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Having Fun With Agility , livre ebook

Turner Publishing Company - Margaret H. Bonham

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124 pages

English

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Description

A positive agility training method that's fun for you and your dog

Designed expressly for dog owners who want the interactive thrill of agility sports without the rigid rules, pressures, and expenses of competition, Having Fun with Agility is a practical, down-to-earth guide to today's most popular canine sport.

The seasoned trainer and award-winning writer Margaret Bonham explains proven, positive methods--such as clicker training--that will help your dog perform the kinds of fabulous feats you see at competitions. Whether your pet's a Chihuahua or a Great Dane, a Basset Hound or a mixed breed, Having Fun with Agility will help you and your dog master the basics--and enjoy doing it.
Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Part One: Learning Agility.

1. Getting Started.

2. Clicker for Fun (Learning the Rules).

3. Clicking with Agility (Obstacle Training).

4. Handling Your Dog.

Part Two: Having Fun and Playing Games.

5. Fun Games and Courses.

6. Holding an Agility Party.

Part Three: Health and Agility.

7. Emphasizing Good Health.

8. Nutrition for Your Agility Dog.

9. Having Fun with Special-Needs Dogs.

Part Four: What’s Ahead—Getting Involved.

10. Where to Go from Here.

Appendix A: Agility Organizations.

Appendix B: Agility References.

Picture Credits.

Index.

Sujets

Pets

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Dogs

Informations

Publié par	Turner Publishing Company
Date de parution	06 août 2007
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9780470242339
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

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Extrait

HAVING FUN WITH AGILITY
Also by Margaret H. Bonham from Howell Book House
The Complete Guide to Mutts: Selection, Care, and Celebration from Puppyhood to Senior
HAVING FUN WITH AGILITY
MARGARET H. BONHAM
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved
Illustrations by Kristin Doney
Howell Book House Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com . Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, E-Mail: brandreview@wiley.com.
Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, Howell Book House, and related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishng, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source for further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at (800) 762-2974, outside the U.S. at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com .
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Bonham, Margaret H.
Having fun with agility / by Margaret Bonham.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-7645-7298-9 (alk. paper)
1. Dogs-Agility trials. 2. Dogs-Training. I. Title.
SF425.4.B658 2004
636.7 0835-dc22
2004014425
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Book design by LeAndra Hosier Cover design by Wendy Mount Book production by Wiley Publishing, Inc. Composition Services
In loving memory of Snopeak Kiana of Sky Warrior NA U-AGI, WTD, WPD, CGC my agility dog, best friend, and booksigner. And to Belle s Lachlan s Black Dragon, aka, Haegl, an up-and-coming agility Malamute and all-around troublemaker, and to Larry, who gives constant support.
Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One: Learning Agility

