> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://dogsports.be/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Puppy Foundations for Future Agility Dogs - URL: https://dogsports.be/en/puppy-foundations-for-agility/ - Published: 2026-03-31T16:28:21.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-07T14:40:43.000Z - Description: Your puppy is too young to jump, but not too young to learn. These safe, fun foundation exercises build the drive, body awareness and focus that make a great agility dog. - Author: Giovanni Vandewaetere - Tags: Agility, Training, Beginners, #en The best agility dogs are made long before they ever see a full-height jump. The first year of a puppy's life is the perfect time to build the skills that matter most: a love of working with you, confidence, body awareness and focus. None of that requires jumping or equipment. In fact, a young dog's growing joints need protecting from the high-impact parts of the sport. This article covers what to do, and what to avoid, with a future agility star. ## What not to do yet Puppies' bones grow from soft growth plates near the ends of the long bones. These close gradually, often by around 12 months in small breeds and up to 18 months in large breeds. Until then: - **No full-height jumps** and no repetitive jumping, even at low height. - **No full A-frame, dogwalk or seesaw** at competition height. - **No weave pole drilling.** The bending and repetition put strain on a young spine. - **No long forced exercise** such as running beside a bike. - **No slippery surfaces** for fast play. Ask your vet when your dog's growth is complete. When in doubt, wait. A few months of patience is a small price for a dog that stays sound into old age. ## Foundation 1: Play and motivation Agility runs on motivation. A dog that loves to play with *you* can be rewarded anywhere, fast. - **Tug:** play short, exciting tug sessions. Let the puppy win often. - **Out on cue:** teach the puppy to release the toy (swap for a treat or a second toy) so play stays controlled. - **Toy switching:** reward your puppy with the toy, then food, then the toy again, so it learns to enjoy both. - **Personal play:** chasing you, running games and praise. Not every reward needs an object. Keep sessions short and end while the puppy still wants more. ## Foundation 2: Focus and impulse control - **Name game:** say the puppy's name, reward eye contact. Build up to doing it with distractions. - **It's yer choice:** close your hand with treats in it; open it when the puppy backs off. The puppy learns that self-control earns rewards. - **Start-line stay (baby version):** a short sit or down, step away one pace, return and reward. Gradually add distance and excitement. - **Release word:** pick a word like "OK" or "go" that ends the stay. Never let the puppy break without it. These exercises become your start line and your ability to compete in a busy environment. ## Foundation 3: Body awareness Dogs that know where their feet are jump more safely and handle contacts better. - **Ladder walk:** lay a ladder flat on the ground and lure the puppy to walk through slowly. - **Perch work:** front paws on a low, stable platform; reward the puppy for moving its back feet around in a circle. This teaches rear-end awareness. - **Cavaletti on the ground:** poles flat on the ground, spaced for the puppy's stride, walked and trotted (not jumped). - **Wobble board:** a very low board that moves slightly. This is excellent preparation for the seesaw. Let the puppy offer to step on and reward lots. - **Backing up:** teach the puppy to walk backwards in a narrow corridor. - **Paws in a box:** reward the puppy for stepping into a cardboard box with all four paws. ## Foundation 4: Handling games - **Hand targeting:** touch your hand with the nose, on both sides. - **Following:** walk and then jog in curves with the puppy following your hand on your left, then your right. - **Circle work:** send the puppy around a cone or bucket, both clockwise and anticlockwise. - **Turn on cue:** add separate words for turning left and right (many people use "check" and "wrap", or "left" and "right"). - **Recall to heel position:** call the puppy to your left and to your right side. - **Front cross game:** walking with the puppy on your left, turn towards it and keep moving so it ends up on your right. Reward it for staying with you. ## Foundation 5: Mini-obstacles Some things are safe for puppies in moderation: - **Short, straight tunnel:** squished up so the puppy can see through. Make it a fun game. - **Bar on the ground:** walking or trotting over a pole lying flat. - **Flat board:** a plank on the ground to walk along, preparing for the dogwalk. - **Two-on, two-off:** with front feet on the ground and back feet on a low board, reward the position. This is the foundation of stopped contacts. - **Channel weaves:** if your club agrees, wide-open poles that the puppy simply runs through. No bending. ## Foundation 6: Socialisation and confidence An agility competition is noisy and busy: barking dogs, loudspeakers, tents, crowds. Prepare your puppy gently: - Take it to a few training sessions or competitions just to watch, with plenty of treats and play. - Practise eating and playing in new places. - Get it used to being handled, measured and touched by strangers (useful for vet checks and measuring). - Introduce noises such as clattering poles and the bang of a seesaw from a distance, paired with good things. - Teach the puppy to relax in a crate or on a mat. Competition days involve a lot of waiting. ## A sample week | Day | Session (5–10 minutes each) | | --- | -------------------------------------------- | | Mon | Tug and out, name game | | Tue | Perch work, hand targets both sides | | Wed | Rest or a walk in a new place | | Thu | Ladder walk, circle work around a cone | | Fri | Start-line stay, release word, tug as reward | | Sat | Visit a club or competition, watch and play | | Sun | Wobble board, two-on two-off on a low board | ## When to start "real" agility Most clubs welcome young dogs in a puppy or foundation group, and start real obstacles gradually from around 12 months, adapting heights to the dog's development. Full competition training normally follows once growth is complete. When you get there, our guide [How to Start Agility With Your Dog](https://dogsports.be/en/how-to-start-agility/) picks up where this one leaves off. In Belgium, official agility competitions under **VOE** and KKUSH are open from 18 months, and each organisation, including **DSAB**, has its own entry rules. See [How to Start Competing in Agility in Belgium](https://dogsports.be/en/competing-in-agility-in-belgium/) for the details. That gives you more than a year of foundations, so use it well. ## Further reading - [Fitness, Warm-Up and Injury Prevention for Agility Dogs](https://dogsports.be/en/agility-fitness-and-injury-prevention/) - [Agility Handling Techniques](https://dogsports.be/en/agility-handling-techniques/) - [Best Dog Breeds for Agility](https://dogsports.be/en/best-dog-breeds-for-agility/)