You and your dog will enjoy and bond with dog agility training. It is unfortunate, but lots of people find it too difficult and time-consuming in order to properly train their dog to this level. It is easy to train your dog to enjoy agility courses, thats for sure.

Many dog trainers and instructors will agree that during dog training exercises it’s the owner who requires more training – not the dog. Even though it is human to know when someone is upset, dog have a hard time understanding what they are doing wrong.

When you’re training any dog of any breed and at any age, you need to remember that dogs will do anything to please their human masters. If they don’t have a clear understanding of how to make you happy, then of course they can’t do the things you want them to do.

This means you as the master must learn a little about effective rewards for when your dog does something you like and effective punishment for when your dog isn’t behaving well.

Training a Dog with Rewards

Even at a very early age, puppies are able to understand praise and reward. If your puppy goes to the toilet in the yard on his own and you give that action a word, the puppy will associate that word. When the puppy has done his business where you like it to be done, offer him a treat, a cuddle and plenty of praise.

The puppy will soon learn that it is good to urinate in the designated area all the time so the puppy will automatically go there in the future.

The identical concept of praise and incentive holds true for each behavior you desire your dog to accomplish.

Training a Dog with Correct Punishment

Dogs respond very well to praise and affection, often trying to perform all the ‘good’ behaviours that have commanded your affection in the past.  Sadly if the dog only hears the word NO while you rush toward him, he figures out that this misbehavior attracts your attention too.

To teach your dog that a certain behavior is not acceptable, turn around with your arms folded. If you dog does not receive any attention, then this is the worst kind of punishment he can experience and will understand that bad behavior is not worth the trouble.

What Can I Do To Make My Dog More Agile?

Praise and rewards are always essential whether you are training your dog or not. Dogs enjoy the opportunity to play all the time. Dogs are naturally curious and have playful natures.

If you show your dog that an agility course is fun and an easy way to get rewards and praise, your dog will love leaping over the obstacles on all agility courses.

Patience is vital during agility training. An agility course in a local training class for dogs might be your first step. Younger dogs that are under 12 months are in danger of injuring themselves when it comes to these courses.

Learn more about Training Dog for Agility here.

Run around the agility course with your dog and treat it like a game. If you have the option, lower the bar on the jumps so they’re not threatening. The way to get your dog doing what you want is by praise and food rewards.

Dog training for agility is not hard work for either the owner or the dog when both start seeing it as a game. Your dog loves to be rewarded so once he figures out which parts of the agility course he is meant to aim at, he will soon be running around the course like a professional for his rewards.

Learn more about Training Dog for Agility here.