all over the place these days, and they offer you a good way to determine whether or not you and your dog are going to really love dog agility.

If all goes well and your dog and the family are enjoying the sport, it's probably time to start buying some equipment for home use. For those with puppies, small dogs or small yards, you can buy mini agility equipment. Even larger dogs can use these, and they are great items to consider when you begin training, as they are less intimidating for dogs to use. You can even bring in a mini pause table or mini A-frame into the house on rainy days to keep your dog busy and happy.

Carlson Agility is one company that produces and sells a huge variety of agility equipment, including all sizes and types of dog agility jumps. You can find tire jumps, high jumps, broad jumps and even unique options such as car door jumps. They also sell weave poles, tunnels, teeter totters, A-frames, pause tables and much more. You can opt for full-size or mini equipment, depending on your needs.




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