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Writer's pictureTracy Peach

FOUNDATIONS ARE THE KEY TO AGILITY SUCCESS


Agility foundation training is the basic training and skills your dog needs before they go on to do the sexy stuff. We all watch Crufts and Olympia on TV and want to do exactly they do after all they make it look so easy. But behind the scenes there are many months and years of training going on before a dog can even enter a show.



So why would your dog need foundation training before doing agility and what do they learn?


We teach your dog how to use their body, where their legs are (most dogs are completely unaware of their back legs, as they just follow their front legs) and how to turn their bodies effectively.


How to learn. So we use force free training methods where we allow the dog to make the correct decision and offer us the behaviour we want them to do. This means we actively teach the dog to think and problem solve the solution, which is a very different concept to luring (where we get the dog to follow our hand usually containing food).



We also teach our dogs to read our cues that we give them on a course. Although we also teach verbal cues to our dogs, we have to remember that a dogs first language is body language not English. Therefore we have to teach them what we mean when we turn our shoulders or move our feet or the places we place our hands.


The main thing is to teach our dogs that agility is fast and fun. Dogs feed off our energy and providing we put lots of fun and energy into our training, that's what our dogs will give us in return.


AGILITY FOUNDATIONS ARE FUN, FUN, FUN


All training sessions such be fun for both you and your dog. That way you learn quicker and enjoy the process. Let your dog or puppy know that when you're training agility it is all about play and fun, then they will want to do it more.


Focus on games that you can do that give you confidence. Don't worry if things don't go quite right, especially the first time. Some dogs are thinkers and need to go away from the training session and think about what you did and then are likely to understand when you ask them again. If you focus on what is going wrong rather than what is going right it spoils your session and you're unlikely to get much from it. Set your puppy or dog up to give the exercise their best shot using speed in each situation.


Our agility foundation course is designed to set you and your dog up for success in agility. As well as teaching you what to do, basic terminology, what the handling manoeuvres are and how to do them correctly, we teach your dog to


drive forward independently

turn in a safe and effective manner

understand where their feet are

basic tricks to help with body awareness and suppleness

to focus on the obstacles and not chase the handler

work away from you

read your body language and understand what you are asking them to do.


Find out more on our website about our agility foundation class and if it is suitable for you and your dog.




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