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Agility Dog Training And Pit Bull Terriers

Spending time training your Pit Bull can be very rewarding and fun for you both. It helps build a stronger bond between dog and owner that is important for the happiness of both parties. There are many different types of training that you can choose to do with your Pit Bull, one such is agility training.

Agility training is the process of teaching your dog to successfully navigate an obstacle course. If the training is successful, your pet should be able to do it by only listening to and obeying your commands. During an event, the dogs are timed and to win must not make any mistakes and must have the fastest time. It takes a lot of practice for a dog to be successful at this, but can be quite fun for both dog and trainer. This activity is especially good for Pit Bulls because it gives them a good outlet for all the extra energy they seem to have. More »

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Good Equipment is Key to Dog Agility Training

This is true whether you’re going to enter your dog into competitions or not: You need certain equipment. Cardboard boxes and duct tape are no substitute for a good tunnel; and do you really want to spend days or months building weave poles in your garage? Dog agility trainers, whether pros or hobbyists, need good equipment. Starting dog agility training without good equipment, would be like taking up running, in work boots or dress shoes.

And, if your dog is going to compete, then you absolutely want him to be familiar with the equipment. In that case, you also need to be sure the agility training equipment conforms to competition standards. Some equipment can be set up for both early agility training, and competition practice.
Here are the kinds of agility training equipment you’ll want to consider:
A-Frames: An A-shaped, hinged obstacle that your dog climbs up on one side, and down the other.
Weave Poles: This is like a slalom you might see on a ski track or skating competition, but with smaller spaces between the poles. Your dog weaves back and forth between the poles.
Dog Walks: This consists of three planks raised off the ground, and arranged in a zig-zag shape at 90 degree angles. Your dog hops up and walks to the center plank, then traverses that, then walks off the third plank.
Tunnels: These come in rigid, or collapsible versions.
Seesaws: Just like a seesaw you would ride as a child, but with one side weighted so that it returns to its original position when your dog walks off it.
Tire Jumps: Another simple one. Your dog must jump through a tire that’s suspended by a frame, without touching the tire itself.
Bar Jumps: These come in single, double, and triple jump variations. The arrangement is that your dog leaps from platform to platform, with a horizontal bar between each platform. The bars will be at differing heights, like stairs.
Pause Table: The pause table is a 3′x3′ platform that your dog jumps up on, lays down on for a few seconds, and then jumps off of.
Pause Box: This is a simple one – it’s just a 3′x3′ box drawn on the ground using tape, that your dog uses the same as a pause table, but on the ground.

Remember – for most of the above kinds of dog agility training equipment, you really need to get professionally-built goods. If the equipment breaks, splinters, or is built to the wrong specifications, your dog can hurt himself, and that will probably be the last time your dog wants anything to do with agility training. Most bigger cities have a company or two, who will rent out this equipment.

Once your dog is beginning to master his or her agility training on that equipment, you’ll want to look into the different kinds of agility training courses and competitions – or you might just want to take your proud, confident dog back to the dog park to show off! In any case, you’re going to have a lot of fun, and both of you will be in top shape by the time your dog agility training is well underway.

Good luck, and have fun!

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Before Dog Agility Training, Master Obedience Training

Before you even think about starting your dog’s agility training regimen, you need to make sure your dog is perfectly obedient. This is true for many reasons: Obedience is key on the competition course; confidence is key to learning dog agility tricks; and thorough obedience training establishes you as the alpha, which will raise your dog’s confidence and power, helping him or her to skyrocket through the training.

If your dog can sit, stay, heel, walk at your side on a loose leash, and so-on without any trouble, then he’s got the vocabulary skills and the obedience to begin dog agility training.
Dog Agility Training Ain’t “Kid Stuff”

Your dog also needs to be physically mature before beginning serious agility training.

There are regulations for age, but that’s not the point: Your dog needs to be physically grown up, nearing his adult height and weight, in order to “handle himself” right.

If your dog is still an adolescent and begins agility training, then there are risks of injury and bone deformity when doing high-impact sports such as jumping, dodging poles, etc.

So, choose which agility training steps you start out with, wisely. Avoid bone-jarring activities, and you can begin teaching your dog some basic agility tricks right after obedience training is mastered.
Dog Agility Training is Hard Work
If you thought obedience training was challenging or involved, wait till you read this section. Like any athletic training, dog agility training is going to push your dog to the limit both physically and mentally. It takes almost a year to get a dog ready for his or her first competition. During that year, your dog will turn from a household buddy, into a hardened, disciplined athlete.

With that in mind, you need to think like a sports coach. So, the first thing is to make sure your dog is in good health and the right physical condition. Have your veterinarian check your dog’s joints, heart and lungs, eyesight, diet, weight and agility, muscle mass, muscle health, and stamina.

Take things slowly. Start with high-energy play, such as fetching a Frisbee, tug-of-war with a rope, and long, hearty chases. Eventually you’ll want to start using short tunnels or low jumps. Never start more than one agility trick at a time, and never start at the regulation height. Regulation jumps and courses are for trained professionals – early on in your dog’s agility training, you’re just getting your dog used to vigorous exercise, building his confidence, and so forth.

Note: When starting competition routines, don’t start with regulation difficulty.
That’s likely to frustrate and discourage your dog, and quite possibly injure him or her.

Every time you add equipment to your dog’s agility training, you’ll also be adding new commands. Some of these commands are things like left, right, up or down; fast, slow, away; things like that.

Use lots of love and encouragement, and never scold or show disappointment for failures. Most of all, watch your dog’s reactions – if his head is low or his tail is down, he’s not enjoying himself.

If your dog isn’t enjoying agility training, then why bother?

Once you’re at the point of building on successes, and you’re literally “raising the bar,” it’s time to get in touch with your local dog agility training club. You can probably also find at least one person near you who’s also training their dog for agility, and wants a buddy to train with.