Training and Agility Equipment For Dogs - Required Beginning Steps to Training a Canine Champion

If you are one of the many people who are interested in trying agility as a sport for you and your dog, you will need some basic agility equipment for dogs and a bit of obedience training.

First:

· Your dog should be 9 months or older, unless it is a course that is specifically designed for puppies that are younger.

· Your dog should be well socialized and able to get along in activities with other dogs

· The dog should have basic obedience. Sit, stay, come, and down are all directions the dog should be able to follow reasonably well

· The dog should be able to walk on a loosely held lead with a harness or regular collar

You should decide if you want to try a beginner course with a class or private instruction in a smaller group, like 2-4 dogs. Beginner classes can be anywhere from about 10 to 30 people. The number of instructors will vary with the size of the group. Usually there will be 1 instructor for about every 6-7 people. Dogs will usually be matched with classmates of similar size whenever possible, for ease of instructing

Classes can go anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks. You should decide what kind of a time commitment you are willing to make, and assume that you will have to be at most classes. Plus, you need to add in some practice time during the week between classes on beginner's homework.

Items and agility training equipment that you will need for class:

· Good shoes with tread like trail shoes or sneakers for yourself

· A 6 ft lead, and collar or harness for the pooch

· A treat pouch and healthy tasty treats

· A long line

· Clicker

· A motivating toy, like a tug or a training treat throw bag

· Water and portable bowl

· A portable crate or pop up kennel

· Don't forget waste pick up bags to be able to potty the dog before they go into the Agility ring

Once you are in classes, you may want to purchase some specific pieces of agility equipment for dogs in order to practice at home with friends.

It is a good idea to start with some basic equipment that you will need to practice with your dog. One of the first items is usually a "contact Board'. This is a flat board that looks like the contact zone on a teeter or dog walk, and you will do flat work exercises that eventually lead to muscle memory on the part of your dog. That will be first step to having good form when coming off of the larger pieces of contact equipment.

A tunnel is always appreciated by most dogs who love to play games and run through it at top speeds.

A set of individual weave poles or a small set of 4-6 training weave poles are great for starting a dog over 9 months. This skill takes a long time to develop speed and confidence on, so most dogs start slow and at a short but daily practice of 5-10 minutes at a time. There are also many great techniques and games available on DVD 's by nationally famous agility champions that help make weaves more fun.

Many of the exercises for a beginner will be for you and your dog to learn focus, control, and connection while acquiring new skills.

The most important thing to remember is that agility is a team sport, and you and your dog need to work together to learn a set of skills that will lead to lasting enjoyment for both of you!