For agility dogs, there are few things more fun than dashing around weaves and jumping through tires. However, this is a lot of work and while your pet obviously has to work on learning how to tackle each agility obstacle, it's also important to provide the type of conditioning exercises that build stamina and improve your dog's strength.
While you can't use treats as a reward on the course and probably should never use them during training, we humans often have a hard time not giving treats to our dogs at other times. While the occasional tidbit is fine, too much of any type of food can cause your dog to gain too much weight and this definitely can affect their performance and stamina. Talk to a trainer and your vet about the proper amount of food and the type of food you should be feeding your dog to ensure optimum health.
The types of exercises you do with your pet depend on their breed. For example, a breed such as a Labrador retriever might love going for a long run while a Lhasa Apso might run out of steam more quickly. Walking is a good exercise for all dogs, just adjust the pace to suit your dog's size and needs. You also can start out slowly and build up the intensity of the workouts, and this can be a good way for you as the handler to get into great shape. Consider finding a variety of locations for walks to provide diversity in scenery for both of you.
You don't have to leave the house, however, to enjoy some activity. Pull out a tug toy and wrestle with your pet for a while. Throw a toy and have your pet retrieve it, or hide the toy for a rousing game of hide and seek. Dogs love all of these activities and tugging and fetch are great ways to teach obedience skills that translate well on the agility course. You can teach your pet to fetch or to stop tugging using verbal commands as well as visual signals.
Of course, working on agility skills is also a great form of exercise and you'll need some agility equipment for these activities. Carlson Agility is one online store that sells every piece of agility equipment imaginable. You can purchase a starter kit and then add pieces or just order equipment piece by piece. The selection includes agility jumps, tire jumps, weaves, agility a-frames, dog walks, pause tables, K-9 equipment and anything else you might need.
Carlson Agility also sells a full selection of mini agility equipment, and this is an ideal choice for many dogs such as puppies and smaller dogs, as well as a timid dog that is new to the sport. The mini equipment also is a great idea if you want to set up a full course in your backyard but are limited in space.
While you can't use treats as a reward on the course and probably should never use them during training, we humans often have a hard time not giving treats to our dogs at other times. While the occasional tidbit is fine, too much of any type of food can cause your dog to gain too much weight and this definitely can affect their performance and stamina. Talk to a trainer and your vet about the proper amount of food and the type of food you should be feeding your dog to ensure optimum health.
The types of exercises you do with your pet depend on their breed. For example, a breed such as a Labrador retriever might love going for a long run while a Lhasa Apso might run out of steam more quickly. Walking is a good exercise for all dogs, just adjust the pace to suit your dog's size and needs. You also can start out slowly and build up the intensity of the workouts, and this can be a good way for you as the handler to get into great shape. Consider finding a variety of locations for walks to provide diversity in scenery for both of you.
You don't have to leave the house, however, to enjoy some activity. Pull out a tug toy and wrestle with your pet for a while. Throw a toy and have your pet retrieve it, or hide the toy for a rousing game of hide and seek. Dogs love all of these activities and tugging and fetch are great ways to teach obedience skills that translate well on the agility course. You can teach your pet to fetch or to stop tugging using verbal commands as well as visual signals.
Of course, working on agility skills is also a great form of exercise and you'll need some agility equipment for these activities. Carlson Agility is one online store that sells every piece of agility equipment imaginable. You can purchase a starter kit and then add pieces or just order equipment piece by piece. The selection includes agility jumps, tire jumps, weaves, agility a-frames, dog walks, pause tables, K-9 equipment and anything else you might need.
Carlson Agility also sells a full selection of mini agility equipment, and this is an ideal choice for many dogs such as puppies and smaller dogs, as well as a timid dog that is new to the sport. The mini equipment also is a great idea if you want to set up a full course in your backyard but are limited in space.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To discover an agility equipment for dogs, or to discover more about training equipment for dog agility jumps, please visit the Carlson-Agility website today.
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