Considering dog agility training and equipment can be a long and interesting task. Not only do you have to consider how your dog will react to such training but you have to consider the agility course itself as well. Of course, the obstacles are essential because without them there would be no agility training at all! But what should you expect before you go into it and how will the course affect your dog? Teaching your dog how to complete an agility course is dependent on learning the obstacles and then learning how to maneuver them.
The simplest of all dog agility training and equipment courses is a standard obstacle course that is designed to test your dog’s obedience and ability to follow your instructions. It also tests your ability to give instructions and control your dog so you have to work as a team to get through it. There can be any number of elements to the individual course but you have to consider that it will have a specific order and so you have to become familiar with the course before introducing you dog to it.
There are several categories of obstacles in a dog agility training course. These include:
* contact obstacles
* tables
* tunnels
* jumps
* miscellaneous obstacles
Contact obstacles are generally slower than tunnels, weaves or jumps. Your dog must stand on them or walk across them. They require a certain amount of stability, focus and control of the body.
The tables fall into two categories – the pause table and the pause box, which are essentially the same thing.
The pause table or box is either a wood box or table that’s set somewhat off the ground (usually not more than 6 inches). Your dog will jump on the table and pause while you give him the command to be still and stay on the table. The pause box shows the judges that your dog can listen to and obey your command and that in the midst of activity, he can focus on you and his own inner self discipline.
Tunnels are self-explanatory, but there are several types of tunnels:
* Open tunnel (or pipe tunnel) - open on both ends.
* Collapsed tunnel (also called chute tunnel or closed tunnel) - has a piece of
* fabric sewn on the end of the tunnel that your dog must burst through
* Hoop tunnel - tunnel made of hoops
* Crawl tunnel - your dog must crawl through it on his haunches
Jumps are as the name implies, something your dog has to jump over or through. There are several different types of jumps, and these include:
* Tire jump (also known as a circle jump) - your dog must jump through the tire or circle
* Bar jump - a bar your dog jumps over
* Double-bar jump - two bars next to each other, requiring your dog to jump further to clear the jump
* Window jump - similar to the tire jump but fashioned to look like a window instead of a tire
* Other jumps - can include logs, a picket fence or even a water hurdle that includes a box filled with water that your dog must jump over.
The most notable of the miscellaneous obstacles are the weave poles, which require a dog to weave through poles that are placed at various intervals. Other miscellaneous obstacles include the swing plank (a wood “table” that swings when the dog jumps onto it) and the sway bridge, which is a suspended bridge that sways or swings when the dog walks across it.
If you are looking to use dog agility training and equipment for fun then you do not have to worry too much about the rules, but if you intend to compete then different competition groups will have specific rules to which you have to adhere if you want to complete the course and score well. You are responsible for making sure that your dog completes the agility course in the correct order, so make sure that you do your homework before you start!
