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This Month's Free Training Lesson:
Training With Conditioning Obstacles 
"Dear Professor K. Nyne,
Q. I keep hearing about 'conditioning obstacles'. What are they and how are they used? Will they help my dog be healthier?"
- Janice
The Professor's Answer: 
Agility is a physically demanding sport, but dogs can't get themselves in shape. You need to make sure your dog is in top condition to play, or they could be at a higher risk of a performance injury, like a sprain, strain, or stress. How can you help your dog get fit? Conditioning obstacles work wonderfully for getting a dog agility-ready, when coupled with regular walking or jogging, or endless games of fetch.
Cavalettis 
Cavalettis are step-obstacles. You should have a row of at least four cavalettis that are at the right height for your dog. Cavalettis should be set about a stride apart, and come to your dogs' hock. At the end of the row, reward, turn around and go back. If you hear your dogs' feet 'ticking' on the bars, the spacing may be off, or they may be too high. Space them differently for walk and trot so your dog picks up their feet as they pick up speed. Make sure you stop while your dog still has energy, and is having fun. This gets your dogs' muscles toned and solid, much like high repetition, low weight works on a human. The better shape your dog is in, the lower the chance they'll strain themselves on course. Ladders 
Ladders are another step-obstacle. Your dog must march down the ladder and then back up, placing each foot carefully. Ladders teach hind-end awareness and precise foot placement. Many dogs aren't aware they have a hind end to begin with so it can get in their way. I have seen a dogs' front paws be just fine on a dogwalk as the hind parts slid off. The dog looked shocked! Lack of body awareness can lead to knocked bars. Training with ladders build muscle as well, and help dogs aware of where their feet are. Ladder training is simple. Set the ladder against a wall to start with and walk beside your dog as he walks through, rewarding all the way. Don't let your dog get too tired. Make it fun for him, and your dog will pick it up in no time!
Duffle Jumps 
Duffle jumps can be used in an evenly spaced row. You may use them at your dogs' jump height or lower and send them up the row of jumps and back. Rows of jumps teach your dog to collect and land efficiently to be ready for take-off again. If your dog knows its' take-off point, it's less likely to crash a bar. Change the spacing between the jumps for an added challenge! Make certain you always leave enough space for landing and take-off. Don't forget to reward your dog and have fun. Don't exhaust your dog!
Other Conditioning Benefits Not only will your dog be in shape, but many people find that conditioning obstacles improve their dogs concentration. They can save you strained muscles, sliding off contacts, and dropped bars. A well-conditioned dog is more likely to be confident on course, and when paired with a well-conditioned handler, you're sure to enjoy your agility course and have fun!
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