Sepia Saturday - D is for Drive

Whilst training and competing with your dog in agility, you must find something which will motivate your dog, and therefore build and create drive. Drive means something to inspire your dog to do his best, run fast, and follow you. It's a need and a want to desperately do something. In this case, run in agility at his best. Building drive will also help your dog enjoy agility to the full, and find running in the ring a thrilling experience.

Happy and driven

Motivation links very much into drive; it is almost the same exact idea. Motivation can be in the form of food rewards, toy rewards, or simple praise from you. Every dog is different, and you should work hard to discover what 'makes your dog tick'. For my Earl, high value food rewards go a long way. Also, when training agility, you should always give your dog more high value rewards than the rewards you give for your dog sitting, for example. And only give these special rewards for agility only. Then he will be more driven to work for them!

So, as you can see, drive is extra important in helping your dog love and succeed in agility. As, without drive and motivation, even if it is just your encouraging voice, agility would not be as thrilling an experience as it is with something wonderful to work for. For example, you give your young child the option of a large cupcake for doing the dishes, or nothing. He will learn to enjoy doing the dishes, because he now associates doing the dishes with lovely cupcakes!

We are joining Ruckus The Eskie and cohosting here at Earl's World! the Sepia Saturday Blog Hop. We send thanks to our fellow host and you can join in below.