Introduction to Dog Agility

by Margaret H. Bonham

Book Overview

This newly updated edition will be welcomed by canine agility enthusiasts. The author, a professional dog trainer, tells owners how to evaluate a dog's physical fitness and readiness for agility... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764114395
• ISBN13: 9780764114397
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: B.E.S. Publishing
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Agility Fan

I got into Agility a year ago, this was one of my first books. It's easy to read and understandable. It has lots of great information and it's all easy to follow. Highly recommend.

Great beginners book

This is a very good book for the novice agility competitor. I use the diagrams for training in the back of the book for my agility classes. If you are just looking into this extreemly fun sport or just want a good book to read or are involved in Agility, get this book! It explains all about NADAC, USDAA, UKC, AKC, in every category, and more!

Wowee! What a great book!

My newly-aquired shelter dog "Ticket" and I are new to agility. We are taking classes, but I wanted to learn as much as I could on my own. I did some research on books and decided to purchase Ms. Bonham's "Introduction to Agility" - and boy, did I make the right decision! This is an excellent book loaded with color photos, diagrams, and easy-to-follow instructions for training. She gives ideas on how to make agility equipment such as jumps, the tire, weave poles, etc. She also explains the rules of agility according to the various organizations that hold trials. I am very happy with my purchase! This book is so much more than what I thought it would be.

The Perfect Start For You and Your Dog

I purchased this book in anticipation of adopting a mixed breed from my local shelter. Cracker Jack is a australian shepard/sheltie mix who I thought would be the perfect dog for me to start with agility training. This book is so helpful in learning the skills myself and with the teaching of the skills to my dog. The color photos are wonderful, much better than having fuzzy black and white photos as in the other books offered, and the book is a very clear, concise, easy to read, step by step manual. The most suprising thing was that it showed not just the standard breed of dog that comes to my mind for agility (i.e. australian shepards, shelties, border collies, golden retrievers, etc.) but it also showed a wide range of other dogs who can benefit and succeed from agility training and competition like the terriers, corgis, even the bulldog and even the giant great danes! I highly recommend this well planned and designed book for anyone interested in agility training of your dog (no matter what the breed or size!) and for those who simply want to strengthen their bond with their pet.

Fun Introduction to a Fun Sport

I waited to buy a dog agility book until this was published, and I am glad I did. Everything about the book smacks of quality, from the gorgeous color photos to the full color layout to the little notes and tips. She carefully avoids the impersonal "it" by naming fictional dogs "Ace" and "Sierra". It is a clever invention that really does help in making the material more understandable. It is attention to details like this that make it better than some books I've browsed and declined to buy.The book covers most aspects of the sport, from selecting a breed to giving the actual agility rules from the various governing bodies (including the UKC!). She gives instructions on how to build some backyard agility equipment; I've already built the tire jump from her plans, and it was effortless. I wish she had given plans for some of the harder equipment, like teeter boards or A-frames, but those are bigger projects requiring some thought anyways.Her large section on handling and sequencing seems overly long... until you try it on your own. I'll swallow my pride and admit now that it is tougher than it looked. I am glad she spent a lot of space on this important information. I'll now go back and carefully read this section over again.This is a book I won't quickly outgrow. I feel like it will be useful all the way through my first few trials, and then some. And all the while, it will look dang good on my coffee table!I'm glad I waited for it!