Agility - A Sport For You and Your Dog

In 1979 something new was introduced at the Crufts dog show. With a format that resembled horse jumping competitions the dogs raced through an obstacle course under the auspices of a handler. The sport caught on and now is offered at many dog shows around the world.There are agility trials for both registered and non-registered dogs. The AKC shows are only for registered pure breed dogs, but other ones are available for mixed breed or unregistered pure breeds. Agility is a fantastic exercise and fun trip for both dog and handler.The competition consists of dog and owner/handler going through a series of several types of obstacles. The winning dog is the one that finishes the fastest and has the least amount of errors.Big dogs, small dogs, all dogs are able to compete. All of the obstacles are adjustable to suit the size of canine that is running. The bars that the dogs jump are easy to knock out and therefore prevent injury to the dog. There are several standard types of obstacles.1. Dog Walk. The dog must walk up a narrow plank and come down the other end. There is a stop area on the plank that must be adhered to to show that the dog is in control and balanced.2. A-Frame. As the name describes, it is narrow areas that the dogs must ascend and descend.3. Horizontal tunnels. There are two narrow tunnels that the dogs must run through. This proves they can handle a narrow, enclosed space.4. Jumps. The jumps vary. There are bar jumps set to the appropriate height for the dog. Also tire jumps that are also adjustable.5. Weaving. You have probably seen the poles at agility trials that the dogs run through. They must start on the right side of the first pole and progress through the line without missing one.6. Finally the pause box. The handler must get the dog to jump up and stay for five seconds before giving a release command.Obedience training prior to agility training is a must. Often you can find obedience trainers that can take your canine on to the next step and continue into the agility type training. There are also videos and books available to assist in the training. The equipment can be purchased one piece at a time and then the dog can perfect one before progressing on to another.Although the layout may be different with each competition, all of the fundamentals are there. The obstacles are the same and the configuration will fit the dog that is going through the course. During the time of the competition there are no limits as to how many commands or signals are given to the dogs.Canines will be penalized for several infringements.1. Height is misjudged and a bar is knocked down.2. The dog misses the contact area while performing on the equipment.3. The predetermined standard time is exceeded.Agility is great exercise for dog and handler. You can use some of the obstacles at home just for fun as well.

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