Hi, so as you may know I have been doing agility for a while and recently started competing. As I have moved out of the start stage i thought I would provide some tips for those of you who are interested in doing a bit of agility.
Agility is a really fun sport using the bond between man and dog to maneuver around a course. It is a great way to exercise and strengthen the bond between you and your dog. I jumped into the sport a year ago without knowing exactly what it was all about. So here are some tips for starting agility.
- Find a club/trainer : So this may be obvious, but find a training group or person near you and book a session. I am with All About Agility in Moreton Valence. I would not advise you to train by yourself, although it is possible, you miss out on opportunities to learn handling techniques and be given advice on how to improve. Plus your group will always give you support throughout your training and competing.
- Foundation Classes : Although this is optional and I didn’t take part in it. Some classes offer foundation courses which start from a younger age. It can be helpful to start in one of these classes to gain an understanding of the basis of agility. Although you will not be using much of the equipment, the exercises will help later on, trust me.
- Expectations : Do not expect too much. Agility can be a slow process no matter how ‘clever’ your dog is. It took me 7 months until I did my first competition and even now we are still adjusting to the competing atmosphere. Competitions are a daunting experience for dogs so running around in circles is quite common.
- Practice : Practice at home in short bursts, even if it’s 5 minutes a day. Practicing is important to help your dog progress and develop their understanding.
- Be persistent : Nothing is going to happen over night, it takes time and practice to do agility. Never get frustrated or angry. Always be positive and praise your dog. If you ever do get annoyed, take a brake and go for a walk.
- Have FUN!!! : This kind of links with the other tip. Remember agility is supposed to be fun, so don’t get annoyed doing agility. If you do ever feel this way, take a break and just spend some time doing things you find enjoyable with your dog. If you are new to agility enjoy the mistakes your dog makes and just have fun with the sport, don’t even think about competing!!!
With all these tips you should feel ready to start agility and just have some fun with your best friend. If you have any questions ask them in the comments below, and I would love to hear about your dogs and whether you would do agility or not. Will talk to you soon. Xx
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