Trixie Agility Slalom

The agility poles are suitable for various setup options with different levels of difficulty. They come complete with a guideline featuring a scale. Regular exercise keeps your dog fit and promotes a healthy and long life.

Details:

• Create a varied fitness program for your dog
  - Exercise keeps your dog fit and promotes a healthy and long life
  - Shared activities strengthen your bond and build trust
  - Rustproof ground stakes with protective caps
  - Includes a guideline with a scale
  - Easy assembly and disassembly of the slalom course
  - Includes a nylon carrying bag
  - Space-saving storage
  - Dimensions: 115 cm length x 3 cm diameter
  - 12 poles

General Instructions:

1. Always warm up your dog before exercise (a short run or some light exercises).

2. Never exercise on a full stomach or feed your dog immediately after exercise. Light snacks as rewards are permitted.

3. Gradually increase the demands on your dog to avoid overexertion.

4. Adapt the exercise to your dog, taking into account their breed, age, aptitude, and size.

5. Allow sufficient breaks during training so your dog continues to enjoy the activity. Always provide a bowl of water and allow your dog a short rest after drinking.

6. Remember that training should always end on a positive note.

7. Puppies and growing dogs should only be trained after consulting a veterinarian to avoid potential health problems.

Important: Pet and praise your dog during training – this motivates them and builds trust.

Assembly Instructions:
Set up the poles in a straight line, approximately 50-65 cm apart. Use the included guide string for this. If you plan to participate in competitions with your dog later, you should start with a 60 cm spacing. A corresponding mark is provided on the guide string. The guide string must be removed after assembly, as it poses a risk of injury to both you and your dog.

The fitness training can begin:

Learning the slalom is the most difficult and time-consuming exercise in agility. Please plan plenty of time for training and be patient. Increase the difficulty level gradually and conduct only short training sessions so that your dog continues to enjoy the activity together.

1. Start training with 8 poles and later increase the number to 10 to 12.

2. In a competition, the dog always starts the slalom from the right (so the first pole is on the dog's left). If you intend to participate in competitions later, you should train accordingly.

3. Give a command such as "Slalom" at the start of the slalom.

4. Repeat each training phase several times to ensure your dog understands and can complete it without difficulty.

5. When your dog runs through the slalom, always praise them extensively afterward. You can occasionally reward them with a small treat.

6. If you have little experience in dog training or plan to participate in competitions during your training, it is advisable to train additionally at a dog school or dog sports club. This will help you avoid potential training mistakes and receive tips from an experienced trainer.

6. The training phases:

You can set up the training slalom in two different ways. The goal is the same in both cases.

V-shaped setup:
Using the guide rope, set up the poles in a straight line so that the slalom course resembles a 'V' when viewed from the front. Guide your dog through the poles by enticing them with a toy or treat. At the end of the slalom, reward your dog with some playful interaction with the toy or treat.

As training progresses, your dog should become so excited about the reward at the end of the slalom that you will need to entice them less and less. However, increase the difficulty only as carefully as possible so that your dog doesn't miss any poles.

Once your dog is managing the slalom relatively independently, you can gradually increase the speed. Make sure your dog doesn't jump over the angled poles. The V-shaped slalom should be set up with a slightly steeper incline until it is almost vertical at the end. At this point, your dog will need guidance again: Start with a slow run and plenty of guidance. As with the previous V-shaped setup, you can then gradually reduce the guide and increase the speed.

Setting up a lane:

Arrange the poles in two parallel lines to create a lane that is initially wide enough for you and your dog to walk through. From above, this will create a zigzag shape. Guide your dog through the lane by luring them with a toy or treat. At the end of the lane, reward your dog with some playful interaction with the toy or treat. Repeat the exercise several times before narrowing the lane to avoid overwhelming your dog. Then, position the poles so close together that only your dog can fit through while you walk alongside.

As training progresses, your dog should become so excited about the reward at the end of the lane that you will need to lure them less and less.

If you feel your dog is navigating the slalom course independently, you can make it even narrower. Then, give your dog more guidance to ensure they don't miss any poles as they begin to move through the slalom. Repeat this process until you can arrange the poles in a straight line. Now you can gradually reduce the guidance and increase the speed.

If your dog enjoys slalom training, you can challenge them further with a hurdle (item no. 3207-TRXI). This is an agility piece of equipment that allows your dog to practice jumping.