What is Agility?

Agility is a competitive sport that tests a person’s skills in training and handling of dogs over a timed obstacle course. Competitors race against the clock as they direct their dogs to jump hurdles, scale ramps, burst through tunnels, traverse a seesaw and weave through a line of poles in an obstacle course configuration designed to challenge a handler’s handling and training skills. With scoring based on faults similar to equestrian show jumping, dog agility has become an exciting spectator event. Agility strengthens the bond between dogs and handlers, it is extremely fun, and it provides vigorous exercise for both!

Agility began in England in 1978. The AKC held its first agility trial in 1994. Agility is now the fastest growing dog sport in the United States and is the fastest growing event at the AKC!

Additional information on Agility

If you would like additional information on Dog Agility you can look at the web site of Clean Run.  They publish an excellent monthly magazine on Agility and their web site is an excellent source of information on Agility.
http://www.cleanrun.com/

Agility Event Calendar and How to enter an Agility Trial
http://www.dogeventsonline.com/ Calendar of events. You can enter most trials via Dog Events Online.
 
Organizations that sponsor Agility Trials
Listed here are four organizations that sponsor Agility Trials. Their web sites provide excellent information on the sport of Agility.

American Kennel Club
http://www.akc.org/
The AKC offers two types of agility classes. The first is the Standard Class, which includes obstacles such as the dog walk, the A-frame, and seesaw. The second is Jumpers with Weaves. This class only has jumps, tunnels and weave poles. Both classes offer increasing levels of difficulty to earn Novice, Open, Excellent and Master titles.
After completing both an Excellent Standard title and Excellent Jumpers title, a dog and handler team can compete for the MACH (Master Agility Champion title).

North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC)
11550 South Hwy 3
Cataldo, Idaho 83810
Phone: (208) 689-3803
Fax: (208) 682-4309
Email: NADACK9@aol.com
NADAC sanctions trials that are open to all dogs, regardless of pedigree, whether mixed or purebred.

Teacup Dogs Agility Association (TDAA)
PO Box 69
Ostrander, OH 43061-0069
Phone: (740) 666-2018
Email: dogwoodbud1@earthlink.com
TDAA events are open to dogs 17″ or less at the withers without regard to breed or pedigree.
United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA)
PO Box 850995
Richardson, Texas 75085-0955
Phone: (972) 231-9700
Email: info@usdaa.com
USDAA sanctions trials that are open to all dogs, regardless of pedigree, whether mixed or purebred.

Top Dog and the Novice Handler

by White Crest FreaWine

Only one dog in 12 gets a decent handler and the good ones are truly rare. My handler is a great lady. Clearly she loves agility. But let’s face it, she is a novice. I can’t rely on her verbal “LEFT” and “RIGHT commands. To complicate matters further, she has a bum knee and wants me to do all the running.

In the 6 months I’ve been a back yard dog, I’ve come up with this advice for the novice who is running for a novice.

1. With a novice handler ignore verbal instructions and try to figure out what she is looking at. If she is looking at you, bark at her.
2. If your vision is blocked by an annoying obstacle and she is calling commands, you can generally see your handler from the top of the A frame.
3. Don’t allow your handler to experience discouragement. A nice crisp response to a clear command will keep her going, even if she is upset because she gave you the wrong command. She needs to always feel there is hope.
4. Be really good about your “WAITs” at the start line. If you let her get way ahead, it will give you a few seconds when you can actually tell what she wants.
5. Learn the obstacle names. Even the novice handler won’t usually confuse the dog walk and the tunnel.
6. Novices are often clumsy. If she tries to execute a front cross, back up. She may fall on you. Watch her carefully and try to encourage her to use the blind cross instead. It is less dangerous.
7. Finally, if she really messes up, lick her gearshift hand thoroughly and then rest your head in her lap for the drive home. If you can pull it off, try imitating the purring of a cat by growling softly. With this kind of attention, you can remind her why she tries to do agility in the first place.

Contacts
Christine Dallas – Secretary (360) 832-3747 Farthingpoodles@aol.com
Cathy Carruthers – Web, Rescue (360) 791-8961 freapoodle@comcast.net
Dana Plonkey - President (425) 743-1601 DP517@verizon.net

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Credits: Picture 1: Paragon Photography – Picture 2: Ch. Nevermore Darwin CD  -Picture 3:  The Vy Line: originally ran in Clean Run Magazine: http://www.cleanrun.com/ - Drawing: Tim Schlender