The dog is man’s best friend and for many dog owners, dog sport is just as much a part of everyday life as daily walks with their beloved four-legged friend. Dog sport is not only fun for the dog and owner, but also good training for the dog’s body and mind. Especially dogs that have a handicap or are already at an advanced age can be kept fit and healthy with the still new sport degility. In this article, we will show you exactly what degility is and what a course looks like.
What is Degility?
Degility is a dog sport. This is very close to the much better-known agility and was developed from the agility exercises. While agility focuses on speed and elegance and the course for the dogs is very demanding with hurdles, tunnels, slalom, and seesaw, degility is primarily geared towards the individual four-legged friend and is particularly suitable for dogs with disabilities and restrictions. Older dogs, animals with disabilities, or dogs that suffer from breed-specific limitations, which are becoming more common, cannot handle normal agility, but owners still want to be active with their animals. The adapted course stimulates the animals and can improve their mobility.
How does degility work?
The way Degility works is simple, it slows down the agility course and eliminates all the elements that require the dog to jump. In addition, it is adapted to the respective dog. If the dog has a restriction, this will be taken into account. It’s not about time or perfection, but should be stress-free, species-appropriate training that promotes dog and owner and strengthens the dog’s muscles, coordination, and memory. The dog should not be overwhelmed and still gain quality of life and mobility through the exercises.
However, degility does not only work for dogs with disabilities, even animals that are very nervous can learn more patience with the slow exercises and strengthen the bond with their people. In contrast to the stipulated agility course, there is no fixed training equipment for the degility, rather, depending on the dog and its ability, various obstacles are set up, which are primarily based on sure-footedness and work on the ground.
What is Degility?
Degility is a dog sport that focuses particularly on groundwork and avoids hurdles and other obstacles that are too stressful for disabled or older dogs. Degility is designed for calmness and concentration in the dog and the owner and not, as in agility, for perfection and speed.
Why is degility useful for dogs?
Degility has several advantages for the dog and is much more than just a sporty balance. In addition, degility is also a very good dog sport for beginners, since the owner can slowly approach the individual exercises and the interaction with the dog.
Influence on physical exertion
Every dog needs meaningful physical and mental exercise, and dog exercise is the best way to keep your dog physically active alongside regular walks. Dogs with a handicap or dogs that are already advanced in age and animals with breed-specific disabilities, despite their peculiarities and problems, have a natural need for physical activity. However, this must be adapted to the respective dog.
This is exactly where Degility comes in, with regular training, the fur nose can work itself out at Degility without being overwhelmed and, in the best case, can even get more mobility. Because the gentle training strengthens muscles, stimulates nerves and lame dogs can often regain part of their ability to walk. Old dogs, on the other hand, do not rust, stay fit longer and can also keep themselves healthy with exercise. Ultimately, it should keep the dog busy and give it a little more quality of life, despite its limitations.
Impact on mental workload
Degility is not only there for the physical workload of the four-legged friend, but also for the mental workload. The dog must concentrate on the individual obstacles in order to overcome them successfully. The slow and task-oriented approach of degility in particular is a mental peak performance for the dog. Especially since the structure of the course and the obstacles alternate and new obstacles can always be installed, the sport always remains a challenge for the dog, allowing it to think again and look for solutions to the tasks.
Bond between dog and owner
The exercises in degility are structured in such a way that the owner leads his dog through the course. This close cooperation also strengthens the bond with the dog. The dog learns together with its human to overcome an obstacle and that its owner can guide it through such situations. This helps anxious dogs in particular, which can also gain some self-confidence through the moments of success. Puppies that are very good at degility will bond with their owners quickly and will enjoy the exercises.
Why is degility useful for dogs?
Degility makes sense for the dog because it promotes muscle growth, exercises the dog in a species-appropriate manner and can help it gain more mobility and help an anxiety dog to cope better with everyday life. Even aggressive dogs can be physically and mentally challenged with Degility, making them easier to handle.
Typical degility course
The typical degility course doesn’t really exist, because the course is always adapted to the needs and characteristics of the respective dog. Nevertheless, there are a few things that are repeated in degility and should not be missing in any good course. These include the tunnel, different surfaces designed to stimulate the dogs’ paws and legs, small obstacles that lie flat on the ground, rustling tarps on the ground, and much more.
Tips for training
To ensure that the training runs smoothly, we have put together a few tips for you. For example, it is important to give the dog a reward for every exercise so that it has a sense of achievement. When training, stress, and pressure should be avoided, the entire exercise should be designed positively. If an exercise is too difficult for the dog, it should be stopped and the dog should still feel accomplished and the owner should continue to motivate him.
Another tip applies to implementing the Degility Parcours. Of course, such a course can also be built yourself if the dog owner has the necessary space and the manual skills. However, we recommend that you only practice the sport with the accompaniment of an experienced dog trainer. Because beginners in particular often overwhelm their dogs because they overlook the subtle signs of stress in the dog. In addition, dog trainers usually have ready-made equipment and the obstacles can also vary. Degility is now offered by private trainers and by some dog clubs.
