{"id":39232,"date":"2024-08-02T14:56:48","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T12:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/62cafd23-623a-4378-b911-af9130a049b5"},"modified":"2024-08-02T16:26:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-02T14:26:39","slug":"dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started\/","title":{"rendered":"Dog agility: equipment, training and how to get started"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\">What is dog agility? What equipment do you need to get started? And what&#8217;s the best way to train your dog? Laura Lloyd from The Kennel Club offers her expert advice <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Friday, 02 August 2024 at 12:56 PM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p><strong>Have you ever watched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/animals\/pets\/crufts-2024-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-largest-dog-show-in-the-world\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crufts<\/a> and seen those impressive displays of dogs leaping over hurdles and weaving around poles, and assumed it wasn\u2019t something you and your dog could do? Well, think again.<\/strong><\/p><p>Dog agility is a great way to get outside and try something different \u2013 whether that\u2019s for you, your family or your dog.\u00a0<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kennel Club International Agility Festival 2023. Credit: Yulia Titovets\/The Kennel Club<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-dog-agility\">What is dog agility?<\/h2><p>Dog agility is a fun, friendly and fast-paced activity which can benefit both you and your dog\u2019s mental and physical health, as well as strengthening your bond. <\/p><p>It is something everyone can try, whether just to burn off some energy, make friends with a close-knit community or to compete in international events. <\/p><p>Dog agility involves dogs and their owners running an activity course consisting of jumps, tunnels, seesaws and other equipment, and is open to all to get involved.\u00a0<\/p><p>Dog agility has been growing in popularity since it was\u00a0first demonstrated at Crufts in 1978 and today, the event sees over 150 agility competitors take part in various classes of different heights and levels \u2013 and maybe you could be one of them in the future. <\/p><p>The introduction of agility competitions to Crufts opened canine activities up to even more dogs and their owners and is said to have brought a whole new atmosphere to the event.\u00a0<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/08\/Dog-agility-scaled.jpeg?fit=1024,1024\" alt=\"Kennel Club International Agility Festival 2023\" class=\"wp-image-190111\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agility is a fun, friendly and fast-paced activity which can benefit both you and your dog\u2019s mental and physical health. Credit: Yulia Titovets\/The Kennel Club<\/figcaption><\/figure><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/animals\/pets\/is-this-the-worlds-best-dog-breed-crufts-judges-make-it-official\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Is this the world&#8217;s best dog breed? Crufts judges make it official<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/animals\/pets\/vintage-dogs-our-favourite-archive-photos-from-133-years-of-crufts\">Vintage dogs:\u00a0Our favourite archive photos from 133 years of Crufts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-i-get-my-dog-to-start-agility\">How do I get my dog to start agility?<\/h2><p>Dog agility competitions are made up of various obstacles for your dog to run through, jump over, or weave in and out off in a set sequence. As the owner, your job is to lead your dog through the course with as few faults as possible &#8211; all while against the clock.<\/p><p>The Kennel Club has shared some steps to get started in dog agility:\u00a0<\/p><ol><li>Make sure your dog is healthy and happy \u2013 if your dog has any medical conditions check with your vet before starting up agility.\u00a0For your dog\u2019s safety, it is recommended that they do not start training on any agility equipment until they are at least one year old<\/li><li>Teaching your dog basic training commands is key \u2013 if you are struggling to train your dog, you could enrol in a local training or obedience club which teaches The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training scheme for mastering basic training and obedience.<\/li><li><a href=\"http:\/\/thekennelclub.org.uk\/dogtraining\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Kennel Club website<\/a> also has easy training games and activities you can try at home for free.<\/li><li>Once you have a handle on training, you may want to progress to a club that specialises in agility, you can look these up on <a href=\"http:\/\/thekennelclub.org.uk\/fac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Kennel Club\u2019s Find a Club tool<\/a>.<\/li><li>When you feel ready to start on agility equipment, The Kennel Club has created a <a href=\"http:\/\/thekennelclub.org.uk\/newtoagility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">step-by-step video guide<\/a> which demonstrates the different obstacles and what to expect in a competitive ring online.<\/li><\/ol><p>Whether you take part competitively or just for fun, agility is a great opportunity to become part of a welcoming and friendly community.\u00a0<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2024\/08\/Dog-agility-training-1-scaled.jpeg?fit=1024,1024\" alt=\"Kennel Club International Agility Festival 2023\" class=\"wp-image-190115\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kennel Club International Agility Festival 2023 &#8211; British Open final. Credit: Yulia Titovets\/The Kennel Club<\/figcaption><\/figure><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-kennel-club-s-international-agility-festival\">The Kennel Club\u2019s International Agility Festival<\/h3><p>For anyone feeling inspired and wanting to see some agility in action, the world\u2019s largest <a href=\"http:\/\/thekennelclub.org.uk\/iaf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">agility festival<\/a> is returning to Oakham, Rutland, from 8 \u2013 11 August, with dogs of every size, shape and breed competing across a huge 18 rings and 200 classes, from novice to professional. <\/p><p>It\u2019s a fantastic atmosphere and spectators are welcome to come spend the day and enjoy watching the action, with a range of doggy shopping stands and food options. Entrance is free, although there is a \u00a35 parking charge. Further information is available at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thekennelclub.org.uk\/iaf\">thekennelclub.org.uk\/iaf<\/a><\/p><p><em>Words: Laura Lloyd, The Kennel Club<\/em><\/p><p><strong>More about dogs<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/animals\/pets\/why-do-dogs-lick-you\">Why do dogs lick you<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/animals\/pets\/best-dog-names\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What are the most popular dog names?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/animals\/pets\/rarest-dog-breeds-uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">10 of the rarest dog breeds in the UK<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/dog-walking-guide-expert-training-tips-to-help-your-dog-behave\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dog walking guide: expert training tips to help your dog behave<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is dog agility? What equipment do you need to get started? And what&#8217;s the best way to train your dog? Laura Lloyd from The Kennel Club offers her expert advice <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":39233,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started.jpg",1650,1100,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/08\/dog-agility-equipment-training-and-how-to-get-started.jpg",1650,1100,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"What is dog agility? What equipment do you need to get started? And what's the best way to train your dog? Laura Lloyd from The Kennel Club offers her expert advice","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/39232"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}