Dog Agility Competitions, Dog Agility Equipment, & Related Topics
Buying Dog Agility Training Equipment
Agility training events are becoming quite popular events, both for owners and for the dogs involved. These competitions involve an owner guiding their canine companion through a series of different obstacles in an order defined by the judges. Because the objects used in agility events are not common, everyday objects, it is necessary to expose your dog to these different obstacles well in advance of your event.
In order to do that, you need to either build, or buy your own agility equipment. While you will save some money in building the necessary equipment, it requires a great deal of skill, as well as some rather unique materials, and a viable blueprint for the construction. The option that more and more agility trainers are turning to is to simply buy equipment from the manufacturer who supplies the events in question. Thanks to the growing popularity of dog agility training events, the obstacles and equipment needed are getting easier to find.
Buying dog agility training equipment is beneficial in other ways as well. If you are buying directly from a major distributor or a manufacturer, then there is a good chance that the dog agility competition will be using the exact same supplies you trained your dog on. Building the equipment at home means that you may build things on a different scale, and your dog may become scared or confused at the event itself.
Professional agility training requires that you train your dog on a wide variety of objects, but one thing to remember in dog agility training is that there are well over thirty major types of obstacles that your dog will face in a competition. That can add up to a lot of money and space spent on training equipment. Instead of buying one of everything, buy just the major components, like teeter-totters and tire jumps, and make the most of what you have lying around the house. A 2×4 stood on it’s side makes a great low jump, and you can collect fallen branches to act as weave poles.
One of the most difficult pieces to consider is the chute, which is not only expensive, but it takes up a lot of room in your home as well. This is notoriously one of the most difficult obstacles in agility competitions, however, so you would be well advised to either purchase one, or make your own. Your dog will need experience with this particular object in order to be successful, because the vast majority of dogs wouldn’t even know where to begin.
No matter what you do, remember that dog agility training was introduced because of the fun atmosphere, and it is not meant to be a stressful competition. If you want your dog to excel in this environment, however, it is essential to have the right training tools to practice with.
Related Reading:
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The Beginner's Guide to Dog AgilityDigging holes in the backyard, chewing a hole in your favorite sock, running laps in the kitchen---dogs are always on the move. Why not channel some o... Read More >