Agility competitions at dog shows are becoming more and more commonplace, and there are currently six
internationally recognized associations which help to grow the sport. While there are some rules and regulations surrounding the sport of agility competitions, the sport still remains remarkably wide-open for such a sport.

Any kind of dog may participate in these competitions, regardless of breed or size, although generally smaller breeds which are not built well for mobility will struggle with some obstacles. In general, only the most athletic of the smaller species will participate in major competitions, and even then, most will struggle to win. However, there are some competitions specifically for these smaller dogs, where they are competing against similarly sized dogs and have some of the more difficult jumps lowered.

The very best dogs for agility training are neither too large nor too small. Agility is not necessarily about size or speed, but the ability of the animal to get around the obstacles in a timely manner. While taller dogs may have an advantage with some obstacles, they must also find a way to get their larger bodies around weave poles and through collapsed tunnels, which is generally something that a smaller or average sized dog would excel at.

One of the aspects of agility training that makes it so popular is that there is no single dominant species or breed which outperforms another consistently. It is truly a test of owner-pet relations, and your performance will depend entirely on the quality of training you give your pet.

You can begin training your dog at any age, although it is generally recommended that you wait until they are at least one year old before beginning full-time training on all of the obstacles. Younger dogs may not have developed the coordination and balance necessary to navigate dog-walks or see-saw obstacles. However, if you are interested in beginning training early in your dog’s life, you can begin entering them in competitions once they are a full 12 months old (some associations will allow them to enter as early as 6 months old).

In general, trainers have found that the best dogs begin dog agility training later in their life, between the ages of four and six. These dogs have already developed a lot of coordination naturally, and can easily apply their life skills to the obstacles at hand. They are also much more responsive to the trainer and easier to teach. Older dogs generally do not do as well in agility competitions, and rarely compete on a high level after the age of ten.

Do not let the age recommendations stop you from getting involved in this sport, however. The primary purpose of agility training is to have fun, not to be bogged down with winning every competition. Dogs and spectators enjoy these events because they really are quite fun, and too often trainers miss this simple fact.

Even if you don’t plan on competing with your dog, you can still enjoy the benefits of agility training. Learning how to traverse obstacles and going through agility training is a great workout for your animal, and it can be an excellent workout for the trainer as well, if wished. Some trainers are very passive in their approach, while others really get into it, running and jumping to get their dogs enthused. Whichever approach you choose, give this sport a chance.

Agility competitions are quickly becoming one of the most popular sporting events in the nation. Introduced in America in 1977, these events have grown from a single event at a dog show, to hundreds, and even thousands of events nationwide, held in accordance with other shows, and on their own. Because of the high energy and the athleticism featured by both dog and owner, this sport has become one of the most popular spectator sports in America.

Many owners enjoy the show so much that they find themselves wanting to participate. It is obvious from even a casual glance that the dogs and the owners are having a great deal of fun, and there are almost always great prizes given away for winning the event. However, what makes this event so appealing also makes it very difficult to begin training for.

The problem with getting involved in agility competitions is that the equipment is large and bulky, and can be very expensive. The majority of pet owners have little access to professional equipment, and that often makes them lose hope in their ability to participate. While the high cost and difficulty in storing the equipment is certainly a detriment, there are many options available to the savvy dog owner who wants to begin training their dog.

Fortunately, many pieces of dog agility obstacles are fairly simple to make and train for. Jumps can be constructed out of just about anything, and other obstacles, like see-saws or teeter-totters can be found on local playgrounds. While care must be taken to avoid breaking any laws regarding public property, many dog owners take advantage of their local park as a great place to introduce their dogs to some advanced equipment.

Then there is also the difficulty in knowing how to start training your dog to learn these obstacles. Many dog owners struggle with the basics of teaching their dog how to approach these objects and complete them successfully, as many dogs will seem fearful of the objects to begin with. After all, the rules around the house do not apply in agility training; you want the dog to run and jump in an agility competition, and this drastic change in behavior is difficult for many dogs to adjust to.

To begin with, watch your dog at play, and notice their natural tendencies. Some dogs are natural jumpers, and some are natural burrowers and diggers, while others must be taught to do these things. If you begin training by focusing on the things that your dog seems to be able to do naturally, then they are more likely to succeed, making the whole training process much easier, and more fun, for the both of you. By slowly introducing the dog to new equipment and new skills, there is a much greater chance for success.

Dog agility competitions are very popular events since they first started sometime in the 1970s. These events are modeled after equestrian events, where horses run and jump around various obstacles. Dog agility competitions are very similar, but because of the greater mobility and constitution of dogs, there are far more obstacles to navigate.

