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Agility began over 20 years ago when the chairman of the Crufts Dog Show (in England) needed to entertain the spectators between the ‘Breed Judging’ and the ‘Best in Show’. He asked a friend of his, who was in to horse jumping, to think of something that would entertain the crowd and this is how dog agility evolved from horse jumping.

Agility is a timed event in which the handler must maneuver his dog around a course of obstacles, designed Ticket jumping tire obstacle - Moonshots Photography by the judge, without touching either the dog or the equipment. The dog must move continuously from one obstacle to the next without going off course or refusing the correct obstacle while doing it within the allotted time. Penalty points are given when mistakes are made. Three legs (qualifying scores) are needed to earn a title for most sanctioning organizations.

The obstacles used in agility are . . . Open Tunnels, Chute, Jumps (with or without wings), A-Frame, See Saw, Dog Walk, Tire Jump, Panel Jump, Broad Jump, Weaves, Double Oxer, Triple Oxer, and Pause Table. The A-Frame, See-Saw (Teeter) and Dog Walk are contact obstacles with yellow zones painted on the ends that the dog must touch before leaving the equipment. The double oxer, triple oxer and broad jump are spread jumps and the tire jump is a suspended jump. The panel jump is considered a blind jump. Some sanctioning organizations use specialized jumps such as the wishing well, water jump, window jump, and brush jump depending upon the class.

Weave poles are a series of upright poles set in a straight line that the dog must weave through beginning with his/her left shoulder passing between the first two poles. The number of poles can vary from 6 to 12 depending upon the level of the class.

There are two types of tunnels found on an agility course. The open tunnel can be twisted to form different shapes that the dog must run through. The chute is a closed tunnel made with a ridged entry that has a cloth tunnel attached. The dog enters the ridged end and must push through the cloth tunnel to finish the obstacle. The handler gives the dog verbal clues to keep the dog pushing straight forward or else the dog could get twisted in the material.

The pause table is a 3’ x 3’ table that sits on a stand that can be adjusted to meet the various heights required. The dog must pause on the table for a count of 5 before proceeding to the next obstacle. All organizations require a “down” on the table except AKC which allows either the “down” or “sit”, depending upon the judge.

The three main agility organizations found in the United States are USDAA, AKC, and NADAC. Before deciding whether or not agility is for you, ask yourself, “Do I want to have fun with my dog? Am I willing to get myself and my dog in the kind of shape that this sport requires?” If your answer is “YES” then get busy and find a training facility.

To me, one short phrase that illustrates dog agility is. . .

“Dances With Dog”!

I hope you enjoy the dance!