One of the best parts about agility is that dogs from all walks of life can participate. However, before they can begin, your job as their dog guardian is to first ensure your dog is and remains, Healthy.
Thanks to WebMD’s dog section, we can help guide you to knowledgeable resources on some of the things to consider:
Vaccinations -
During agility training and eventually if you decide to compete at an agility trial, your dog will be exposed to potentially hundreds of other canines. As a courtesy to the other dogs and to help maintain your own dog’s health safety, vaccinations and/or titer testing is a must.
The vacinnation ‘must haves’ are:
The optional vaccination items to consider are:
Be sure to share with the vet your plan to participate in agility so you can proactively work with your vet on the proper vaccination protocols for your dog.
Flea, Tick, Heartworm and Other Worm Prevention
While fleas, ticks and other crawly creatures are not fun things to think about, pre-planning will help avoid these unwanted visitors on your dog and ultimately in your home.
Why think about these? Well, as mentioned above, agility may require your dog to be around lots of other canines, to be outdoors (sometimes in remote locations with tall grass) or indoors at animal arenas or fairgrounds. It is important to educate yourself to avoid those unwanted crawlies.
Click HERE for WebMD’s full article so you can educate yourself and make appropriate product purchasing decisions.
Eye Care -
“Man’s best friend could use a good eyeballing once in awhile-believe us, your dog won’t take it personally! In fact, giving him regular home eye exams will help keep you alert to any tearing, cloudiness or inflammation that may indicate a health problem.” Click HERE to read more on the WebMD resource which shares what you should look for to keep your dogs eyes sparkling and sharp – a must for safe agility training.
Nail Care and Grooming
To safely perform agility obstacles and to secure better traction for your dog, trimming their nails and dew claw inspection on a regular basis is a must. Click HERE for more information from WebMD.
To help you along with the nail trimming, here is a great article from Washington State University on How To Clip A Dog’s Nails.
Grooming is something that almost all dog owners will need to do. Some dogs require massive grooming (fancy fur cuts for example), while others simply require hair to be trimmed around the feet, ears and/or eye areas. Take a look at your dog ask yourself a few questions:
- Would foot hair trimming benefit my dog by preventing slipping, the harboring of mud or other foreign objects from gathering between the pad or would it help to keep my vehicle and house clean?
- Does my dog have hair that falls into their eyes? Should I consider rubber banding those sections back to ensure they have a clear view?
- Does my dog have a wash and wear coat (dirt will dry and then fall off) or does my dog’s coat require a full washing on a regular basis?
Remember, the key is to determine what will work best for your dog’s safety as well as your lifestyle.
Hips, Elbows, Shoulders and Knees
Since agility requires your dog to run, jump, climb and maneuver through an obstacle course, it is always smart to check out the specific areas of their body that will be used most during your agility time. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has information to help educate dog owners on the specifics as well as answering Why it is important to know your dog’s joint health.
There is also PennHip which is a non-for-profit owned and run by the University of Pennsylvania which has excellent resources as well.
Weight and Body Condition
Since your dog will be actively participating in the athletic sport of agility, it is imperative that owners understand their dog’s body condition and weight. While an overweight dog will struggle to perform the obstacles and may cause stress on their heart and joints, an underweight or underdeveloped dog will struggle as well.
Purina has created a chart to help determine if a dog is too lean, just right or overweight. Click HERE for additional information.
Annual Vet Check-Ups
While vet check-ups for your dog may seem like a costly task, if you plan to train your dog in agility, it is an absolute must.
Since canine athletes are different than the average house pet, it is important to find a vet who understands dog sports because:
- An athletic heartbeat may sound different. An inexperienced vet may mistake your dog’s strong heart for a heart murmur.
- An athletic dog will have different weight necessities. A canine athlete will be slim, trim and more muscular.
- Nutritional requirements may be different for your agility dog.
- While we hope our dogs remain injury-free, it is important for your vet to understand and be able to treat potential injuries properly (just in case you need it).
- and much more…
As always, becoming an informed agility enthusiast is important as well as a qualified and knowledgeable vet resource to help guide you through the agility health check.
a lame dog
