I like a flat buckle to begin with...often times training collars are unnecessary.

 

I would recommend a flat buckle type collar - pinch collars, choke collars, etc... are not used in agility training.

As far as starting agility training, you should start as soon as you get your puppy. I do not mean jumping or weaving or even getting on any of the equipment. You should find a trainer in your area and start foundation training. Any age puppy (or any dog just starting) can do this. Contact position, rear end awareness, basic obedience, restrained recalls, ground work, etc... all come before using the equipment. You don't need to start jumping, weaving, or using full sized equipment until your puppy is well over a year old. You'll have tons of stuff to do in that first year of training. It's fun!!

 

As far as starting agility training, you should start as soon as you get your puppy.

Agreed! See if there is a performance puppy course in your area. Just as an example, I will be taking Darcy to the one below. I also want to get a cat tunnel for him to run through at home and will be teaching him some of the commands we will use in agility. As long as they aren't stressing their joints by jumping and weaving too much they can learn a lot of the other aspects of agility!


Who's Walking Who Welcome to Who's Walking Who!

COURSE NAME: Puppy Gymboree

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course consists of getting your puppy on proportionate pieces of agility / gym equipment to increase self confidence and to add to their structured socialization time. A great start to agility, or simply a fun way to spend an evening with your pup. If your schedule permits it, it is recommended (but not necessary) that you take in conjunction with Puppy Pre-school classes. We will cover tunnels - ramps - restrained recalls - puppy teeter - barrel - motivational games and puppy obstacle courses. Pups should be beween 12-20 weeks of age. We also recommend this class for toy breed adult dogs to help with confidence.

 

We begin when they first come home..I often have a tunnel out and a board and/or a wobble board..Flyer was in his first focus class at about 14 weeks old...

 

.Thank you AGILITY IG

As far as starting agility training, you should start as soon as you get your puppy. I do not mean jumping or weaving or even getting on any of the equipment. You should find a trainer in your area and start foundation training. Any age puppy (or any dog just starting) can do this. Contact position, rear end awareness, basic obedience, restrained recalls, ground work, etc... all come before using the equipment. You don't need to start jumping, weaving, or using full sized equipment until your puppy is well over a year old. You'll have tons of stuff to do in that first year of training. It's fun!![/QUOTE]

Thank you so much for the information, it had not occured to me to introduce him to the things you mentioned, I had just figured I would have to wait until his bones could handle it. It makes so much more sense to do it this way, how you suggested. I have begun looking into local obedience and agility training centres in my area.
Thank you for the helpful information, and I cannot wait to start with him.......I guess I better wait until he is at least born