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Dog Training Is Very Important
To have a good working relationship with your dog, remember, that dog training is essential. Some dog breeds may be more responsive to training than others, but all are capable of learning at least the basics. If your dog is not learning for some reason, more often than not, it is the fault of the trainer, not the dog. The main objective of any kind of dog training is to simply examine how well you and your dog work together as a team, by putting you through various kinds of exercises - be it agility, flyball, obedience or whatever. There are many kinds of training available for your dog but all rely on the basic commands learned in obedience. Once your dog has mastered the basics of sit, stay, come, heel and all the other obedience commands then you can easily venture out into other types of training and dog sports such as agility, flyball, search and rescue, Schutzhund and so much more. We'll attempt to discuss, in some detail, as many different kinds of training for your dog as there are possible - just in case you become interested in participating in any one of them. More will be added from time to time so keep checking back for more dog training methods. Obedience Dog TrainingDog obedience competitions have been around since at least the early 1930's. The AKC version of this dog sport is now promoted and practiced by hundreds of kennels, dog obedience, and dog specialty clubs throughout the United States.Dog obedience is an exciting sport and thousands of competitors all over the world enjoy participating with their canine partners. A few minutes of obedience training your dog every day, with plenty of praise and encouragement, will help your canine companion develop into real obedience professionals! Most obedience dog training and competitions begin with the exercises that illustrate the dogs good manners - such as standing to be touched by a stranger, walking on a leash at the owner’s side, sitting and lying down with distractions, and coming when called.
More advanced dog obedience training classes prove the owner’s ability to train the dog to do a variety of "tricks" such as jumping different kinds of obstacles, fetching a dumbbell, obeying commands whether given by hand signal or voice, and finding items touched by the owner in the midst of several other identical objects. The main goal in dog training, especially obedience, is to create a working team with both team members working in sync. Above all, Dog Obedience Trials are considered to be "fun competitions" and are designed to be enjoyed by both the dog and the owner. To be eligible to compete in AKC Dog Obedience Trials, a dog must be registered with the AKC or listed with the AKC Indefinite Listing Privilege (ILP) program, or be a Foundation Stock Service recorded breed that meets the eligibility requirements for competition and be a minimum of 6 months of age.
Frisbee Dog TrainingFrisbee dog training is an excellent sport to promote cardiovasculardevelopment in your dog. The running and jumping involved in this sport works well to improve muscular strength and prevents misdirected energy in an otherwise bored dog.There are three basic skills needed to play Frisbee: Throwing, Catching, and Retrieving. Playing frisbee with your dog can be lots of fun. If you and your dog are in good health there are many reasons to teach your dog to play frisbee - it is a great way to keep your dog in excellent condition, it promotes both a great physical and mental challenge for both you and your dog, and it offers an opportunity for you and your dog to work as a team. Remember this very important dog training point - this is best done with older dogs, not young puppies whose bones and joints are still developing. If you have a dog that enjoys playing fetch with a ball or a stick of some kind then you can expect that your dog can easily be trained to catch Frisbees with a little extra practice. Frisbee competitions are open to all breeds of dogs - regardless of breed type or size. All dogs can compete “paw to paw” - it doesn’t matter if the dog participating is a mixed breed or a purebred canine. Most dogs really love it! And if you’re good at it, then all the better.
Agility Dog TrainingAgility training for you and your dog can be lot's of fun. Sort of a combination obstacle course-play ground, agility dog training is comprised of multiple types of obstacles that the dog must complete in a certain length of time.The dog handler must use strategy to get their dog safely from the beginning of the course to the finish and through an array of all sorts of obstacles within a limited amount of time. Accuracy is very important as well as the ability to correctly complete the agility course with as few mistakes as possible within the time limit. Many benefits are available as a result of this type of agility dog training. Not only does the dog get a lot of great exercise (as well as yourself), but other benefits include socialization skills from being around other people and animals, body awareness skills for the dog (many are not aware that the back feet can work independently from the front), an increased feeling of confidence in the dog as it learns to safely make it through the different obstacles. The most important thing of all is that your dog learns to trust you as its leader. If you are interested in getting more information about agility, contact your local dog clubs or trainers who can put you in touch with the appropriate people.
