Australian Shepherds usually best other breeds in agility dog training. That comes as no surprise to Australian Shepherd owners, as they naturally excel in sports.
If you’re planning to introduce agility training to your Australian Shepherd, make sure to keep the following in mind:
- Start slow.
Begin agility training with your puppy at a very young age, but take it easy. Do not expect your dog to perform like a champion at the onset of training. It requires lot of time and patience for your dog to develop the athleticism required to win in agility training competitions. It doesn’t happen overnight.
- Take note of the minimum age requirements of dog agility competitions
Do not take your chances. Your dog might end up unable to compete in the future. If you want to be sure, discuss with your veterinarian what your plans are with agility training. He or she will get the necessary tests done to ensure it is safe for your dog to participate in any kind of competitions.
- Safety first.
To ensure agility training is fun for your Aussie, make sure you foster a safe environment. If you’re planning to start training your dog at a very young age, hold off on balancing equipment such as dog walks and teeters until he or she is a bit older. You don’t want your puppy to have negative associations with the equipment.
- Age matters.
As puppies are growing and their bodies are still developing, do not rush into engaging them in physically demanding tasks such as jumps and weaves. That’s because the growth plates of their bones are still developing. The closure of growth plates takes an average of about 6 to 12 months, but it takes longer for some growth plates to close than others.
By: Kevin Wood