Balance and coordination are basic fundamentals that need to be encouraged and developed in agility dogs. Many dogs learn early on in training that they do in fact have back legs! In normal dog life the back legs are easily forgotten as they just are required to follow the front ones around. However in agility, where we ask our pups to do somewhat unnatural things like weave and balance on teeters, a working knowledge of the hind limbs (which contain the largest and most powerful muscles) is essential. Improving balance and coordination in the back end will help our dogs perform better in the ring. Next time you see the wobble board out in practice, work it for a while! Also, when doing the dog walk, ask your pup to stop intermittently so they can work on balancing on the obstacle. Remember that handler balance and coordination is important too!
This post contributed by Maria.
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