As some may know, dog agility is a big topic in the pet field. Even if you have never heard of dog agility, you have most likely seen or heard of a dog agility contest. A dog agility contest is designed to test the relationship between the dog and the dog handler. The dog agility contest is an athletic contest which requires a significant amount of teamwork and training. Agility is an excellent way to bond with your dog as well.
The Dog Agility Contest
In the dog agility contest, the dog has no incentives and the trainer is not able to touch the dog or the obstacles throughout the contest. The only factors the trainer may contribute are voice commands, movements and body language. This requires an extremely close relationship between the trainer and the dog as they must understand how to effectively communicate with one another throughout the contest.
Obstacles in the Dog Agility Contest
In the dog agility contest, there are obstacles set out for the dog by a judge in the contest. The surface on which the contest is held may vary based upon the judge’s wishes. The surface may consist of grass, rubber or dirt. The courses are very complex and the dog would not have the ability to complete the competition without directions from his pet parent.
Dog Agility Equipment
Equipment for dog agility includes dog jump cups, dog weave poles, tunnels the agility competition see-saw and more! The equipment is used to develop obstacles for the dog ability contest. Several items can be built at home if you would like to learn how to conduct a dog agility contest. For example, jumps can be made out of PVC pipes. The tunnels can be developed from child’s play tunnels temporarily while training. Finally, the weave poles; traffic cones can be used while training in place of weave poles.
Bonding and Dog Agility
As you can imagine, in order to complete the contest successfully, the pet parent and the pet in this competition must be very well-bonded. Of course, the training for this contest provides an excellent bonding experience for the dog and the dog’s parent. A large amount of time and energy must be spent to prepare for this sort of competition.
For more pet-bonding tips go here: dog and human relationship. If you have any questions regarding dog agility, our in-house pet behaviorist is available.
Amber Johnson, Animal Behaviorist
Miss Amber Johnson has many years of experience with pets and is a licensed cat and dog nutrition and behavior specialist. She currently collaborates with PetPremium where she counsels clients in pet behavior and nutrition. The statements made in this article are the personal opinions of Miss Amber Johnson and based on independent experiences and could be different from the opinions of PetPremium Pet health Insurance or any other pet health insurance provider.
