If you have ever watched dogs zipping around a dog agility course, you can tell that not only are these animals highly trained, but they are enjoying themselves. Dogs love all the jumps and weaves and tunnels that are part of these competitions because they mimic their natural instinctive behavior. However, you might think that dog agility training is something limited to only certain types and personalities of dogs, but you might be surprised to note that most dogs can learn these skills.
If you have a timid dog, you might think that agility training is something that your furry friend cannot handle. However, this type of training can actually build up the confidence of a dog that is shy around other dogs or people. A happy-go-lucky dog that is full of confidence and vigor might really enjoy dog agility training is a public setting such as at a local agility club. Your shyer dog, however, might feel more comfortable training at home.
Perhaps the easiest way to begin is to introduce your shy dog to the pause table. Be sure to opt for an adjustable table and begin at the lowest height. If your dog is always suspicious or nervous around anything new in the yard or in your home, give them time to check out the equipment before you try to get them to jump onto the table. Let them sniff and inspect it and then after a few days have passed, try to encourage them to get on the table. You can carefully place them on the table while holding them and gently petting or you can lure them up with a special treat or a favored toy. This can take some time, but eventually your dog will have the confidence to climb up on the pause table all by themselves.
After your dog will jump onto the table, teach him to sit and stay and then add some distance between the two of you and have him stay for several seconds at a time. Once this has been accomplished, consider trying out some new agility equipment. A three-piece contact trainer can be a great option and this is simply a pause table with a small A-frame up to the table on one side with a small dog walk to go down on the other side. Carlson Agility sells a mini three-piece contact trainer, and the mini versions of agility equipment are a fantastic option for a shy dog because they are simply less intimidating. Of course, the mini obstacles also are ideal for training puppies or a small breed of dog. Once the contact trainer has been successfully mastered, you can purchase a dog tunnel, agility jumps, weaves and other pieces of equipment from Carlson Agility.
Your dog's confidence level probably will have increased noticeably just by mastering the basic skills of the pause table and the contact trainer. They will probably be a bit less nervous around the new pieces of equipment you add, but it always pays to be patient. You also can get most pieces of equipment in the miniature size, which is not only easier for a shy dog to tackle, it also fits well into your yard and you can even bring a few pieces of equipment inside for nighttime or rainy day training and fun. If your dog has mastered it all and seems confident enough, you might think about joining a local agility club and seeing how your dog handles the larger equipment and the mix of dogs. If it's still a bit much, just keep on doing the work at home.
Agility training is also great exercise for your dog and helps the two of you create a stronger bond. While this bond is important to build with any dog, a shy or timid dog really needs this extra encouragement, and dog agility can be a fantastic way to boost confidence.
If you have a timid dog, you might think that agility training is something that your furry friend cannot handle. However, this type of training can actually build up the confidence of a dog that is shy around other dogs or people. A happy-go-lucky dog that is full of confidence and vigor might really enjoy dog agility training is a public setting such as at a local agility club. Your shyer dog, however, might feel more comfortable training at home.
Perhaps the easiest way to begin is to introduce your shy dog to the pause table. Be sure to opt for an adjustable table and begin at the lowest height. If your dog is always suspicious or nervous around anything new in the yard or in your home, give them time to check out the equipment before you try to get them to jump onto the table. Let them sniff and inspect it and then after a few days have passed, try to encourage them to get on the table. You can carefully place them on the table while holding them and gently petting or you can lure them up with a special treat or a favored toy. This can take some time, but eventually your dog will have the confidence to climb up on the pause table all by themselves.
After your dog will jump onto the table, teach him to sit and stay and then add some distance between the two of you and have him stay for several seconds at a time. Once this has been accomplished, consider trying out some new agility equipment. A three-piece contact trainer can be a great option and this is simply a pause table with a small A-frame up to the table on one side with a small dog walk to go down on the other side. Carlson Agility sells a mini three-piece contact trainer, and the mini versions of agility equipment are a fantastic option for a shy dog because they are simply less intimidating. Of course, the mini obstacles also are ideal for training puppies or a small breed of dog. Once the contact trainer has been successfully mastered, you can purchase a dog tunnel, agility jumps, weaves and other pieces of equipment from Carlson Agility.
Your dog's confidence level probably will have increased noticeably just by mastering the basic skills of the pause table and the contact trainer. They will probably be a bit less nervous around the new pieces of equipment you add, but it always pays to be patient. You also can get most pieces of equipment in the miniature size, which is not only easier for a shy dog to tackle, it also fits well into your yard and you can even bring a few pieces of equipment inside for nighttime or rainy day training and fun. If your dog has mastered it all and seems confident enough, you might think about joining a local agility club and seeing how your dog handles the larger equipment and the mix of dogs. If it's still a bit much, just keep on doing the work at home.
Agility training is also great exercise for your dog and helps the two of you create a stronger bond. While this bond is important to build with any dog, a shy or timid dog really needs this extra encouragement, and dog agility can be a fantastic way to boost confidence.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. To find a dog agility course, or to find more about training equipment for agility for dogs, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com site now.
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