1 Getting Started

2 Clicker for Fun (Learning the Rules)

3 Clicking with Agility (Obstacle Training)

4 Handling Your Dog

Part Two: Having Fun and Playing Games

5 Fun Games and Courses

6 Holding an Agility Party

Part Three: Health and Agility

7 Emphasizing Good Health

8 Nutrition for Your Agility Dog

9 Having Fun with Special-Needs Dogs

Part Four:What s Ahead-Getting Involved

10 Where to Go from Here

Appendix A: Agility Organizations

Appendix B: Agility References

Picture Credits

Index
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the following people for their help with this book: Jessica Faust of Bookends; Kathy Nebenhaus, publisher, John Wiley Sons; Cindy Kitchel, director of aquisitions; Chris Stambaugh, editorial manager; Roxane Cerda, aquisitions editor; Dale Cunningham, acquisitions editor; Sharon Sakson, developmental editor; Lisa Burstiner, production editor; Larry Bonham, who helped keep me sane and helped with the photos; and Beth Adelman for advice throughout.
I would also like to thank the following people and dogs who appeared in this book (or who supplied photos): Margaret Meleski and JD; Stephanie Podejkov and TJ; Jim and Kathy Stabler and Robyn; Joyce Tessler and Gideon; Jeanne Grim and Demi; Pam Metzger and Sableman; Lisa Dewey and Vapor and Rush; Sue Johnson and Zippy; Teresa Bullard and Ginger, Cinnamon, and Audrey; Becky Thompson and Molly; Lisa Kretner; Ed Kelley; Kenneth Reed; Pet Action Shots; Nancy Latthitham; Tien Tran Photography; Steve Surfman; Sharon Sakson; Roger Greenwald; BinnsPhotography.com ; Ceyn Van Leeuwen; and Amy Kluth.
Lastly, I want to thank my dogs whom I learned so much from.
Introduction
Agility is the fastest-growing dog sport in the country. You ve probably heard about agility on TV or through training classes from your local obedience trainer. Maybe you saw an agility competition at a dog show. Those dogs look cool blazing through weave poles, over A-frames, and across dog walks.
Not my dog, you think. But why not?
There may be lots of reasons why you think your dog can t do this. Maybe he s a couch potato. Perhaps he s a mixed breed from the pound. Maybe he s never learned to sit or come when you call. Or you think he s too big, too small, too old, or too young. But maybe it s the competition.
Agility originally appeared at the famous Cruft s Dog Show in Britain in 1978 as entertainment. Not a sport. Entertainment. The dogs were there to wow the audiences, and they did. Naturally, everyone wanted to try agility, and soon people were training their dogs to do extraordinary things like run across A-frames and through tunnels. Somewhere along the line, agility turned from fun to competition. Competition became intense, and more people started concentrating on times and developing their dog s abilities, and they forgot that-not if -they were having fun. Consequently, much of the talk about agility is about trials and training and clean runs. People now choose dogs based on their breed and agility aptitude rather than being a cool pet.
When I got into agility with Kiana, my white Malamute, organized agility was just starting in Colorado. There were few rules and regulations then, although we had an inkling of what the future would hold. People showed up with mixed breeds and unusual breeds like Malamutes, Huskies, Great Danes, Dalmatians, Boxers, Bulldogs, and even Bassett Hounds. Training was mostly on-leash and everyone was there to have fun.
The neat thing about agility is that you still can have fun. You don t need to know the latest AKC rules to learn obstacle training. You don t have to yell at your dog when he isn t sitting properly on the table or worry if he touches the contacts. So, you don t have to have your dog off leash. Call-offs, refusals, and off courses don t matter, and you re not looking for blistering times. Instead, you re having fun.
What fun can you have with agility if you throw out the rule-books? Plenty! Your dog doesn t care about high scores, and neither should you. You can focus on teaching your dog agility and can put together simple courses. And handle your dog without stress. Get your friends involved, throw a party, and have fun running courses.
The courses in this book aren t likely to be found anywhere else. They re designed to provide a good time for both owners and dogs, without pressure. If you want some sort of real competition, there are matches and trials nearly every weekend all over the country. Any healthy dog of any age can do something in agility provided you take appropriate precautions, and mixed breeds are most certainly allowed.
Almost everyone starts in agility because it s fun. But if your dog turns out to be an athlete who loves to do it, competition may be a logical next step. This book will give you a taste of agility in a relaxed environment so that you can go on to more serious agility training discussed in books such as my Introduction to Dog Agility, All about Agility by Jacqueline O Neil, or Agility Training:The Fun Sport for All Dogs by Jane Simons-Moake.
It s time to get started!
Part One Learning Agility
1
Getting Started
You ve decided you want to try agility, but you re not sure how to get started. That s okay. In this chapter I ll help you decide if agility is the right activity for you and your dog. We ll go over your dog s basic fitness level, training, and age, as well as diet and exercise. In addition, we ll discuss your fitness level (don t worry!), what clothes will work for doing agility, and equipment requirements and training.
Deciding If Agility Is Right for You and Your Dog
You may be wondering if agility is something you d like to commit to doing with your dog. Drop by a fun match or even an agility trial and watch what goes on. (Be aware that you may be watching competition, which is something I don t cover in this book. If you re interested in getting started in competition, check o