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As dog owners we often focus, rightfully so, on keeping our dogs physically fit. What we sometimes forget is that mental stimulation can be equally as important. Dog agility training is an excellent means by which to give your dog both mental and physical stimulation at the same time.
There are some basic rules around dog agility training that an owner should be aware of before starting. While it is suitable for dogs of all ages, there are some cautions to be aware of.
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Younger Dogs:
Dogs under a year old should refrain from agility that involves jumps, as their joints are not yet developed enough to withstand the pressures of the jumps. They can still participate in the other training components, such as tunnels, and weave poles and as they mature they can be introduced to very low level jumps.
Younger dogs do tend to have shorter attention spans and you should keep this in mind when introducing them to any physically demanding or mentally complex training. Initial training should only be done in short spurts and include lots of praise and reward. The mental stimulation that agility training provides will help in the growth and development of your young dog and improve their ability to focus and concentrate as they mature.
Older Dogs:
Agility training is not just for young or younger dogs. It is not restricted to sporting breeds or dogs that are extremely fit. Any dog can participate in this type of activity within their individual scope of ability. Agility courses can easily be adapted to accommodate the aging dog or dog who is working to achieve an improved level of fitness. The primary concern is around dogs who suffer from arthritis. If your dog has arthritis, but is still able to go on regular walks and master stairs then they will still be able to do agility training with some adaptations. Jumps can be lowered or removed from the course.
Recent studies show the benefits of mental stimulation on the aging human brain and this can be paralleled to the aging canine brain. Agility is one means of providing much needed beneficial mental stimulation to your dog.
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4 Tips on How to Train Your DogIf you have a puppy, then you should make an effort to learn how to train it. Many of us love dogs and they are fun to have around. If you want to make the best companion out of the dog, you should train it. You can get the necessary information of how to train it to be friendly and playful in a great way, even more so, to take your orders. A well socialized dog can easily communicate with the owner. This is a very important part of the training process. You have to be patient with it. You should start with simple things that have some instructional value to the dog. You have to be good at creating a common pattern of communicating. Here is the process that you can use to train your dog:
Train the dog to sit: This is the simplest and most important step in training your dog. Achieve this and you will improve communication and strengthen the bond between you and the dog. The sit command can help build your dog’s confidence and keep him/her out of trouble. It will take several days before the dog can learn to follow the instruction but eventually, you will be successful.Train the dog to stay: Most of the times, you may want your dog to stay still, say if you are cleaning the house or relaxing. You should ensure that he knows how to follow your instruction to sit still. This is necessary to prevent the dog from straying when you are outdoors. Do not forget to applaud the dog for following your command. With every successful lesson, you should give out a reward.
Train the dog to come over or follow you: At this point, you should use the instruction to come along with the ones to sit and stay. You can use a lead to show that you want him to follow you. This will create a visual sensation and the dog will follow you. Keep using the word and repeat it severally until you are successful. You can use a playful idea such as pulling a string and the dog will follow you.
Train the dog to tell when you mean no. This is not very hard. You can use a simple gesture when uttering the word. You should be firm but do not change the tone of your voice. Avoid being harsh. You should use practical examples to teach the dog the meaning of no. If you are not realistic in your methods then the dog will be mislead and may cause confusion with him/her in trying to understand the meaning of no.
Training dogs should be fun as long as you are interested in them. If you are short of ideas, you should take time to learn how to train dogs. You do not have to train for many years to learn this. Read the right publications and you are set to go.
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