Dachshund Agility Training Tools

Originating in Germany, the short streamlined dachshund was originally designed to run through burrows to hunt badgers. To take on the much larger and strong badger, dachshunds are typically bold and without fear. Today, this breed retains these characteristics, even as family pets. Without proper direction and training, the dachshund's temperament and behavior can cause aggravation for their owners. Agility training can help dachshunds to focus their hunting instincts and abilities in a positive manner.

  1. Agility Jumps

    • These jumps are usually long, horizontal poles attached at each end to tall poles. This agility feat is an obvious training challenge for any dachshund's short legs and height. To master the agility poles, dachshund trainers start with the pole nearly touching the ground, slowly raising the pole over time as the dog becomes more adept at jumping higher. Competitive dachshunds in the higher classes reach surprising heights over agility jumps.

    Agility Tunnels

    • The tunnels at agility competitions are usually where the dachshund shines. Typically, the tunnels are made of cloth type material of varying lengths. With the dachshund's history of hunting through tunnels, this is normally the easiest maneuver to accomplish.

    Weave Poles

    • Weave poles are simple poles that dogs weave around and are considered a difficult maneuver for any dog and their trainer. Dogs prefer to go the straightest and most sensible route, making weaving an unnatural behavior to train. Only in the advanced classes will dogs encounter the weave poles. In addition to the challenge of weave poles, the dachshund's short legs pose additional problems in running the weave poles. According to the Dachshund Club of America, the "metal bases tend to get hot and most small dogs end up touching/stepping on the bases more than longer-legged breeds...you will find a lot of dogs popping out of the weave poles."

    Rewards

    • The types of rewards used become an important and essential tool in agility training. Using rewards that dachshunds naturally want to work for makes training for agility competitions that much easier. Food is often a primary reward that any dog will work for. Dachshunds however, being a hunting dog, will often work even harder for a lure or tug-of-war toy that simulates the catch at the end of a hunt---in this case, the agility course being the hunting grounds.