Dog Agility Video Training Courses and Techniques Explained

Dog agility training is a fun and rewarding way to bond with your furry friend. With the right techniques and training courses, you can help your dog build confidence and agility.

You can find dog agility video training courses that cater to different skill levels and breeds. These courses often include obstacle courses that mimic real-life scenarios, such as tunnels, jumps, and weave poles.

A well-designed course can help your dog learn to navigate through obstacles with ease. For example, a course with a series of jumps can help your dog build speed and agility.

Dog owners can also learn various techniques to help their dogs overcome obstacles. One technique is to use a "target stick" to guide your dog through a tunnel or weave pole.

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To get started with dog agility, take a class at an AKC club near you. This will give you a solid foundation in the sport and help you learn from experienced trainers.

Practicing at home is just as important as taking a class. To set up your own obstacles, you'll want to create a safe and fun space for your dog to run and play.

Find an agility event near you to watch and learn from other competitors. This will give you a sense of what to expect and help you get excited about the sport.

Courses in dog agility typically have between 14-20 obstacles, which can include jumps, tunnels, and weave poles. You'll need to know how to navigate these obstacles to become a skilled agility handler.

Loretta Mueller, an experienced agility instructor, emphasizes the importance of foundation skills in her classes. She covers topics like front crosses, rear crosses, and blind crosses, which are all essential for moving around the course safely and efficiently.

As you progress in agility, you'll encounter various types of jumps, including tire jumps that require your dog to jump quickly and cleanly through the opening. The height of the jump is based on the height of your dog.

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A dog walk is another obstacle you'll encounter, where your dog must run up the ramp, cross the top plank, and then run down the ramp on the other side, touching the "contact zone" at the bottom. This obstacle requires precision and timing.

Weave poles are a challenging obstacle that consists of six to 12 upright poles, where your dog must enter to the right of the first pole and weave through each of the others without missing one. It's considered one of the trickiest obstacles to master.

The seesaw and A-frame are two other obstacles you'll encounter, where your dog must touch the "contact zone" with at least one toenail as they descend. These obstacles require your dog to have good balance and agility.

In addition to these obstacles, you'll also encounter the pause table, which slows the team's forward momentum. Your dog must pause on the table for five consecutive seconds, which requires patience and focus.

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Lectures are released weekly on the first day of each new week, providing clear instructions in both written and video formats.

The teaching approach is flexible, especially for students at the Gold level, who can request modifications to accommodate their needs and abilities.

Feedback is provided using a timestamp and description of what's being discussed, helping students understand and improve their skills. An example of this is providing specific guidance on foot placement, such as rotating your foot clockwise to face the jump bar.

Lectures will be released weekly on the first day of each new week. The materials will be provided in both written form, such as bullet points and steps, and through video examples.

Instructions are clear and concise, making it easy to follow along. The video examples will help you visualize the techniques being taught.

Feedback is a crucial part of the learning process, and it's provided using a timestamp and a description of what's being discussed. This helps you understand exactly what you need to work on.

A Teacher's Assistant will be available in the Facebook study group to help Bronze and Silver students. This is a great resource to reach out to if you have any questions or need additional guidance.

Lectures assume an able-bodied handler and a dog who is interested in food or toys. However, the instructor is highly flexible and can make modifications to accommodate students with different needs.

The Skills & Drills course is a 14-week program that takes place in a 50×70 space, where handlers and dogs increase their speed while navigating obstacles. This course is a natural progression from Foundation Proofing.

Drills are spread out to challenge handlers and dogs, with a maximum of 5 minutes of video per week allowed for working spots. One dog per drill is the rule, with a private Facebook page available for both auditors and workers to view questions, videos, and discussions at any time.

Equipment used in this course includes 6 jumps and 1 tunnel, providing a versatile and engaging environment for learning.

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When teaching advanced running contacts, it's essential to build on foundational skills that your dog has already learned. Dogs should have a solid foundation in running contacts and be at least one year old before moving on to more advanced training.

A target, a manners minder, and a plank will be ideal tools for working on spots.

To ensure a smooth transition, it's crucial to have a clear plan in place. The Advanced Running Contacts program spans 14 weeks, with 6 lessons to help your dog master this complex skill.

Teaching your dog to be calm and collected is crucial, especially in high-pressure environments like agility competitions. This is where the "Calm, Cool & Collected" class comes in, providing tools to help your dog remain in a healthy state of arousal.

Competition environments can easily put dogs over threshold, making it harder for them to respond to cues and control their impulses. Situations like off course obstacles, not collecting, and knocking bars often relate to a dog who understands their job but struggles with managing their emotions.

The class will give you an array of tools and exercises to help create a more thoughtful dog on the agility field. Simple training habits and games will also be covered to manage arousal in higher environments.

These training games are necessary for high-level dogs, and I use them with my own dogs before big events or after an agility break. The class is geared towards dogs already doing agility, with an expectation that they have worked through the Shape Up foundation and have existing skills like crate games and retrieve.

The course is run on a private Facebook page, where both auditors and workers can view questions, videos, and discussions at any time. It's a 10-week course with 5 lesson plans, and auditors can participate in everything except posting their own videos.

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