Foundation Training for Agility: The Road to a Perfect Partnership

To achieve your goals in agility, you need a solid working relationship with your dog and a clear and consistent communication system, also referred to as a “handling system”. This is no more than a set of verbal and physical cues that tell your dog what you want him to do next. Conflicting cues or missing links in your communication system will limit what your team can achieve in the sport by causing a lack of confidence (the dog slows down, stops, sniffs or even leaves the ring) or frustration (spins, barks or tires to bite the handler). Consistency and clarity in a handling system will create a more confident, focussed dog who is sure of his job and this will allow your team to not only achieve more but also to enjoy the game more. The foundation of this communication system must be taught on the ground ie before you teach any piece of equipment. Teaching obstacles before you have a communication system is like driving a car with no steering wheel, no gas pedal and no brakes – you are at the mercy of the driver – which is in this case, your dog. The ground work exercises in Foundation training for Agility will put you in the driver’s seat. Whether you are starting to train a new dog for agility or you need to improve some skills with an experienced dog, you’ll find invaluable exercises to practise in this DVD. There is even a bonus section on balance, strength and coordination work. Disc 1 covers basic skills. Disc 2 handling skills and Disc 3 covers physical skills.