How to Train a Puppy to Run an Agility Course
You have a new puppy and are eager to introduce your her to the exciting world of agility training. Even though formal training isn't recommended at a young age, there are many things that you can do to lay the groundwork for later training even at the earliest stages of your dog's life.
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Instructions
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Socialize your puppy. Puppy kindergarten is a great place to start. Check with local pet stores to see when classes might be offered. Gradually exposing him to many different people and situations is a great place to start.
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Introduce the equipment. Puppies love to explore, so let her taste, smell, climb, and experience the new obstacle in whatever way that suits her. Make sure that everything that you allow her to come in contact with is completely safe and appropriate for her size.
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Keep it fun. The puppy should be so familiar with playing around the equipment that he doesn't even know he's working. Use lots of praise, plenty of toys, and make each new challenge into a game.
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Give problems to solve. A low barrier across a doorway to climb over, a game of hide-and-seek, a small table to stand on and varied surfaces to walk across will all be new experiences for your puppy. They should be introduced without any pressure or correction.
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Breed success. Don't give your puppy a job that he's not capable of doing, and don't increase a challenge in more than one way at a time. For instance, after he's comfortable with a plank set on the ground, lay it on a low hill and let him get accustomed to the incline before raising it off the ground.
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Be consistent. In all your training, determine the behavior that you desire for your puppy, and train accordingly. Yes, he's awfully cute, but don't make that a reason to allow him to get away with undesirable behavior.
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