Agility training is necessary before you send your dog out to run an agility course. This is the sport of all sports when it comes to our little canine friend. (Or big in some cases!) Believe me these pups love to romp around in a disciplined way under the great old tutelage of their masters. It is no joke that this sport has evolved into a very competitive thing over the last 30 years of its existence. Created in 1978 in the UK at something called the Crufts Fair, agility has quickly become really the top test of a dog’s obedience and agile performance. You can talk about dog shows all you want but those dogs don’t really do anything but walk around in a circle. The real sport happens on the outdoor course. This is where any real dog will ultimately have to be prove that he or she is the absolute best in the world or region. There is no reason not to see if your pup can do this course. You have to do dog agility training in order to find out. That’s the only way. If he is good at that and if you train him well according to his own unique needs then indeed you may have a winner on your hands. Let’s get him out on the course and test him out. But first we have to go over what you have to train him in.

As I already stated agility training for dogs is no walk in the park. You are going to have to approach this with the open mind of a Zen Master if you’re ever going to get old Fido to ever listen to your commands and follow them. Believe me when I tell you that agility is not something that comes naturally for any animal, let alone dogs. They have to jump through hoops in essence. They have to run up ladders and walk down ramps. The hardest part of the whole thing is to get him to do the Pole Weave so we will look into that in some detail.

Remember also that even if your dog loses it is not a big deal. Crowds just love to come out and watch both the winners and losers. That is all. Don’t be hard on your dog. After all, this is really not what he is made by nature to do. That said, if you make it fun for him then it can be a really great thing. Give him toys and treats, especially when he wins. Of course I am talking about a male dog, but females can and do compete. They can go toe to toe with the males, as has been amply demonstrated time and time again at agility courses all over the world.

So like I said in agility training you have to get your dog to learn the Pole Weave. (Not pole dancing!) This is when he weaves in and out of poles (imagine that) like you would see a driver on an experimental course do. I’m sure though you are already familiar with agility exercises because everyone has seen dogs do them in person or on TV. Believe me dogs love to run around and perform. At least some of them do. They’re just like humans. Some were just made to perform in front of others. If that’s what your pup is like then he may just have what it takes to be successful at agility training. Only time and a whole lot of work can tell.

Finally you better understand that this is no light undertaking, this dog agility training. It will require long, hard days. If you have a day job you’re going to have to spend every extra minute training your dog in all the various different things that pop up on the course. A lot of people think it is “cute” so they buy a couple pieces of equipment. Within a month they have given up and they take their anger out on their dog. They blame him for not being trainable. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that some people just aren’t good at agility training. They need to stay out of it. It takes a serious amount of discipline if they’re ever going to get anywhere. You really have to hone in on your dog’s psychology. Notice what works, and what doesn’t work. Through a process like this you will start to learn how to get him to do what you want him to do. Maybe before long he will be up to snuff in order to compete at competitions.

So let me leave you all with this one last point. Agility training for dogs is one of the most rewarding things in this world. But if you don’t think you can follow it out to its fruition then it is better for you and your pup that you start with lesser goals.