Dog agility is an exciting world of fun and competition, and if you are thinking about joining in on the experience, you will need to do some basic research to understand a little bit about what is involved in training, competing and equipment. Here are a few basic bits of information that will give you a general idea of what dog agility is all about.
The area in which dogs compete is known as an agility course, or sometimes this is called an agility field. Either way, what you find is an area that contains anywhere from about 14 obstacles up to as many as 20 obstacles. An obstacle is simply what they call each piece of equipment on the course. Contact obstacles are one type of obstacles and the dog will climb on these pieces of equipment. They include a see-saw or teeter totter, a dog walk and an a-frame.
The pause table is another important piece of equipment, and this might seem like contact equipment but it really is in a class all its own. The dog will hop onto the table and the handler will direct the dog to sit or lie down for whatever time is required by the competition rules. Sometimes instead of a table, there will be a pause box, which can be just a square place on the ground or even just marked off. While the appearance has changed, the skill set is the same.
Other obstacles include dog tunnels and dog agility chutes, as well as a wide variety of jumps or hurdles. There might be a tire jump, a panel jump and double or triple jumps. Double jumps are simply two single jumps next to each other, forcing the dog to leap a long distance without coming into contact with the jump. Weave poles or weaves as they are commonly called are another obstacle and dogs must weave in and out through the poles. This is one of the most difficult skills for dogs to master. There are also some unique hurdles you might see such as a sway bridge or swing plank or perhaps a log hurdle, but these are less common.
The handler is the important person who helps the dog through the course using signals and commands. Sometimes this is a professional handler but often it is simply the dog's owner who is the handler. Together, the two of you are a team. Once you complete the course, your will receive a score. This score is determined by several factors. You must complete the course in due time and you also have to complete the course correctly. No treats or any other type of incentive may be used. Time faults are given if the dog does not complete the course in the time allotted, and course faults are given for any obstacles that are not completed correctly.
Certainly competitions have their fair share of regulations, but it truly is all about having a great time with our furry companions. They are enjoying the challenge of completing the obstacles and get some much-needed exercise and spending a bunch of time with their favorite person - you. Visit Carlson Agility and you will find every imaginable piece of agility equipment that you might need. They even have mini obstacles that have been scaled down to suit the needs of smaller dogs and, of course, puppies.
The area in which dogs compete is known as an agility course, or sometimes this is called an agility field. Either way, what you find is an area that contains anywhere from about 14 obstacles up to as many as 20 obstacles. An obstacle is simply what they call each piece of equipment on the course. Contact obstacles are one type of obstacles and the dog will climb on these pieces of equipment. They include a see-saw or teeter totter, a dog walk and an a-frame.
The pause table is another important piece of equipment, and this might seem like contact equipment but it really is in a class all its own. The dog will hop onto the table and the handler will direct the dog to sit or lie down for whatever time is required by the competition rules. Sometimes instead of a table, there will be a pause box, which can be just a square place on the ground or even just marked off. While the appearance has changed, the skill set is the same.
Other obstacles include dog tunnels and dog agility chutes, as well as a wide variety of jumps or hurdles. There might be a tire jump, a panel jump and double or triple jumps. Double jumps are simply two single jumps next to each other, forcing the dog to leap a long distance without coming into contact with the jump. Weave poles or weaves as they are commonly called are another obstacle and dogs must weave in and out through the poles. This is one of the most difficult skills for dogs to master. There are also some unique hurdles you might see such as a sway bridge or swing plank or perhaps a log hurdle, but these are less common.
The handler is the important person who helps the dog through the course using signals and commands. Sometimes this is a professional handler but often it is simply the dog's owner who is the handler. Together, the two of you are a team. Once you complete the course, your will receive a score. This score is determined by several factors. You must complete the course in due time and you also have to complete the course correctly. No treats or any other type of incentive may be used. Time faults are given if the dog does not complete the course in the time allotted, and course faults are given for any obstacles that are not completed correctly.
Certainly competitions have their fair share of regulations, but it truly is all about having a great time with our furry companions. They are enjoying the challenge of completing the obstacles and get some much-needed exercise and spending a bunch of time with their favorite person - you. Visit Carlson Agility and you will find every imaginable piece of agility equipment that you might need. They even have mini obstacles that have been scaled down to suit the needs of smaller dogs and, of course, puppies.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. To find a dog obstacle course, or to find additional agility dog training equipment like agility jumps, please check out the Carlson-Agility site today.
This article collected, selected and written by: Author Van Hoc
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