In the world of dog agility training, there are a lot of different obstacles that you must train your dogs on. These range from climbing objects to jumps, as well as obedience objects. There are a wide variety of obstacles used in major competitions, and you must familiarize your dog with all of them if you want to win the event. One of the more difficult obstacles for large dogs to train with are the tunnels and chutes.

Some dogs, especially the naturally burrowing breeds like the terrier, are particularly good with these obstacles, but other dogs, particularly large dogs, do not like the enclosed space. Depending on the size of the chute, some dogs may not even be able to stand fully upright in the tube.

In order to get your dog used to the close quarters of this obstacle, many trainers will work first with a familiar object like a blanket. This also mimics the darkness present in longer tunnels. Have your dog stand or lie underneath a table, and drape the blanket over the sides. By repeating the process, they will eventually learn to be more calm when in close quarters, especially when it is dark.

The second thing you must do is to find a way to train your dog to go forward through the tunnel. Some dogs, especially those who have been trained to heel their owners, have difficulty with this change in procedure. By encouraging your dog to enter the chute and stay, then running down to the other end and encouraging them to come, they will eventually learn how to navigate this obstacle successfully without breaking their good habits of trailing their owner.

Another idea to try is to work with distances and viewpoints. One of the reasons that dogs are uncomfortable in the chute is that they cannot see their owner. If you tell your dog to sit and stay, and then move behind a tree or an object in a public park, then their behavior may tell you a lot about why they are unwilling to work on this particular object.

If your dog still shows a preference for going around, rather than through the tunnel, then consider putting a treat in the center of the tunnel to entice them to enter. Food will certainly get their attention! You may also want to work more with the blanket and table trick, and try some variations.

There are also tunnels with collapsed ends, and these are particularly difficult to get fearful dogs involved in. In general, it is best to work with open ended tunnels first to get them used to the idea, and then work with blankets and other short closings.

If they have difficulty with the closed chutes, then look at how they approach them. Train your dog to approach the obstacle with their nose out, and their feet back, as they may be getting caught up because they are stepping on the materials.