About Agility for Dogs

  • History of Agility
  • Agility Venues
  • Agility Equipment
  • Agility Glossary
  • Agility Training
  • Agility Resources

HISTORY OF AGILITY:

Here in the USA there are many different agility organizations, but the objective of all of them is to have fun with your dog while successfully navigating a challenging course of obstacles in a timely manner.

Each qualifying run, or Q, brings the dog/handler team closer to a title. Each run embodies countless hours of bonding through training and play. Dogs compete off leash and the handler is not allowed to touch the dog or the obstacles, but we are allowed to encourage and talk to our dogs.  In watching an agility trial, what you will see with most runs is a celebration of the human-dog bond. Agility is one of the newest dog sports and it has been growing exponentially during its short history.

Agility started as a way to entertain the audience at the Crufts dog show between the conformation and obedience competitions. What was presented to the audience was a mix of jumps (much like jumping competitions from the horse world) and obstacles based on training exercise for RAF/police dogs.

Here is a brief history of the sport of agility just so you can see how quickly this little exhibition has grown into a full-fledged sport.

AGILITY TIMELINE

1978 — Exhibition at Crufts
1979 — Several clubs in England were offering classes
1980 — Agility recognized by The Kennel Club (England) as an official sport with guidelines and rules
Early 1980s — Agility exhibitions in the US
1984 — Charles (Bud) Kramer began to develop the National Committee for Dog Agility (NCDA) which later merged with UKC (in 1994)
1987 — USDAA (US Dog Agility Assoc) was incorporated under the guidance of Kenneth Tatsh
Early 1990s — Australian Shepherd Club of America developed an agility program
1993 — Sharon Nelson founded North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC)
1994 — First AKC agility trial held

AGILITY VENUES

  • AKC
  • NADAC
  • USDAA
  • DOCNA
  • UKC
  • CPE

Generally all of these venues have a Standard class where the judge lays out a course for the handler/dog team to complete.  The standard course includes jumps, weaves, tunnels, chute and all contacts.  Dogs do have a time requirement (Standard Course Time – SCT) to complete the course in order to qualify.  Some classes are point based classes where the team must accumulate a certain number of points in order to qualify.  Points are assigned to different obstacles by the judge.  Usually more time consuming or difficult obstacles are given a higher number of points.  Usually the handler decides the path of the dog for the point-based classes and the judge decides for the other classes. 

For more information on rules and regulations, please check the individual websites.  This is just a brief overview of the most popular agility venues in the USA.  Because of the very dynamic nature of agility, rules are constantly being updated and new venues are being created.

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB (AKC)

Website link: http://www.akc.org/events/agility/

The AKC agility trials are open to all registered purebreds and some trials are also open to mixed breeds.  There are 3 different levels of expertise in agility: Novice, Open and Excellent.  Each level increases in difficulty and the number of obstacles allowed.  The novice courses, for example, only have 6 weave poles and a maximum of 16 obstacles whereas the excellent courses will have 12 weave poles, up to 20 obstacles and offers more handler challenges. 

The AKC offers several different classes: Standard, Jumpers with Weaves, FAST and Time 2 Beat (as of July 2011).  The JWW class is a timed course that contains jumps, weaves and may have tunnels.  The course, like the Std class, is dictated by the judge.  FAST, Fifteen and Send Time, is a point based class that tests the dog’s ability to accurately perform obstacles at a distance from the handler.  The course has a Send Bonus that is dictated by the judge — both the obstacles and the distance.  The remainder of the course consists of obstacles with a point value.  The amount of points required to qualify depends on the level.  In addition to the handler creating their own course to maximize points, the handler also has a limited amount of time to complete the course.  Once the buzzer sounds, one point is deducted from your score for each second it takes to cross the finish line.  Time 2 Beat is a class that emphasizes speed and efficiency.  The class contains jumps, weaves, tunnels and 2 contacts.  Titles for Time 2 Beat are based on points accumulated.

The AKC also offers a Preferred jump height for each level and class.  Preferred dogs jump one jump height lower and are allowed a little more time to complete the course.  This is ideal for older dogs, dogs with structural issues, dogs that need some confidence building or for people who prefer to jump their dog at a lower height.

NORTH AMERICAN DOG AGILITY COUNCIL (NADAC)

Website link: http://www.nadac.com/

NADAC trials are open to all pure or mixed breed dogs.  There are 3 different levels of expertise: Novice, Open, Elite.  Each level increases in difficulty and handler challenges. 

NADAC offers several different classes – Regular (Standard), Jumpers, Tunnelers, Weaves, Touch-n-Go, Chances and Hoopers.   Jumpers consists of jumps and 1 – 2 tunnels.  Tunnelers is a course that only has tunnels.  Weavers consist of weaves, tunnels and hoops.  Touch-n-Go consists of contact obstacles, tunnels and hoops.  Chances class may have any obstacle and includes a distance challenge.  The Hoopers class only contains hoops and the handler dictates the dog’s course and contains a bonus distance section.

NADAC offers a Skilled jump height where a dog can jump one jump height lower.  NADAC also offers classes for junior handlers (handlers 17 years or younger), veteran dogs (over 7), veteran handlers (60 or over) or disabled handlers where the dog may jump one jump height lower starting with 4 inch jump height.  Also NADAC lists some breeds that may jump a lower jump height.  If you entered skilled and if the dog is also a veteran or the handler is a junior handler, veteran or disabled, the dog would jump another 4 inches lower. 

UNITED STATES DOG AGILITY ASSOCIATION (USDAA)

Website link: http://www.usdaa.com

USDAA events are open to all pure and mixed breeds (called All Americans).  There are 3 different levels of expertise: Starters/Novice, Advanced, Masters.  Each level increases in difficulty and handler challenges. 

The USDAA offers several different classes: Standard, Jumpers, Gamblers, Snookers and Relay.  The Jumpers course contains jumps, tunnels and sometimes weaves.  The Standard, Jumpers and Relay courses are dictated by the judge.  Gamblers is a course with a distance challenge where the dog/handler team accumulates points.  The handler chooses her own course.  Snookers is a game that tests handler’s strategy.  The handler creates her own course and accumulates points.  However, the team must perform a “Red” obstacles (generally a bar jump) between doing other obstacles.  Relay classes consist of 2 or more dog/handler team where one team does ½ the course and the other team finishes the course. 

The USDAA also offers a Performance class for each level.  Performance dogs are allowed to jump one jump height lower, a lower A-frame and the spread jumps are removed.

DOGS ON COURSE IN NORTH AMERICA (DOCNA)

Website link: http://www.docna.com/

DOCNA trials are open to all pure or mixed breed dogs.  There are 3 different levels of expertise: Beginner, Intern and Specialist.  Each level increases in difficulty and handler challenges. 

DOCNA offers several different classes including standard, gamblers, snakes and ladders and trigility.  The gamblers class contains a distance challenge.   Snakes and ladders is a course that only contains tunnels, contacts and weaves.  The trigility class is a team of 3 handlers and 3 dogs.

DOCNA also offers a Veterans division for dogs over 7 or handlers over 60.  These dogs are allowed to jump a lower jump height.  There is also a Grand Veterans division for dogs over 10 or handler over 60 and dog over 7.  These dogs are allowed an even lower jump height, much like what is outlined in NADAC.

UNITED KENNEL CLUB (UKC)

Website link: http://www.ukcdogs.com

The United Kennel Club is another organization which offers agility trials. UKC offers performance events including agility. You will find that there are several obstacles that are unique to the UKC venue. Visit the website to see more detailed information.