Interested in trying agility with your own dog?
Conformation Dog ShowsThe main thought or reasoning behind dog shows, also called conformation events, in the first place is to evaluate future breeding stock. Spayed or neutered dogs are not eligible to compete in conformation classes.These events range from large all-breed shows, with thousands of different dogs entered representing all different dog breeds, to small local specialty club shows, featuring one specific breed and are often compared to human beauty contests. Showing dogs at these confirmation events is a great dog sport and also an old and fine art, where the thrill of competition is combined with the joy of seeing beautiful dogs meticuously groomed, highly trained and then presented at the height of their athletic and natural ability. Conformation dog shows are only one of many kinds of dog events in which purebred dogs can compete. In case you are interested, the best place to start this sport is by joining a local kennel club or a breed-specific specialty club. Showing your dog can be an exceptional and enjoyable experience for you both. Dog training classes can be the best hands-on way to practice for the show ring while attending actual dog shows is another great way to learn what judges and other competitors do and are looking for in the show ring. Flyball Dog TrainingInterest in flyball is certainly growing. Flyball is actually a team dog sport. Flyball is actually a timed relay race between two teams of 4 dogs each. These dog teams will race side by side down a 51-foot (15.54m) course. Each dog team consists of a minimum of 4 dogs racing in each heat (plus up to two alternate dogs).Alternate team members can be interchanged after each heat is completed. There are between 3 to 5 heats per race, and a team has to win a majority of heats to win the overall race. The first flyball team to have all four dogs complete the course, without error, wins the heat. Dog training is essential to make sure that these teams perform as one large well timed machine.
Here is what each dog must do to compete in a flyball event: 1) go over 4 hurdles to the end of the flyball course, 2) trigger a flyball box pedal to drop the ball, 3) catch (retrieve) a tennis ball and then, 4) return back to the start/finish line over all four hurdles (with the tennis ball in it's mouth) to where the next dog eagerly waits to start it's own leg of the heat. Dropped balls or missed hurdles require the dog to rerun the course - after the rest of the team has finished (which will add extra time to the overall heat for that particular team). Needless to say, each dog team wants the fastest and cleanest run possible from each of the dog participants involved. A few flyball facts: any dog may participate, regardless of its breed, shape or size, All dogs in flyball must be at least 12 months old to compete, Dogs do need to be relatively fit to play flyball, and it is a relatively cheap dog sport overall to participate in. Schutzhund Dog TrainingThe main purpose of this dog sport is to emphasize the correct working temperament and abilities within the German Shepherd Dog breed. While dogs of many other breeds also participate in the sport of Schutzhund (German for "protection dog"), this dog breed evaluation test was developed specifically for the German Shepherd Dog.Schutzhund trials are a sport for the working dog with the intention of demonstrating the dog's overall intelligence and utility abilities and to cover theor abilities in three separate phases - trailing, obedience and protection. Since the original conception over 100 years ago, many other countries and working dog organizations have also adopted Schutzhund as both a sport and as a test of working dog performance. International rules have also been established. All sizes and types of dog breeds are eligible but the minimum age requirement is 15 months. In the tracking phase the dog must follow a scent trail from human footprints left by a stranger. The tracking phase is intended to test the dog's ability to scent, as well as its mental and physical endurance levels. In the obedience phase, the dog works both on and off lead. This phase includes a series of heeling exercises, a gun shot test (to see how the dog reacts to sharp noises), and a series of field exercises. Also, the dog is required to retrieve dumbbells of varying weights and sizes over various surfaces, walls and hurdles. The protection phase of Schutzhund is the part most people think about when they hear the word Schutzhund. This is the ultimate test of the dog's courage, mental stability and mental abilities, proper temperament, physical strength, and agility. Most importantly, the handler's control of the dog is absolutely essential in how well the dog responds to the commands of the handler.
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