Agility is one of the most popular dog sports out there. It is a sport where a handler must guide a dog through a set course of obstacles. In competitions dogs and handlers are judged for accuracy and speed. From beginners, where they must do mostly jumps to very advanced, where all obstacles are judged and timed.
A regular agility course usually includes the following obstacles to challenge a dog and his handler:
Jumps are 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 inches depending on the height of the dog and can be in the form of a tire, regular poles, or paddles.
A tunnel to go through which can be short or long, in a straight line or even have bends in it.
A chute which is a tunnel that has a long fabric train on it, making it look like the tunnel is closed on one end.
A dog walk, which is a set of planks about a foot wide and several feet long that form a ramp going up, a plank several feet off the ground where they walk and another ramp going down. These vary by length and height depending on the level of competition.
An A-frame is composed of two wide planks 3ft wide by 9ft attached to form an “A” , the dog runs up one side and down the other.
A teeter or seesaw is about one foot wide by 12 feet long, and you guessed it, the pup must run up one side until their weight tips the plank and then run down the other side.
The dog walk, “A” frame and teeter have contact zones to ensure accuracy of the obstacle and the dog’s safety.
The table or pause box shows a lot of self control as the pup is asked to stay for a certain amount of time without moving.
Weave poles, similar to a slalom are a set of 5 to 12 upright poles about 3 ft tall and spaced ever 24 inches. Weave poles are considered the hardest obstacle to master, the dogs must weave in and out through the spaces, always starting with the first weave pole on their left and without skipping any poles.
Agility is not only a fun competition to watch but it is also super fun to take part in. It is also great as a way to bond with your dog or tire out an energetic dog. You can set up a few dog jumps, tunnels and contact obstacles in your back yard. Once your dog gets the hang of things, you can start to put things together into a short course. At first your dog should be rewarded for completing every obstacle, as he becomes more proficient he will begin to find each obstacle a rewarding experience in itself. And eventually at the end of each run he can get a fun game of tug or a food treat if he prefers that. Most dog and handler pairs in agility begin working closely together and as they master the obstacles they are able to work from farther away allowing them to gain speed.
Due to the growing demand for agility, classes for beginners all the way through masters can be easily found. Even competitions start at a basic level that are easy to get into, so you can begin testing your dog quite early on in their agility careers.
This sport relies on a dog that can take directions well. Since the handler will be pointing out which obstacle is next, the dog must often look back at the handler for guidance. This dog sport also requires a handler that is quite fit as he or she will need to run around the ring with the dog to be able to point out the next obstacle. This is not to say that dogs that are a bit wild won’t be able to do it. It is a great way to direct a wild dog’s energy into something positive.
While any dog over 15 months can sign up for competitions, not every dog will enjoy all obstacles. It is important that both you and your dog enjoy this activity. Even older dogs might like it, with lower jumps and slightly slower runs.
If you are interested in watching an agility trial, Dallas Dog Sports at Myers Park & Event Center (7117 CR 166,McKinney, TX) is hosting one May 28th, 29th and 30th.
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