Puppy Agility Training Ideas
As your puppy gets bigger, so does the amount of things you can do with him or her during puppy agility training. Remember though, that you do not need to spend a small fortune to really enjoy agility with your dog or puppy. Sometimes all you need is a little imagination and some tools to help you get the job done. Here are some ideas for fun and exciting activities to keep your puppy and you busy on those cold winter days.
For young puppies, there are a great way to engage them in activity they will enjoy all day long. Jumping puzzles are a fun and exciting activity for both puppy and owner. It is a great way for the two of you to bond and it provides a great workout for you as well. Remember that you do not need an expensive jumpset or complicated obstacle course to have a good time with your puppy. You can simply make a simple table from an upturned and turned up cardboard box or other upright and covered storage bin. Jumps can easily be created out of twigs, branches, or any other long, sturdy piece of wood and wrapped or secured to various pieces of cardboard or other material.
Another great way to exercise your pup and bond with him or her is to engage in early agility training with them. The great thing about training early is that it never gets old. That is a big benefit when you think about how much fun and games your puppy and pup can have doing it. This type of training involves using short pieces of equipment which makes it very easy for you and your puppy to work on the skills needed to run a course and complete challenges. If your puppy is not very coordinated at this point, consider getting them started with indoor obstacles like tunnels, then go from there. Again, remember that the key is to stay with it and don’t give up because you get frustrated.
Many puppy agility training experts and coaches believe that crates are critical to the overall success of this type of training. Crates, just like toys, should be used as play tools. But, dogs must learn how to use them properly and that is why crates are so important. Dogs are creatures of habit, so if they understand that a crate is a place where they will be confined when they are not running or jumping, they will find it comfortable. There are many crates that are made for different sized puppies and dogs so you will want to choose one that fits your puppy.
To start your puppy agility training, the easiest obstacle course you can set up is one on the floor. It is called the “dog agility course” and it is very easy to setup and use. All you need to do is create two holes in the floor big enough for your dog to jump through. One tunnel has a jump obstacle and a bench, and the other tunnel has obstacles only the dog can handle. You will need to make sure that the tunnels are close together, so the dog cannot cross over from one to the other.
Another obstacle you can set up in the farm world is a seesaw. Again, you can setup a large field with a seesaw, but a smaller field will work just as well. A long piece of rope is laid across the field with the jump obstacle on it. The dog is to maneuver the rope across the field and the obstacle to see-saw across. If the dog collides with the fence, it must fall off. You may have to repair the rope after each jump.
To add excitement to puppy agility training, you can set up an obstacle course consisting of both the seesaw and the tunnel. Your pup and handler will race each other to see who comes out on top. If the pup wins, it gets to take home the prize. This is a fun activity for the whole family. It’s even more fun if you add in some human contact, such as the person calling the dog off the top or helping the handler get onto the pause table to work on their alignment.
If you are looking for puppy agility training ideas, this list should get you started. These are two of the most common obstacles used in puppy classes. They are very easy for a new dog to master, while at the same time providing lots of excitement for owners. When you pair a new puppy with a new obstacle course, they become two totally different dogs. Both will enjoy using the obstacle course and having fun with each other.
