Build Confidence In Your Dog With Agility
Is your dog timid around people or other dogs? Is your dog sensitive to sounds? Agility training can provide the environment and structure to build confidence in your dog. Agility classes are a great place for people to learn about the sport and learn how to train, but the timid dog may take a long time before he is ready to venture from under your chair or off your lap.
A timid or shy dog can only learn inside their comfort zone. So, training must begin where they feel safe and behaviors must be taught in very small increments. Home will probably be the best place to train and have learning takes place for your dog.
So, how do you train at home? You will need guidelines and equipment. There is a multitude of websites that can give you information on agility training. There are also books and videos that will give details and visual aids and lesson plans for beginners thru expert levels.
You can find a lot of equipment that is helpful and useful to have at home for dog training. All the equipment recommendations are based on location of training and the available space. Do you e.g. have a large yard with room for 10 obstacles? Or do you only have a small yard, so you have to tear down the equipment before you can setup something else up? Will the training be in the basement or garage; or maybe in the living room?
When you are training a timid dog the equipment has to be sturdy and safe. A pause table is a good starting point for dog training. Buy a 12″ high pause table, which is good for dogs in all sizes. Set it up in a familiar area, if your dog is shy. You can leave it in the house or yard for a couple of days, if your dog is the barking type. Then it can smell and inspect it in its own pace. Always remember to use baby steps training an insecure dog.
Use treats or your dog’s favorite toy to encourage it to get up on the table. Be patient because it may take more than one lesson. If the dog looses interest, try something new; e.g. place yourself on the table holding the dog. If it is not possible, have it on leash when you are sitting on the table. And only treat it when it comes to you. Never do it, if it is pulling away.
When the dog gets more experienced, you might want the dog to jump on the table using a cue word like Table, stay on the table as you back away with the word Stay and Come to you, when you call. You should extend the distance slowly, not pushing the dog to hard.
If you follow the above instructions, you can introduce new obstacles that can give your dog a new success. When it success a new piece of equipment, its confidence will grow.
Martin Elmer is the editor of Hundefan – a website about hunde tilbehoer. Here you can also read about hunde bur.
Tags: dog training
dog training | Martin Elmer | 16 December 2009 |