The most common obstacle, directly borrowed from agility training’s like to equestrian events is the jump. These obstacles come in a variety of styles, from a single bar to multiple, and even the tire jump, which requires dogs to jump through the center of a suspended tire. In most competitions involving a variety of breeds and ages, the tire will be omitted, as larger dogs may be physically unable to fit through, and taking too big a chance is detrimental to the health and safety of the dogs involved. Smaller jumps are present in almost every competition, however, and are designed with safety in mind. If a dog misjudges a jump and hits the bar, it will fall away harmlessly.

The second major type of obstacle is called the contact obstacles. These are generally larger contructs, like a the A Frame or see-saw (sometimes called a teeter-totter), which require dogs to jump on and off the object from two contact points. As long as they do this, they are able to move on to the next obstacle, but if they jump on or off from another point, they must re-do the obstacle.

An A Frame is constructed of two boards held on an angle which meet at a single point. A see-saw is a replica of the playground equipment, and requires the dog to show patience and balance in waiting for the board to switch position. Another type of contact object is the dog-walk, which is a thin suspended plank that the dog must move across.

Some dog breeds, such as terriers, are particularly attracted to the burrowing obstacles, such as the chute. This is a large round structure similar to a pipe that the dog must make their way through. They vary in size and shape, just like many of the obstacles, but are almost always large enough for medium sized dogs to stand upright inside of them. Collapsed chutes are similar to regular ones, but end with a plastic or nylon piece which does not maintain it’s structure. It is up to the dog to burrow their way out of it.

Weave poles come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and layouts, and require the dog to weave in and out of them, just like a skier would do for a slalom. This is traditionally one of the most difficult obstacles for dogs to train on, and there is a variety of tools which will aid you in training your dog to make the complex movement through the poles. Some competitions will place poles in a straight line, minimizing the amount of movement back and forth, while other competitions will offset the poles to force the dogs to move farther to get around them.

The final agility obstacle that commonly appears in competitions is called the pause table. This is simply a table, often covered with astroturf, which the dog must stand on, without moving, for a period of one to three seconds. This is a test of the trainer’s control over the dog more than the dog’s agility, as it is fairly simple to jump up onto the table.

There are some other forms of training equipment, but these cover the basics that you are likely to run into at a traditional dog training event. While they may be of different size or shape, it is generally accepted that dogs can adapt to these minor changes. What you may find most difficult is the dogs ability to adapt to a completely new object without having trained on it beforehand.

Dog agility competitions have become a very popular sport for both adults and children alike. These events, which are usually scheduled in conjunction with a traditional dog show, are much more active, and are comprised of the owners leading their dogs through an obstacle course as quickly as possible. There are over thirty different kinds of obstacles which are commonly used, and the high energy and excitement level of the competitors makes these events a lot of fun to watch.

With dogs having to traverse teeter-totters and weave in between poles, as well as burrowing their way through a cloth chute, the events sometimes mimic playtime more than anything, and almost any child would love to have a playground as advanced as the dogs have. However, these obstacles were chosen by the organizing committees because they are difficult for the dogs to do on their own. These events emphasize great training and a lot of practice by both dog and owner, and you can almost always see this reflected in the final standings.

Some competitions will disallow leashes, and require that the owners use only their voice and a pointing device to control where their dogs move next, while others will make leashes optional. In general, due to the nature of the obstacles, a leash will be very detrimental to your ability to move through the obstacles quickly, and they are rarely used by those entering to win. In order to have the best chances, you need to have impeccable control over your dog.

Because of this, very few dogs will ever reach the championship echelon of agility competitions. Some dogs simply lack the focus and the responsibility to handle their freedom on the course, which to them will often resemble a gigantic playground. Despite this, any dog can enter these agility events, regardless of breed or the amount of training done beforehand. Some events are specifically set up for children to run their dogs through the course, and they allow the child to practice and gain confidence before going into a more serious competition. While it is primarily adults participating in the larger events, children have been known to enter, and some have done quite well with their dogs.

What makes dog agility training so popular is it’s accessibility. Before, dog events were only for the most distinguished pooches, making it a prerequisite that the dog be not only a purebred, but also a beautiful and a confident one. Dog agility competitions have no such requirement, and will typically involve a whole variety of dogs of every breed and combination thereof. That makes this a much more popular event, as nearly anyone from the myriad dog lovers in the crowd could be the potential winner.

Many national organizations are sprouting up for dog agility training events, the most notable of which is the United States Dog Agility Association, or USDAA. While they are attempting to bring some more control to the sport, tougher regulations and new obstacles, they will never truly be able to command such a spectator friendly sport. Dog agility training is more about the fun of the event and the training process rather than the exact rules and the prize structure, and most trainers and owners will agree that this is one of the most exciting sporting events to come around in years.

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.