• 30Nov

  Help Deciding

  Dog Agility Equipment No Comments

  How do you decide what to buy? What to borrow? What to just do in class?

  This is a hard question, and different for every agility learner.

  Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you choose what you want to buy, borrow, or practice in class.

  Does my dog have difficulty with this? If so, why? Would more interaction with the obstacle help? If so, it might be beneficial to purchase one. If your dog has issues with wrapping jumps, it would probably benefit from at home practice. Weaves especially need to be practiced at home, in my experience.

  Do I have room? Chances are, you can’t fit an entire dogwalk in your back yard. There are ways around that, using benches or a contact trainer to help your dog learn contact behavior, and steady footing on planks.

  Is it something my dog enjoys? I think it’s a good idea to have an obstacle your dog absolutely adores on hand, to use as a reward, or just for a quick five minute practice pick me up. It’s a lot of fun to be able to go outside (or in the basement or barn or wherever) and do a five minute tunnel training day. The dogs get so excited!

  

  Tags: agility beginners, agility obstacles, agility training

• 28Nov

  Sizzling Seesaws

  Dog Agility Equipment, Dog Agility Training No Comments

  We’ve received more requests for teeter training tips this year than we ever have before!  Jen Pinder’s new 3 DVD set has an entire DVD to help with teeter problems, as well as a beginning to end seesaw training program.   We’re very happy to be able to offer this to you this holiday season!  If you’re interested in this item, check our sales – or call us at 1 800 254 9441.

  

  Tags: Affordable Agility News, agility obstacles, agility training

• 23Nov

  Reader Question

  Dog Agility Training, Dog Training (General) No Comments

  Pat asked; I have two questions. 1. the only obstacle that I am having a problem with is my ECS coming down the teeter. She hesitates at the top and needs to be coaxed down. How can I get her to just keep going?

  2. Would more than basic obedience be bad for us when we are doing agility? Some say being that you train the dog on the left side, they could have a harder time learning the right side of you.

  For the teeter I suggest rewarding at the end of the plank. In class we usually put duct tape on the end and then smear some spray cheese or peanut butter on the end. It may be that she doesn’t like the motion or noise – if so, take a step back in your teeter training and reward speed and pivot and sound as you do so. (Also, keep an eye out for the holiday sales at AffordableAgility (or call and ask us we’d love to help!– we’re getting in a new product for a limited time only, JUST for teeter training!)

  I personally love basic obedience – and advanced obedience. However, I do suggest making sure you learn to work off both sides. I do not think that this is confusing for the dog, since I use a different command for heeling off my left and heeling off my right (a really good trick to have in your repertoire!) and I use no verbal commands, just hand signals for handling agility – I point to the side he’s supposed to be on. So far, it’s worked out well for us, and I do like that he’s a bit more manageable outside the agility ring than some other agility dogs I know. I do use only positive methods to teach him, however, no matter what we’re learning, from herding to obedience to agility!

  

  Tags: Affordable Agility News, agility training

• 21Nov

  Thanksgiving Treats and Trials

  Interesting and Funny 1 Comment

  We all want to share the good things in life with our dogs- and Thanksgiving is a good thing.   But please, don’t overfeed your dog, or give him things that could hurt him, like bones or too much gravy.  Spending the day after such a nice holiday at the vets’ with your dog miserable beside you will completely ruin the holiday.  Instead, spend time with your dog if you can, and give them treats just for them, like those below.  If you can’t be with your dog or watching them, consider crating them with a stuffed kong or other delicious treat.

  Here are some ideas for safely treating your buddy this Thanksgiving!

  After Dinner Delight

  Ingredients:
  Leftover turkey
  potatoes
  squash
  cranberry sauce (take it easy on this one, dogs don’t need a lot of sugar in their diets!)
  any other vegetables (not onions!)
  Directions:
  Mix together all of the above, and drizzle lightly with a tablespoon or two of gravy.  Don’t give your dog more than one serving (approximately how much he’d eat anyway).  Make certain there are no bones in the meat.  Remember, while hot food tastes great to humans, dogs’ aren’t used to it.  Let his food cool thoroughly.

  

  Tags: dog products, dog safety & health

• 18Nov

  Dog Mind Games

  Interesting and Funny No Comments

  After your humans give you a bath, DON’T LET THEM TOWEL DRY YOU! Instead, run to their bed, jump up, and dry yourself off on the sheets. This is especially good if it’s right before your human’s bedtime.

  
  

  Let the humans teach you a brand new trick. Learn it perfectly. When the humans try to demonstrate it to someone else, stare blankly back at the humans. Pretend you have no idea what they’re talking about.

  
  

  Make your humans be patient. When you go outside to go ‘potty’, Sniff around the entire yard as your humans wait. Act as if the spot you choose to go potty will ultimately decide the fate of the earth.

  
  

  Make your own rules. Don’t always bring back the stick when playing fetch with the humans. Make them go and chase it once in a while.

  
  

  Wake up twenty minutes before the alarm clock is set to go off, and make the humans take you out for your morning potty. As soon as you get back inside, fall asleep.

  (c) the Town Crier, 2004

  

  Tags: simply funny

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