Which dogs are suitable for degility?
Various groups of dogs are suitable for degility. In general, of course, any dog can practice degility as a dog sport, but the activity is actually intended for dogs with disabilities. This includes the following dogs in particular:
- Four-legged friends suffering from specific diseases of the breed
- Old dogs
- Fur noses who suffer from restricted mobility
- Scared dogs
- Under-challenged and aggressive dogs that need a balance
- Young dogs who are not allowed to jump
Which dogs are particularly suitable?
Dogs that get a better quality of life and become more mobile through muscle building through training are particularly well suited. This includes older dogs and dogs recovering from serious injury or neglect. However, there are no limitations in degility, if the owner is interested in the sport and the dog also wants to work together, any dog can do this encouraging but not overloading sport.
Which dogs are suitable for degility?
Degility is suitable for every breed of dog and for every dog age. The special thing about the new sport is that the dogs are kept busy without overstraining them and that the most important thing is to work calmly and concentrate on the dog. Of course, animals that cannot practice any other dog sport due to an impairment are particularly suitable, because the new trend sport was developed for these animals, and veterinarians and experts also support degility.
When can you start with Degility?
Because there are no obstacles in degility that would require the dog to jump or otherwise overload its bones, joints, and muscles, degility can begin as a puppy. Dog sport is even very well suited for young dogs, as they gain self-confidence, have a species-appropriate workload, and learn to master tasks together with their humans.
Does the dog have to know certain basic commands?
Degility is suitable for absolute beginners and the dog does not need to know any specific commands beforehand. However, he should already be used to a harness and a leash, as he should complete the course on a leash at the beginning and only later when freewheeling. Basic commands can be an advantage, however, since the dog has already learned to work with its owner, and this is quickly caught up in degility training if the dog does not yet know any commands.
What do I have to fulfill as a dog owner?
As a dog owner, you don’t need any sporting skills or previous knowledge either. It is important to have the will to work together with the dog and to approach the sport with fun and patience. The focus should always be on the species-appropriate utilization of the animal and stress-free and fun training. It is advisable, especially for first-time dog owners, to train the degility in a club or with a trained dog trainer. Here, too, people get the appropriate guidance and help to get off to a good start with the still new sport.
Do I have to be physically fit?
In agility, not only the dog should be sporty, but also its owner, since he also runs part of the course. Since degility is always calm, the owner does not have to be so sporty. It is enough if he can bend down to his dog without any problems in order to lead him over the obstacles and, if necessary, to lure him with a treat. Otherwise, it’s not a problem if the owner isn’t too sporty or has a limitation himself. The main thing is that he is motivated and wants to work with his dog.
What should the bond with the dog be like?
The dog should have a positive attitude towards its owner. Since Degility is also suitable for puppies and scared dogs, a previously missing bond can be worked on during training. But the dog should not be afraid of his human and should trust him. Everything else will come about during the training and the joint successes of dog and owner. Because degility is ideal for strengthening and improving the bond and trust between dog and owner.
When do you start with Degility?
Puppies can start with degility as it is a very gentle sport. But there is no classic age to start with, older dogs benefit from the exhausting and stimulating sport as do young dogs and animals in their prime. Rather, it is a question of enthusiasm and whether the owner is ready for a dog sport, his four-legged friend can only benefit from it.
Tips to get you started: How your dog learns Degility
Once you have found a dog school or a trainer, nothing stands in the way of a successful start. It is best to start the first training session by having special treats for your dog with you and preferably not feeding them before training. As a result, he is more motivated and stays focused longer because he wants his reward.
Lead your dog to the start of the course and lead him to the first obstacle by holding a treat in front of his nose so that he runs straight after the treat. Since he has the reward right in front of his nose, he will quickly overcome the obstacle. If the dog has overcome the obstacle, he immediately gets his reward. Insecure dogs should even be rewarded in between. During the later exercises, the dog does not need the treat right in front of its nose and can even be guided through the course with commands. This means that even experienced dogs can work without stress and at a leisurely pace.
Where can I train degility?
Degility is now offered by many dog schools and trainers, if a dog club or dog school offers a sports program for older dogs, they usually also offer degility. If there really is no one around, you can build a course yourself. However, it is always advisable to consult a trainer.
Is my dog suitable for degility?
In the first place, any dog is suitable for degility, there are no special qualities or conditions to start training. However, most clubs and trainers require that the dog must have complete vaccination protection and sometimes also that the dog has liability insurance. Attention should be paid to this if the dog is to practice the sport on a dog training ground or in a dog school. Otherwise, a preliminary talk is always advisable and the dog should have the OK from the veterinarian. Even though degility is a very gentle sport and helps with problems, there are dogs who are already too ill for the exercises.
