Saturday, February 17, 2007
Introducing Dog Agility
Quite simply, if you are looking for a fun activity to enjoy with your dog, in a friendly atmosphere, with lots of like-minded people, and, which has the added benefit of keeping both you and your pet fit - then surely dog agility training must come out near the top of your list! Once you have tried agility training - it can become seriously addictive.
For those who have absolutely no idea what dog agility training is, perhaps the best way to explain it is to make an analogy with show jumping where the horses have to jump over different types of obstacles, all in the correct order, and within a specific time limit.
Try it out, just for fun, at home with your pet to begin with - stick a few weave poles in your lawn [Sorry! I apologise to all lawn-proud gardeners in advance, but we can have dogs AND be dedicated gardeners too. I know it applies to me too] and see if your dogs enjoy it, or place a telephone directory on the lawn and see if they like to jump.
Do nothing more than that, your pets safety must come first... so you will both need professional training before you go any further. For full safety information please see our article entitled... 'Dog Agility... when, where and how it first began'.
Also please remember agility first requires that you be in complete control of your dog AT ALL TIMES, so basic obedience must come top of your list.
If you both enjoy doing agility, find a local club - you are sure to find someone amongst your local doggy people who knows where the local dog agility training takes place [failing that, try an internet search, or your local library, but a personal recommendation is always best... after all it could come with some useful tips]. Visit the club, or clubs, which are recommended, then decide which one you like and prefer... then why not join it? And who knows how far you might progress!
Should you and your pet progress well within your local club, you could in time represent your club in regional Agility Tests. Then, if the unimaginable happens and you win, your club team could go forward to national finals and it could even go on to compete at the Crufts Agility Trials in front of a huge, and growing, TV audience of the dog loving public - many of whom find the agility, flyball, obedience, etcetera, more rewarding to watch than the 'Main Event'!
That dream is for the top few pairings [of dog and owner] within the top clubs - and you don't have to aspire to those heights to get loads of fun and benefits from agility. Essentially pet agility training is a fun way to exercise for both pets and owners. It is an enjoyable and sociable sport, and a way of spending time with people who are on the same doggy wavelength.
You and your dog/dogs can go for weekends away together at agility club competitions. Many competitors have their own caravans, and attend regular meetings and camping sites, for the round of agility tests which are held year round at the various clubs countrywide.
This is just a basic introduction to what dog agility training entails. I am not going into detail on the ways rounds are judged or points awarded, nor will this introduction cover the different obstacles, and the need to touch the required contact points... we will leave all that, plus answering the often asked question of which breeds of dogs are suitable for agility to a later article.
For those who have absolutely no idea what dog agility training is, perhaps the best way to explain it is to make an analogy with show jumping where the horses have to jump over different types of obstacles, all in the correct order, and within a specific time limit.
Try it out, just for fun, at home with your pet to begin with - stick a few weave poles in your lawn [Sorry! I apologise to all lawn-proud gardeners in advance, but we can have dogs AND be dedicated gardeners too. I know it applies to me too] and see if your dogs enjoy it, or place a telephone directory on the lawn and see if they like to jump.
Do nothing more than that, your pets safety must come first... so you will both need professional training before you go any further. For full safety information please see our article entitled... 'Dog Agility... when, where and how it first began'.
Also please remember agility first requires that you be in complete control of your dog AT ALL TIMES, so basic obedience must come top of your list.
If you both enjoy doing agility, find a local club - you are sure to find someone amongst your local doggy people who knows where the local dog agility training takes place [failing that, try an internet search, or your local library, but a personal recommendation is always best... after all it could come with some useful tips]. Visit the club, or clubs, which are recommended, then decide which one you like and prefer... then why not join it? And who knows how far you might progress!
Should you and your pet progress well within your local club, you could in time represent your club in regional Agility Tests. Then, if the unimaginable happens and you win, your club team could go forward to national finals and it could even go on to compete at the Crufts Agility Trials in front of a huge, and growing, TV audience of the dog loving public - many of whom find the agility, flyball, obedience, etcetera, more rewarding to watch than the 'Main Event'!
That dream is for the top few pairings [of dog and owner] within the top clubs - and you don't have to aspire to those heights to get loads of fun and benefits from agility. Essentially pet agility training is a fun way to exercise for both pets and owners. It is an enjoyable and sociable sport, and a way of spending time with people who are on the same doggy wavelength.
You and your dog/dogs can go for weekends away together at agility club competitions. Many competitors have their own caravans, and attend regular meetings and camping sites, for the round of agility tests which are held year round at the various clubs countrywide.
This is just a basic introduction to what dog agility training entails. I am not going into detail on the ways rounds are judged or points awarded, nor will this introduction cover the different obstacles, and the need to touch the required contact points... we will leave all that, plus answering the often asked question of which breeds of dogs are suitable for agility to a later article.
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