Can you remember the last time you ran an obstacle course. Besides being in the armed forces, the chances are it was in your childhood. Can you recall how hard it was ? In fact, if you only looked at the course without ever trying it you are aware of how challenging it appeared.
So if we acknowledge the difficulty of such a course why do we expect our dogs to be able to do such a course. After all, they are a test of endurance, agility and conditioning. Are dogs innately conditioned to run through tunnels, over bridges and jump fences ? No, they have to be trained.
Agility dog training programs are created to give dogs the physical capacity to run an obstacle course. They aim to make your pet stronger and fitter. As a dog in an obstacle course remains under the control of it’s owner, the course also teaches the dog to respond to commands. This has two benefits, it teach the dog obedience training and builds on the relationship that an owner must have with his/her dog. Dog agility training programs also help your pet to cope with unpredictable situations and effectively think independently. For example, it isn’t clear to a dog how to run through a tunnel or even why it should do this. Your pet has to be instructed on these techniques so that it will be able to apply these skills to different obstacle courses in different locations.
Indeed, this is a challenging task for any trainer to communicate these skills to a dog. It should take quite a few hours of instruction with a skilled trainer before your dog will be able to tackle an obstacle course. Once this initial training is completed, it will be your task as the owner of the dog to continue it’s training. In the end, it is about creating a strong connection between you and your dog. Once you have taken over this training role, it is up to you to keep your dog fit and up to date with the new obstacle course challenges. This might be hard to begin with but you will derive a great sense of achievement if you can improve your dogs performance and shave a few seconds of it’s time.
And the cutting edge of all this training is to involve your pet in an official competition. I am sure you have seen these sorts of things on TV at dog shows like Crufts and the like. There is a perception that these kinds on events are cruel to the animal but most dogs can’t wait to do a course. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that these events are the highlight of any show along with the relay events. If you have seen such a competition you will notice just how much the dogs enjoy running through the courses as they wag their tails furiously and bark excitedly. Possibly the dog gets excited by the noise of the crowd but it makes for great viewing to see the excited dogs.
However, to be successful in completing any obstacle course the animal will need strong agility dog training to ensure it has the skills but stays safe at the same time. This is a part of agility dog training that many people don’t take into consideration. The goal of agility dog training is twofold, develop the skills and techniques of the animal but also ensure that it doesn’t get injured.
And the real motive behind this type of training is to keep a dog fit and active, which ultimately translates to a healthier and well adjusted dog. It’s also great fun for you too.
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