When it comes to dog training, agility is one of the main aspects that are greatly considered. Agility is a dog sport in which a handler and her dog run as a team through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. The goal in any dog agility competition is to execute each piece of equipment correctly without any disqualifications. There are several national and international agility organizations with each having its own regulations and standards for its agility equipment.

Basically, an agility course is rather like an obstacle course with standard elements that each dog must pass through in order to complete the run and receive a qualifying score. If a single element is missed, the team is disqualified. This course consists of jumps, hoops and obstacles that you can set up for yourself. You can visit your local pet shop for this equipment. The basic elements of dog agility equipment are:

• The Weave Poles are a series of thin poles attached to a straight plank base.
• The A Frame is a ramp with a strong incline and equal decline. A-frame is painted a bright color, usually yellow, forming the contact zone, onto which the dog must place at least one paw while ascending and descending.
• The Dog Walk is another type of ramp. The two end planks form ramps leading up to and down from the center plank.
• The Teeter is a long plank on a fulcrum that each dog must mount at one end and walk across to the other end.
• The Tunnel is a long tube each dog must run through. The tunnel is constructed of flexible vinyl and wire, such that it can be configured in a straight line, or in a variety of curves.
• The Chute is similar to the tube at the entry point, but the rest of the chute is simply nylon without the hoops to support it, so dog are basically running blind through this element.
• Jumps are the same as you would find at an obedience trial, and the pole height is set according to the size of the dog.
• The Tire is suspended on a frame and each dog must jump through it on its way around the course.

Please also check out our other guide on Dog Agility Equipment, Dog Training Clickers and Dog Agility Training.

The post Dog Agility Equipment You Should Know first appeared on Puppy Blog.

In this modern day and age of dog training, many types of equipment have been discovered and invented to make the lives of dog trainers easier. Of all these discoveries, there are two that stand out as they prove to be probably the most useful and valuable. These are the radio-controlled dog barking collar and dog training collar. These are the most basic types of equipment that a dog handler would need in order to train a dog. Everything else is just a bonus.

When it comes to dog-training, there are three basic concepts one needs to know: concept of reward or positive reinforcement, punishment, and negative reinforcement. Reward is an incentive for a good behavior; punishment is a reprimand for misbehaving; negative reinforcement is the withdrawal of the punishment when the dog stops misbehaving. Reinforcements are done to increase the likelihood of a dog to do a certain behavior, while a punishment decreases its likelihood. These three are the most important concepts in dog training.

Dog training collar provides instant punishment and negative reinforcement to the dogs. With just a push of a button, instant punishment and negative reinforcement -in the form of shock, spray, or an annoying sound and its removal, respectively -can be given. This is probably the most basic dog training equipment, and it might be the only one you will ever need if you are patient. For instance, with this, you can punish your dog for running too far or for barking, such that you don’t have to buy electronic dog fences or a dog barking collar anymore.

But let’s face it: although punishing your dog for running too far is quite easy, pressing the button every time it barks is next to impossible. In this case, the dog barking collar becomes handy. Anti bark collars, as they are more commonly known, receive the dog’s bark through a sensor. Although there are different designs for each sensor, the most common design senses the dog’s throats vibration. Once the dog’s barking is sensed, a punishment is given, depending on the type of collar. Similar to the dog training collar, it can be in the form of a chemical sprayed, a sound emitted or a shock.

When you buy radio-operated collars, it is good that you go for quality products. Examples of this are Innotek, SportDog and Dogtra. Brands such as these can be trusted to train dogs effectively. They are very durable, versatile, and all are water-proof. With this, you can use it with any dog of any size, anywhere, on any day, in any condition. Furthermore, for dog barking collar, it is important that it be sensitive and specific, lest the dog gets confused about the behavior it is trying to modify. With these brands, you can be assured of these 2 attributes.

Radio-operated collars abound in the market today, as they are selling like pancakes, especially in the dog training world. As such, one should be wary of choosing the right brand with the finest technology used in making it. If you buy from a good brand, such as the ones mentioned above, you can be assured of a top-caliber dog training collar and dog barking collar. Then, in turn, you can be assured of an easier, more convenient, and more fun dog training.

The post The Most Useful Tool in Dog Training is a Good And Effective Dog Training Collar first appeared on Puppy Blog.