Obstacles in training

​Why obstacles are the best part of dog training...
What is considered an obstacle? Obstacles are one of my favorite training challenges to do with any and every dog. Obstacles are anything that is novel, or new, in your dogs environment. It does haven't to be extravagant but it has to be new, or at least approached in a new way.
What can you do? You can ask your dog to anything you like with the new object such as: look at it, sniff it, step on it, walk through it, jump over it, crawl under it, etc.
But why? The short answer is obstacle work,when done right, builds confidence and improves trust on both ends of the leash. Your dog learns to do something he wouldn't do naturally, and often with things that start out looking scary. For example a rolling cart; it moves when you touch it, it makes rattly noises, and generally looks strange to your dog. These objects can start out as a point of potential fear or anxiety but when you change the way your dog feels about them, and reward them for bravery these objects become magical sources of snacks. The more often your dog approaches a strange object and gets rewarded for it the more likely they're going to be to not fear new things in their daily life. They will be braver all around. And since they are braver and less stressed you'll be less stressed too. In addition to bravery, obstacle training is excellent mental stimulation and can be added into daily walks (empty playgrounds are the best). It also helps your dog workout muscles they wouldn't usually use making them stronger, more agile, and more coordinated as they learn to deliberately place their limbs.
How to do it: Start SMALL. Introduce something new, it could be a different textured mat on the floor, a cardboard box, a singing fish decoration, or even a rolling cart. Let them look at it. When they do that, reward them with treats or praise. Telling them "yes! I want you to pay attention to how fun this is!" Then let them sniff or touch it and reward for that too. "Isn't this new thing amazing?" From there depending on what you're working with you can try having them step on it paying them with treats and praise IMMEDIATELY. Make sure to start with a stable surface though. Tiny steps will be important here. One paw forward is still forward. And let them step back if they need to, its not supposed to be stressful. Every new inch of ground they gain should be paid. IF SOMETHING SCARY HAPPENS, your cart moves weirdly or the fish head jumps up singing, PAY YOUR DOG. Reward them when they're nervous and unsure and you're telling them "Hey that was weird but see its still good!" If they are a little nervous go back a step and make it fun again, there's no pressure. As they get better and better you can get more creative with what you ask for. But always keep it fun, and when they're done they're done and save it for another day.
Add in obstacles to training with any dog of any age, breed or size. The benefits are numerous, and its a great source of fun and relationship building for both of you. Its not about doing competition