Inclement Weather Dog Agility in the House

You may correlate cabin fever with areas that get snowed in, but that isn’t always the case. In many areas their “foul” weather happens in the summer where temperatures and humidity stop physical activities outside. So, whether your foul weather is in the winter or the summer or somewhere in between, remember, your dog gets bored too. A solution to your blues is to set up an agility course inside!  Here’s some ideas to get you started enjoying your time inside just a little more.

• Snake a tunnel through and around the dining room table.  It can get pretty complex!
• Set up Cavalettis or a ladder in a hallway, just be sure there is a nonslip surface under them if you go faster than a walk. You can even practice send outs over them.
• Train contacts and motion with a rockerboard or mini contact equipment! You don’t need an entire course to practice contacts and avoid fly-offs. If you have a small to medium dog, you can even set up our travel teeter inside!
• Hallways are great! You can set up your jumps and you can weave down the hallway. If your dog is new to them or needs some support you can put a set or two along a wall.  This will keep them from popping out on one side while you focus on the other side.
• You can practice start-line behaviors twice a day and not add any more time to your schedule. Put your dog on a stay, down, sit or stand, when you have his food ready. Be sure you put him far and in sight of you just like a lead out. Don’t release him until you have put the bowl down and assumed a lead-out position. Then give him the magic word.
• Set up duffle jumps– these great jumps are small, preset to your dogs’ height category, and extremely easy to store! They’re my personal favorite for indoor use, since they’re so little.

Don’t let bad weather get the best of you and your dog. Use it as time to practice correct form on those obstacles you can bring inside. Then you both will never find a dull day due to weather.