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Racetrack Dog Trainer

Dog training using a racetrack is a great way to make the whole training process enjoyable and fun for your dog. And perhaps the best aspect of racetrack training is that you can do it yourself. You don’t need a specially educated racetrack dog trainer.

In fact, there is no formal category for racetrack dog trainers, although specialized dog trainers often create racetracks, especially obstacle racetracks, is they’re training racing dogs like greyhounds. Some police dog and guide dog trainers also use obstacle racetracks to train their dogs.

But for the average dog owner, making even simple obstacle racetracks is a very effective tool to make training your dog more enjoyable for you and your pooch.

You need a little bit of manual ability to create an obstacle racetrack to train your dog, but you don’t need to have advanced carpentry skills.

A few things to keep in mind when creating your dog’s run track are:

· The safety of the material that the track is made out of. All wood must be sanded and varnished or painted using non-toxic, possibly eco-friendly varnish or paint.

· Tables and boards need to be sturdy.

· Any jumping bars need to tumble at the slightest touch.

Also make sure to plan the obstacle racetrack in an area that you can leave it in for a long period of time without disrupting your family and social life.

Include the following for your dog in your self-made obstacle racetrack.

1. A tunnel. Stay away from anything that’s dark and long. This is intimidating for your dog and he’ll be too afraid to try the tunnel. Instead, build a short tunnel that lets in lots of light. Blankets or tent fabric over a wooden frame will work well. Make sure the tunnel is big enough for your dog.

2. A ramp. This is self-explanatory. But be warned. A ramp can be very slippery if wet. You may want to put some sort of grippers or padding on the ramp.

3. A slalom. A slalom is a few bars (usually at least five) that are separated from each other and that your dog can jump over. These jumping bars need to be loose enough so that they’ll easily fall if your dog can’t make a jump and nicks them.

Before you begin using the obstacle racetrack as a training tool, make sure your dog understands basic obedience commands. Most dogs become very excited at the idea of playing with such a new, fascinating toy. If your dog seems uninterested, check into the reasons why he lacks motivation. The racetrack might be too big or too small, but more likely your dog either has health problems that should be checked out, or he’s simply exhausted.