Dog Agility Competition

Have you been looking for something fun to do with your canine companion?  Dog agility is an exciting activity for dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes.  In addition to providing excellent physical exercise it is also highly mentally stimulating, helps dogs build their confidence, and increases the human-animal bond.  Whether you're looking to become competitive, or you just want to train for fun, there is an array of classes to fit the needs of you and your dog.  Generally, dog agility combines a number of jumps and tunnels with contact obstacles like the see-saw, dog-walk, and A-frame.  In competition, the obstacles are numbered and laid out in a flowing course containing 15-20 obstacles which the handler must learn before running it with their dog.  Other agility obstacles can include weave poles where the dog must weave back and forth between the poles, a pause box or table where they must stop and wait for the next obstacle, or even a series of hoops to run through.  There are several different organizations that hold competitions and they each have their own set of rules and obstacles.  The classes are split up into different levels based on skill level and size of the dog.  Just like with human athletes, before starting any agility training program it is important to make sure that your dog is physically fit.  The doctors at DeVries Animal Hospital in Elmhurst, IL can perform a full physical examination to make sure that your canine athlete is ready to run.  Are you concerned that your dog is overweight or has an orthopedic disorder such as hip dysplasia?  Don't worry if your pet is not in the best physical condition, you can work with your veterinarian and trainer to make adjustments in the training plan, such as lower jump heights or not training certain obstacles, to make agility a fun and safe sport for all participants.