When considering agility dog training, many individuals concentrate on instructing their dogs to maneuver through obstacles such as jumps, tunnels, and weave poles. However, Cassie Evans, an agility dog instructor at DePaw Dog Sports in Leander, Texas, highlights another essential aspect that is frequently neglected: canine fitness.
Cassie has been training in agility and dog sports since 2019. Initially working in technology consulting, she developed a passion for dog training while preparing to adopt her first sport dog. She began volunteering at Austin Pets Alive and reading extensively on dog training before bringing home Simba, a rescue Aussie x American Eskimo mix.
"Training Simba from an incredibly fearful, insecure puppy into a (mostly) functional, confident sport dog has been an incredible learning experience for me," Cassie shares.
Today, Cassie and Simba compete in Agility and Disc, and she is also training her 1-year-old border collie, Apollo, in Agility, Disc, Dock Diving, and Herding. At DePaw Dog Sports, Cassie coaches agility teams and helps handlers develop well-rounded, competitive agility dogs.
In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of fitness training for agility dogs through Cassie’s expert insights, diving into why fitness is a game-changer in the sport.
The Essential Training Beyond Obstacles
When asked what training is essential for an agility dog to become serious in the sport, Cassie explained:
"Everyone knows dogs have to learn all of the obstacles to do agility, but there are a few other areas that are also extremely important and oftentimes overlooked because they're less flashy and exciting. General obedience (for start-line stays, etc.) and focusing around distractions are some of the less flashy foundational skills that people will train because, without those, you can't even get the course started."
One of the biggest oversights in dog agility training, however, is canine fitness. Cassie elaborates:"The area that gets overlooked the most that's necessary to compete at a high level is canine fitness. Dogs need to have body awareness to be able to safely and successfully get through an agility course. Most dogs don't even know they have rear feet until we teach them, much less how to safely and efficiently jump, turn, accelerate, decelerate, and everything else we ask them to do on an agility course."
Many handlers assume that simply running their dog through courses is enough, but Cassie makes an important comparison:
"I can't think of any high-impact human sport where the players train only by playing the sport and never doing any strength or conditioning work. Asking your dog to do agility without cross-training fitness is essentially the same thing."
Just like human athletes train beyond their sport, agility dogs need fitness training to build strength, improve body control, and reduce injury risks.
The Differences Between a Fit Dog and an Untrained Dog
When asked whether there’s a noticeable difference between a dog that has been through canine fitness training and one that hasn’t, Cassie responded:
"Absolutely – dogs that are consistently trained in fitness often have better jumping form and are able to turn more tightly, which creates a better/faster line. They can be more confident (and safer) on the dog walk and other contact equipment because they have better proprioception and body awareness."
Dogs that lack fitness training may appear reckless or out of control on the course, while conditioned dogs move with precision:
"They're able to accelerate quickly and collect when they need to. You can tell when you watch them run that they're more in control of their bodies, instead of just throwing themselves around. It's a beautiful thing to watch a fit dog run an agility course."
This insight highlights how fitness training improves a dog’s performance, leading to smoother runs, better turns, and a stronger competitive edge.
Injury Prevention: The Most Important Benefit of Canine Fitness
Beyond improving performance, fitness training plays a crucial role in preventing injuries. When asked about this, Cassie shared:
"We talked about better performance, but the other benefit is injury prevention. Like I said above, fit dogs are more in control of their bodies, which means they're less likely to get injured."
Agility is a high-impact sport that puts significant strain on a dog's body. Cassie explains:
"Agility is a very high-impact sport. When everything goes well, your dog's body is dealing with landing from jumps, sharp acceleration, deceleration, and turning, and impact from contact obstacles. Sometimes things go poorly and our dogs can fall off the dog walk, slip over a jump, or slip and fall inside a tunnel, among other things. Preparing their bodies for all of these things is our responsibility."
One of the most insightful takeaways from Cassie is her view on movement and injury risk:
"I recently heard a fitness trainer say, 'There is no movement that is bad for the body; there is only movement for which the body is not prepared,' and I couldn't agree more with that statement (for both canine and human fitness)."
Fitness training ensures that a dog's body is prepared for the physical demands of agility, making them less likely to suffer from injuries. And in the event that an injury does occur, having a foundation in fitness can significantly speed up recovery.
"If you've already trained fitness with your dog, you won't have to teach them the foundational skills, and there's a good chance they'll already know how to do some, if not all, of their rehab exercises."
This means that a well-conditioned dog will not only be less likely to get hurt but will also recover faster if they do.
Final Thoughts: Why Every Agility Dog Needs Fitness Training
Through Cassie's insights, one thing is clear: canine fitness training is a crucial yet often neglected part of agility dog training.
By incorporating strength, conditioning, and body awareness exercises into your training routine, you’ll help your dog:
✔ Run with better form, tighter turns, and more control
✔ Feel confident and safe on contact obstacles
✔ Prevent injuries and recover faster if they do get hurt
As Cassie emphasizes, "Asking your dog to do agility without cross-training fitness is essentially the same thing" as expecting a human athlete to perform without any strength or conditioning work.
If you want your agility dog to perform at their best while staying strong, fast, and injury-free, it’s time to make canine fitness training a priority. For more information on canine fitness or agility training, feel free to contact our local Austin Dog Trainers at Venture Dog Training or DePaw Dog Sports.
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