Canine Agility: Training and Nutrition

It’s becoming more and more common for owners to take part in sports and hobbies with their dogs. This is something that benefits both of them and strengthens the bond between them. Canine agility is one of the most demanding disciplines you can do with your pet, but it’s also one of the most rewarding.

This activity requires very intense physical activity that will put both you and your dog in great shape. However, long hours of training are required to achieve satisfactory results. Aside from that, nutrition is also very important. Additionally, we have to prepare our pets for these exercise sessions, even though it’s just like a game for them.

Canine agility training

In order for your dog to get the most out of canine agility, he’ll have to carry out regular training in specialized centers with canine trainers. A professional will be able to get the most out of your pet. And, he’ll also be able to do so quickly and in a very fun way, since the trainer will never resort to physical punishment.

It’s important to remember that animals that are less than a year and a half old are not old enough to participate in this type of activity. That’s because their bones and joints aren’t 100% formed and they could get seriously injured. Until they reach that age, the animal should learn through playing and with activities that are appropriate for his age.

Try to avoid additional training outside of the specialized center. You may want to take him to the dog park to try out some of his tricks. However, these parks aren’t equipped for proper canine agility training; they are just where dogs go to play and have fun. The lack of soft surfaces and the hard obstacles can take a toll on the animal’s joints. 

In order for the dog to engage in this discipline and enjoy it, you should train him using treats and rewards, never with scoldings and punishments. The only thing you’ll achieve by using negative training is to make the dog not want to take part, and he’ll end up getting distracted by everything around him.

It takes hard work

As you can imagine, getting the dog to do the exercises correctly will take many hours of hard work. Your dog will need to learn how to do many different exercises and work with different obstacles. Therefore, it’s important to work with each exercise individually. Then, once he has understood each one, you can put them together in order.

Another aspect that you need to take into account is to not insist too much on the same exercise. If your dog has tried it many times without success, he’ll get tired. This will make him lose his concentration and his interest.

Nutrition

In order to be able to take part in canine agility, also just called agility, the animal should follow a diet that’s a little different than that of more sedentary dogs. To provide your dog with enough energy, and to keep his muscles in optimal shape, his diet should meet the following requirements:

• Firstly, you should know that typical dog food isn’t as complete a food as the manufacturers would want you to think. Commercial dog foods won’t provide your dog with the quantity and quality of nutrients that he needs.
• Natural foods: you’ll notice a difference in your dog’s canine agility performance and physical strength once you add raw and natural foods into his diet.
• Add in food with high levels of protein and a moderate level of fat, preferably animal fat. Additionally, dog food with traces of fish is great because they contain omega-3 fatty acids. They also favor the recovery of your pet’s muscles.

You should never give your dog calcium supplements to strengthen his bones. An excess of this mineral can cause very negative effects and cause long-term injuries.

In addition, it’s not advisable to give your dog food that claims to be ‘high-energy.’ That’s because it tends to contain a lot of fat. This could cause your pet to gain weight. In order to actively participate in sporting activities, the best way to give your pet energy is through carbohydrates.