Dog agility is a sport combining the dog's speed and the owner's ability to communicate with the dog.
While most dogs can participate in dog agility, some dog breeds excel more at the sport than others. In general, the herding dogs do very well in dog agility courses, winning most of the time. The blue heeler is a herding dog that may excel at dog agility with the proper training and practice.
Blue Heeler Traits
Blue heelers, otherwise known as Australian cattle dogs, are herding style dogs with strong, medium-sized bodies. They are known for being very agile. These dogs are smart and eager to work, although they can be stubborn. Known for having tireless energy, the blue heeler is eager to put forth serious work and practice into agility training.
Agility Courses
Agility courses come in a large variety to meet the needs and talents of the different dogs and owners. The most common is the obstacle agility course, although there are jump and weave pole agility courses as well. The competitions are then divided up by the size of the dog, the age of the dog, the age of the handler and the experience level of the dog or handler.
Training a Blue Heeler
Training a blue heeler to do agility takes time. The dog should be properly trained in voice commands and be able to follow them consistently before attempting to do agility training, as the competing is all done off-leash. The blue heeler should be shown what to do and given rewards for completing the task. Completing one task correctly before moving on to the next task will help to ensure the dog does not become confused.
Competitions
Competing in dog agility with a blue heeler can be done in several ways. The American Kennel Club offers AKC agility trials in which a pedigree blue heeler can compete. However, if your blue heeler does not have papers, the American Agility Club is willing to accept any dog in the competitions. Champions are made by collecting points within a given time, and these points are earned by placing or winning in an agility competition.
Fun Is Number One
It is important to remember that even though the blue heeler is a competitive dog and it is fun to win competitions, this is not the goal of the agility trials. Instead, the agility training should work to bring you and your blue heeler closer as a team and provide you both with plenty of exercise and fun. Once the task no longer becomes fun for you and your blue heeler, it will become a job and the results will suffer.
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