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The Many Uses of the Dog Agility Pause Table

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dog agility pause tableThe Pause table for many dogs is an evil, genius plan set forth by cats for the sheer pleasure of torturing them. Now if you were to put your comforter from you bed on the table, you wouldn’t be able to get them off it. Still, some dogs insist it is a platform for alien abduction and struggle with getting on, laying on, or sitting on a table. It may take a truckload of liver treats, but you can help them realize the table is a good place to be. When you get to that point there is a great list of things you can use your table for:

  • Contact Trainer:  If you take a plank from your dog-walk or seesaw you can lean it on the table to create a contact trainer for teaching end behavior. With an adjustable table such as ours, you can start low and build height as your dog’s confidence grows. In the same way you can teach your dog plank confidence as well. (We also offer a kit for this, to make it more versatile and durable.)
  • Shaping: Flip the table upside down and you have a box for behavior shaping. You can use it for body awareness exercises and teach your dog to put his feet in and out of the box. One, two, three and all four. You can teach him to move around the box with front feet in and back feet out. Use your imagination.
  • Target Trainer:  You can use it for send outs to a target or a finish point after a line of obstacles. You can place your treats or treat tube on the table to keep it visible out of the grass or sand.
  • Staging Area:  To ensure your dog does not anticipate the release from the table, it is a great idea to leave your dog on the table for varying amounts of time. Be sure you proof your release as well to be certain your dog will wait for it. While they are practicing a long wait on the table you can stage the rest of your run.
  • Waiting Area:  Talking about waiting, if you run more than one dog, the table can double as a waiting area for one dog while you practice with another. Be sure you don’t inadvertently make it a “bad” place to be by treating the dog waiting on the table from time to time.
  • Grooming:  Grooming can be backbreaking work, but if your dog can stand on the table you will no longer need to bend over for grooming. Of course, this means the table will have to be at full height and you may need a ramp for smaller dogs to get on. Also, keep in mind that the table should always be a place of enjoyment. If your dog doesn’t like grooming time, the table is not the place to do it.

Remember, we also carry a full line of regulation TDAA dog agility equipment. If you need a Teacup Table we have those too.dog agility teacup table