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 Greeting a Dog Properly (mp3, 3,196KB)

Curious about Dog Agility Training? What is Dog Agility Training?Here's What to Know! When you take your dog out to the park, do his antics and physical talents make him stand out among the crowd? If so, you might want to consider some dog agility training to hone those skills. When a dog has the energy, drive and interest in physical activity to impress people and other dogs, it naturally follows that he'd enjoy honing those agility skills, and might even enjoy competing. Whether it's just for fun, or for competition, dog agility training can be very fulfilling for certain dogs.

Why Do Some Dogs Crave Agility Training? A wild dog lives in a pack. That pack is like a tribe of nomads - they travel, they track prey, they groom and care for each other, they compete for the most desirable mates, they entertain each other. Naturally, in that lifestyle, it can pay to be a capable show-off. Dog agility training taps into those instincts and brings out the dog's ability to become a superb physical performer. As a competition, there are many obedience factors, and the judging is very strict. As a hobby, it's just a chance for your dog to become more awesome. So, whether it's just to make your dog happier, and strengthen the bond between you and your dog, or whether you want to enter your dog in formal competition, dog agility training can be fun and rewarding.

What Are the Benefits of Dog Agility Training? With very few exceptions, anything that makes use of your dog's instincts, will make him happy. This means providing a diet of natural foods, teaching a Golden Retriever to play fetch, and making sure that working dogs have something to do. The mental and physical stimulation involved in dog agility training will make your dog stronger, faster, more confident, and much, much smarter. Your obedience training commands will "stick" better, and your dog will be more-able to learn as the agility training goes on. And, since this part is important to anyone who owns a dog with tons of energy: all that energy will be burned-off, resulting in a content dog with a very low chance of developing behavior problems. So, like all good things in a dog/owner relationship, dog agility training is good for your dog, and that makes your dog happier about the pack he's in, which is a huge plus for both of you.

Which Dogs are Best for Agility Training? The way we've bred dogs over the centuries, has a lot to do with which dog breeds have retained the skills that make a good athlete. In short, it's the breeds who were bred for work, who make the best dog agility training students. Keep in mind that the American Kennel Club will only accept pure-bred dogs for competition, but there are lots of other agility training clubs that are more inclusive. Some of the best-performing dogs in agility sports are Collies, Corgis, Retrievers, Pinschers, Poodles, Papillons, Terriers, Schnauzers, Sheepdogs, Shepherds, Cattle Dogs ... but this is only a short list. Medium sized work breeds are generally great at dog agility training, with a few exceptions: * Puppies can't compete until they're at least nine months old. * Don't put an older dog through agility training - after eight years old, it's time to relax. * Dogs with short snouts, such as Bulldogs, have trouble breathing during agility sports. * Dogs with shorter legs, such as Dachshunds, don't have the jumping ability. Bigger dogs are not so good at competition sports, because they run out of stamina. Now, all the above points are mostly related to dog agility training for the purposes of competition. If your dog loves to play and burn up tons of energy, and seems to be craving something rigorous to sharpen his body and mind - feel free to do a bit of dog agility training at your dog's own pace.

Before Dog Agility Training, Master Obedience Training Before you even think about starting your dog's agility training regimen, you need to make sure your dog is perfectly obedient. This is true for many reasons: Obedience is key on the competition course; confidence is key to learning dog agility tricks; and thorough obedience training establishes you as the alpha, which will raise your dog's confidence and power, helping him or her to skyrocket through the training. If your dog can sit, stay, heel, walk at your side on a loose leash, and so-on without any trouble, then he's got the vocabulary skills and the obedience to begin dog agility training. Call us and join any class find the time and live a little.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 - CPR
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - Switching to Adult Food from Puppy Food
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - Switching to Adult Food from Puppy Food
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - Achieving Balance   TRAINING TIP
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - Why does your dog bury treats or toys?
Thursday, June 10, 2010 - Dog Agility   TRAINING TIP
Thursday, June 10, 2010 - Spin   TRICK TIP
Thursday, June 10, 2010 - How To Stop Separation Anxiety In Dogs   TRAINING TIP
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - Dog Insurance
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - Teaching Dog Tricks   TRICK TIP
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 - Let's Go Leash walking   TRAINING TIP
Friday, May 28, 2010 - Go Natural
Friday, May 28, 2010 - Go Natural
Monday, May 24, 2010 - The Perfect Garden Dog   TRAINING TIP
Monday, May 24, 2010 - The Perfect Garden Dog   TRAINING TIP
Monday, May 24, 2010 - Go Natural
Monday, May 24, 2010 - Go Natural
Thursday, March 25, 2010 - Recall Outside   TRAINING TIP
Thursday, March 25, 2010 - Herbs for Arthritis
Friday, February 26, 2010 - Meat Eater
Monday, February 8, 2010 - It is cold out side so spice up your pets diet.
Monday, December 21, 2009 - HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Friday, August 21, 2009 - Teaching the whistle for a recall   TRAINING TIP
Thursday, August 20, 2009 - Events and Pets eating poop and anal glands health.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - Socialization worksheet   TRAINING TIP
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 - We are currently seeking Volunteers
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - Drop it   TRICK TIP
Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - An unusual new sight for a new puppy   TRAINING TIP
Monday, March 23, 2009 - HELP volunteers/foster or tax right off
Wednesday, February 4, 2009 - Teach your dog to shake hands.   TRICK TIP
Monday, February 2, 2009 - Teach the dog to come.   TRAINING TIP
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - Pet Owners Beware
Friday, December 19, 2008 - Shake hands   TRICK TIP
Thursday, December 18, 2008 - Through the k-9 eyes   TRAINING TIP
Thursday, December 4, 2008 - Thinking of buying a new dog for Christmas?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - Jumping Up   TRAINING TIP
Monday, October 13, 2008 - Prevent Halloween Havoc
Friday, August 29, 2008 - Submissive Urination   TRAINING TIP
Friday, August 28, 2008 - October 25th : Saturday Mcnallys & Sanors Dog fest 1st.
Tuesday, July 9, 2008 - A. Guarding behaviors   TRAINING TIP
Tuesday, July 8, 2008 - All dog Food i not created equal
Friday, June 6, 2008 - Summer and heat and other prevention tips
Monday, April 21, 2008 - Spring is in the air so please beware: Things you did not know could harm your pet.
Friday, March 7, 2008 - Spring is coming I promise & so are the fleas

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