There are plenty of studies out there that show that pet ownership greatly improves our lives. We are happier and healthier when we have a furry friend around. As a pet owner, you know your dog loves to have a good time, so you might be thinking about partaking in the sport of dog agility. Most dogs love agility, and aside from providing plenty of fun and exercise, there are a few other benefits you and your dog will enjoy.
1. Dog Behavior Improves
In order to navigate a dog agility course successfully, dogs have to learn how to use all sorts of agility equipment. Not only do they learn how to use the agility equipment correctly, they also must learn a variety of commands and learn the correct order to run a course. Agility dogs also are well socialized; after all they must be able to run an agility course without a leash and with plenty of dogs and other distractions going on around them.
All of this agility training leads to improvements in dog behavior. In fact, many dog agility skills are basic behavior skills. Take the pause table for instance. When using this piece of agility equipment, a dog must stay, sit and lay down on the table for a set amount of time. These are essential skills for any dog, and help keep them safe in general. In addition, a well-trained agility dog really can be taken anywhere. They follow your commands, love being around other dogs and won’t simply run off when they see a squirrel, a cat or another distraction.
2. Owner Health Improves
Obviously, your dog enjoys plenty of good exercise as they zip around the dog agility course. But training and using agility equipment doesn’t just improve your dog’s health; it’s also great exercise for owners. Spend a few minutes watching an agility competition on TV and you’ll see that it’s not just the dogs that run around the course; the handlers also are getting their fair share of exercise.
Your dog will benefit from the fresh air and get plenty of exercise, as well as exercising their brain. Humans also will be exercising their brain as they dream up creative ways to train and motivate their dogs. Dog agility truly exercises the mind, body and spirit of both dog and owner.
3. Social & Fun For Owners
While you certainly don’t have to take part in competitions or join a dog agility club, these can be great places to meet new people. If you’ve ever been to the dog park, you probably have noticed that it’s not just dogs that are social, but the owners enjoy the human company as well. When you are at an agility club or competition, you will enjoy the company of many like-minded people and this can make your life happier in general.
4. Dog/Person/Family Bond Improves
Dogs are not particularly independent creatures. Unlike cats, they generally want to spend all of their time right next to their owner. Dog agility provides plenty of fun dog-owner time and every minute you spend patiently and lovingly teaching new agility equipment skills will improve the bond between the two of you. A dog that has a deep bond with his or her owner will exhibit better behavior and have fewer trust issues. Dog agility can be a fantastic option for a timid dog or a rescue dog. You will learn so much about your dog’s personality and in turn, your dog will better understand you.
Also, we find that families enjoy working on agility together. When the whole family gets involved, then not only will the family bond with the dog improve, you will be spending quality time together. Just make sure that you all use the same commands and signals when training on each piece of dog agility equipment.
Brad Carlson enjoys dog agility training. To find agility equipment or to find more about training equipment for dog agility equipment, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com website today.
