Hoopers: Gentle agility training

Being active together with your furry friend is good for you and strengthens your bond! However, many dog sports are less suitable for dogs that tend to have joint diseases or are a little slower in their old age. Other four-legged friends are overwhelmed by the competition or the hectic pace of some sports and simply feel more comfortable in a quiet environment.

This is where Hoopers-Agility comes into play! In this dog sport, the four-legged friend and dog owner run through a course that is also easy for physically challenged dogs to master. In hoopers agility, it's your own pace that counts - so you can take your pet down a gear, but still stay active.

What is Hoopers and how does it work?

The young dog sport from the USA has not been known in Europe for long. It was only in 2019 that test tournaments of various teams took place, after which a first set of rules was established in Germany in 2020.

Similar to the dog sport agility, your furry friend has to overcome an obstacle course. However, there are fixed rules for agility that can make the sport more difficult for limited four-legged friends - for example, due to jumps.

These are the advantages of Hoopers-Agility for you and your dog:

• Choose obstacles freely: The obstacle course is adapted to the needs and strengths of your pet. Gates, barrels, bends or tunnels - you can decide how many obstacles you want to use and how far apart they are, because you know your furry friend best!

• Own pace: The subtle difference to other sports is that the course does not have to be mastered by your darling in any set time. The main thing is that the course is run through - a welcome arrangement for senior dogs in particular, which makes this type of active activity ideal for older dogs.

• Limited area for you as the dog handler: It is also quieter for you as the dog handler during the course. To guide your pelt-nose through the course, you guide it with the help of acoustic signals or visual signals instead of running alongside it.

Requirements for Hoopers-Agility

Whether beginners, seniors or experienced agility participants who now want to take it easier - at Hoopers, every breed and every dog whose health allows for a little physical exercise is welcome.

However, both the human and the dog should enjoy working together - only then is there a chance of successful cooperation as a dog-human team. Because the leadership system takes place at a distance, your four-legged friend should know the most important basic commands.

This is how the Hoopers training could be

At Hoopers Agility you can

• Hoops, arches through your four-legged friend can run,

• Tunnels,

• Tons und

• Integrate gates (fences) into the obstacle course.

You communicate which direction your furry friend should walk in by means of distance work, i.e. acoustic commands, body language or visual signals.

Before you start your individually designed course together, it is worth rehearsing these signals:

• "Outside": Your dog should run around the obstacle at this signal.

• "Away": Your quadruped should move away from you.

• “Left”: Your dog should run to the left.

• “Right”: Your pelt-nose should run to the right.

Once the commands are in place, you can do simple exercises, for example, having your dog cross hoops, march through tunnels or run in a slalom.

Have you got a taste for Hoopers agility and want to try it out? Then enquire at your dog school: there you will find a wide range of equipment, helpful tips and an exchange with other Hoopers enthusiasts.