Tuesday 31 December 2013

Agility Dog Jumps: What You Need To Know

By Cheng Bernhardt


One of the best activities you can consider for your dog is agility training, particularly if your canine companion has lots of energy. This not only provides the exercise the dog needs, but also helps to improve obedience and confidence as well as cementing the bond between the two of you. One option is to purchase agility equipment and set it up in your yard.

Agility jumps are a big part of training, and many people wonder how many jumps they should set up in their backyard. Dogs love jumping, and it is a crucial skill if you ever plan to compete, so at the very least it is recommended that you include a minimum of four jumps in your training circuit and perhaps as many as eight jumps in all.

There are many different types of agility jumps and one simple type is called a single jump, and this just means that the dog will be jumping over a single pole of a certain height. Start out with several of these jumps and have your dog practice this skill from both left and right and in combination with other skills, such as an A-frame or a pause table.

After the dog has the single jump mastered, it's time to move on to double and triple jumps. These force the dog to jump a longer distance in the air without hitting the poles. Another good addition to your course would be a tire jump, which is a fun obstacle that you always see at dog competitions. In addition to jumps with poles, you also can purchase jumps with panels, and there are also fence wing jumps that feature either poles or panels.

In the beginning, it is probably all right to simply place two single jumps together to form a double jump, but eventually you will want to invest in an actual double jump and also a triple jump. This allows you to spread a bunch of jumps out in your yard for a solid practice section. Dogs really need to master that triple jump, so having one at your home can equal better success during a competition.

There are many companies that sell sturdy agility equipment such as Carlson-Agility.com. Not only do they offer all of the jumps that you might need, they also have dog tunnels and chutes, agility dog walks, dog agility A-frames, teeter totters, pause tables and any other piece of agility equipment you might need. If you are just beginning, consider looking at their different starter kits, which contain a combination of items such as jumps, dog weaves and perhaps a teeter or a pause table.




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