Dog agility – Team work or conflict?

Watching agility, many teams are in constant conflict. Agility training and competition is like a fight between dog and handler. Are you on the same team as your dog, or are you pulling in different directions? 

Does your dog look to you for directions, or do you constantly have to call him to your line? Is a tunnel a “trap” that your dog will get sucked into, or a fun task that you can send your dog to as a reward? Is your startline stay a focused game to get the action started, or is it a source of conflict?

I don’t believe in stubborn dogs. I don’t believe dogs are too independent or excited to listen. But if you create conflict, you’ll get conflict. You can choose to view fun things in agility as rewards that build your relationship, or as traps that you need to fight the dog to stay away from. If you choose the fight, you’ll probably keep fighting and eventually lose. 

We end up in conflict for many reasons. Usually, it’s the result of us not being clear and consistent in our training. I have yet to see a startline problem that is not a problem with clear criteria and good timing from the handler. Problems with off-course obstacles are often a mismatch between what we’ve thought that we’ve taught our dogs and what they actually understand.

I’m often surprised at how grown-up humans think that their pet dog owes them something. Your dog will do what you’ve taught them. Some dogs make you look good even if you’re not perfect. That’s great. But if your dog isn’t making up for your lack of consistency, it’s not their fault.