Oct 07 2007
Dog Agility Training Requires A Skilled Animal
Dog agility training requires a great relationship between a dog and a handler. These handlers usually have a great deal of experience and knowledge on dogs and their behavior. Dog agility training is considered a sport by many people. The handler is required to move a dog through an obstacle course in a set period of time. The handler cannot use a leash on the dog when participating in dog agility training exercises. The dog agility training exercises are comparable to horse riding or equestrian activities in some ways. The handlers must move their dog through the obstacle course like some horse riders do in competitive events.
Dog agility training events take place frequently in the United States and European countries. Many people turn out to see the handlers and their dogs move through the obstacles. Usually the participants and the spectators are very interested in the progress of each of the contestants. In a dog agility training event, the excitement often comes from the competition between the entrants. A national organization conducts many of the dog agility training events in the United States. The dogs and their handlers usually have to face heavy competition before qualifying for the final events.
Dog Agility Training Aims To Overcome Obstacles
The obstacles in a dog agility training event make the competitions exciting. There are several different types of obstacles that are used in most of the competitions. The obstacles are designed especially to make the competitions difficult, but the obstacles are not so difficult that the dogs or handlers might get hurt. The obstacles are designed like those in equestrian competitions so they will fall away if the animal touches the obstacle. The handlers and the dogs in these competitions train so the obstacles can be overcome with speed and without injury.
The competitions provide challenges for different levels of talent, so all of the dogs and handlers in any competition are evenly matched in a good event. The dogs and handlers in the beginning competitions have courses that are much easier than those for experienced dogs and handlers. The handlers command the dogs as they both move through the course, and the more experienced dogs perform with great skill. The dogs in each competition are similar in size so the competition is fair for all of those involved. The dogs involved in these competitions come from different breeds, and these dogs do not need to be purebred dogs. Â
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