Agility training for dogs has become increasing popular in recent decades, particularly throughout Europe and North America. This unique sport requires dogs and their human owners to function together as a team to complete an obstacle course, encouraging obedience and bonding while providing an excellent exercise opportunity to dogs. If this is your first time learning about this fun pastime, this article will outline the basic information.

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What Kinds of Obstacles Are Used?

In competitions, the courses are always carefully designed to test as many different skill sets as possible, while still being enjoyable for everyone involved. These obstacles are classified as contact, jumps, tunnels, or miscellaneous. Let’s look at them in a little more detail.

Contact Obstacles

These challenges are intended to measure a dog’s balance and speed. One of the most common types is an A-frame, or two wooden boards connected an acute angle. Dogs are required to climb up and down this frame, much like scaling a tiny mountain. Another favorite is the teeter-totter, designed just like the children’s toy. Dogs must run across as quickly as possible without losing their balance, even when their weight shifts the plank and drops them towards the ground.

Jumps

Watching competing dogs leap over various hurdles is one of the most exciting parts of any dog agility competition. The hurdles may be wooden planks just like in a track and field event, or they may be tires hung from strings for canine competitors to jump through. Some of these hurdles are designed to test the length of a competitor’s jump, while others measure the height.

Tunnels

The tunnels used in these events are always made out of flexible materials, such as vinyl or plastic, to ensure the competitors’ safety. They usually twist and turn, making them all the more challenging. Many also have loose fabric covering the exit end, creating another challenge as dogs try to not be slowed down too much.

What’s the Point?

If your dog has not prohibitive health issues, there are many advantages to enrolling yourselves in dog agility training. For example, a dog who can obey your vocal commands and body language on the course will also be a delight at home and wherever you go. There is also the benefit of mental and physical exercise for both of you, as well as an outlet for highly energetic dogs. All in all, agility training is an excellent option for many dogs and their owners.

An experienced Dallas veterinarian will be able to tell you whether your dog is fit for agility training.

Question: Why is the dog sleeping all day long? Answer: Because he guards at night. Actually the idea is correct. Most of us depend on our dogs to guard us as well as our properties. But dogs do sleep anytime of day and night. They actually sleep as much as 14 hours a day. This means that they sleep more than half of their life. Some dogs even sleep more than others do. Large breeds of dogs like the mastiff, St. Bernard and Newfoundland sleep from 16 to 18 hours everyday. They are dubbed as the mat dogs because they are fond of lying and sleeping in front of the fire like a furry rug.

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The sleeping pattern of the dog depends on the activity and environment. Domesticated dogs sleep more than working dogs do. Who would not if you are comfortable, you have a soft padded and cozy corner to sleep in and most of all you have nothing to do. People would sleep a lot too if they are left at home with nothing much to do. On the other hand, it would be impossible for a working dog to sleep most of the time given that they have a task or a duty to perform. Dogs working in a farm are all-around dogs, meaning they are given varied tasks to do. Apart from this, dogs have the opportunity to roam and being highly energetic, they would prefer to run and to wander rather than curl in a corner to sleep.
 
One may think that the dog is lazy because it is always asleep. The fact is, a dog may seem to be sleeping but they wake more frequently than people do. Dogs are always alert and they have heightened senses that make them aware of the slightest sound and movement. But dog are lucky too as they can easily adjust the sleeping pattern. They wake easily but the sleep easily too. They have the ability and the stamina to stay awake when they have something to do and would fall asleep easily no matter what time of day or night once the task is done.

Sleeping, no doubt is beneficial. It allows the dog to rest and to replenish the energy. Bored and inactive pets may sleep a lot, much more than they need to. Excessive sleeping when coupled with too much eating and very minimum exercise can be dangerous to the health of the dog. This is most common in pampered pets. Excessive sleeping can be avoided by providing the pet with stimulus to be active. Give the dog toys if they are going to be left at home all day. Take the dog walking and allow your pet to join in the activities of the family.

Learn more about why dogs sleep all day long at Sarah’s Dogs, http://www.sarahsdogs.com/qa/why_do_dogs_sleep_so_much.html At Sarah’s Dogs you can also find answers to many other common and not so common questions about dogs.