Getting Started
How do I get started in agility? I know I want to try it, I’m sure my dog would love it, but I don’t want to just jump into it headfirst. What do I do?
Great question! I would start by attending an agility trial without your dog, to see how the ‘pros’ do it, or look for an instructor in the area using googility.com. That site has resources to find local trainers and trials – it’s great!
I would also purchase an agility in a bag set to get started on! The Agility in a Bag has a little bit of everything, won’t break the bank, or your back. I love that I can store it in a closet or the trunk of my car, but when I put it up, it’s a miniature course!
I agree that attending a trial before starting could be intimidating. I took classes w/an excellent instructor (still do) for close to 2 years before my 1st trial, though w/my 2nd dog we entered 11 months after starting foundation training. And addiction is the only way to describe it! I also got the Agility in a Bag and found it very useful in the early days.
I definitely suggest “shopping around” and seeing if you can find a great trainer in your area. Agility isn’t something you really want to just try on your own without having someone properly teach you, especially the foundations part of it.
The agility bag in a set is GREAT starter set for home practice so once an instructor gives you some ways to do things, you can set up stuff at home (or in the park like I do!) for training.
I actually didn’t even attend a trial until I had been training a year (and then went to one without my dog). I was afraid seeing how amazing people were would scare me into not going for it. Once I actually entered a trial (after about a year and a half of training), I got pretty addicted!