How to Agility-Train a Miniature Schnauzer

Miniature schnauzers are small dogs that have several attributes that lend to ease in agility training. These dogs are bright and eager to please. They have short strides and can make tight turns, which are positives that make up for what they may lack in speed. Keep a positive attitude while training, and remember that agility tasks are best learned by your dog when it has fun during the training.

Instructions

    • 1

      Engage in obedience training for your miniature schnauzer before its first birthday. Agility training starts at 12 months, and obedience is a requirement for success. Agility competition starts at 18 months of age.

    • 2

      Set up training posts for your dog to start learning to weave. This is the most difficult agility task and takes the longest to learn. Training posts are a set of posts that are close together, but far enough apart for your dog to go through without weaving. Over the weeks of training, the posts are pushed closer and closer together until the dog is weaving through them slalom style.

    • 3

      Reward your dog with each successful attempt at an agility task. Praise and a treat are appropriate rewards.

    • 4

      Work with your dog on learning the skills necessary for jumps, the see-saw, tunnels and other agility course tasks. Teach the miniature schnauzer from the start to touch its marks at the end of each task, rewarding it for its behavior.

    • 5

      Contact a local agility training club for access to professionals or those with experience in training. It is important not to train your dog in poor technique, as reversing that training is very difficult. Books about agility training are also available.

    • 6

      Be consistent during training. Choose a reward system and be sure that everyone who works with your dog uses the same system to avoid confusion. Keep a positive attitude and make agility training into play for your dog so that it will stay interested and respond positively.