What does my dog do with agility toys?
This question is asked by every dog owner who has not yet come into contact with courses. The fact is that the toys and sports equipment arouse the natural curiosity of your furry nose and quickly provide boundless enthusiasm. There are tunnels and hurdles, seesaws and rings. Dogs advanced in agility will find joy in slalom courses and obstacles to jump over. Even though you can practice the sport with your dog without any aids at all, your four-legged friend will be happy if you put a few hurdles in his way and put his learning ability to the test. You will quickly notice how much fun you have training together and how easily – in the truest sense of the word – you become an inseparable team.
Rings are jumped through by your dog and not circled. Slalom courses consist of a total of 12 poles, which you set up at a distance of 60 centimeters. Just like in skiing, your four-legged friend has to go around the poles in a slalom, training his dexterity and being very attentive when you demonstrate the “technique” to him. Admittedly, for the seesaw your dog needs a little courage and utmost confidence in you. But the movement on a swaying surface trains balance and ensures that your dog runs safely on all surfaces and calmly crosses even the narrowest bridges on walks. Hurdles are designed to train jumping technique and are placed loosely on a frame, always at the appropriate height for your four-legged friend. The goal of hurdle jumping is not to touch the bar when crossing. Very popular are dog tunnels. They lie on the ground and must be traversed from entrance to exit. Most tunnels require your dog to make a crawling motion, so he learns to move carefully and slowly through a narrow tube.
Conclusion
Agility is only suitable for dogs that are in good health and able to withstand normal stress. Before you buy your equipment for the garden, you should have your four-legged companion checked out at the vet. Practice patience. Some dogs learn faster, others take a little longer. There are dogs that you can’t get up and over a seesaw even with the most delicious treats. In this case, you simply omit this element. Training with agility toys should first and foremost be fun for you and your dog. Is your dog super intelligent and an experienced athlete? There are even competitions where, in addition to the treat, he gets a trophy or medal as the winner.
