The Sport
The sport of dog agility was born in England in
the late 1970's as entertainment at the Crufts dog show. It was
introduced to the US in 1985 and has grown by leaps and bounds ever
since!
Agility is a sport open to any dog - purebred
or mixed. Working as a team, the dog and handler race against the clock
to complete an obstacle course that includes jumps, tunnels, A-Frame,
teeter-totters and more.
Dogs starting in agility should have a basic
understanding of obedience commands including sit, stay, come, down and
others. They should also be evaluated by your vet to ensure they are in
the physical condition necessary for the rigors of the sport.
The Rules
There are several organizations that sanction
agility competition in the US - United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA), American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), North American Dog Agility Council
(NADAC) and Australian Shepherd Club of
America (ASCA). Dogs that are at
least one year of age (or 18 months depending on the organization) are
eligible to compete in agility. Each organization sets its own rules,
but there are similarities. The height each dog must jump is determined
by the height of the dog at the shoulder. The number of obstacles and
the difficulty of the course depends on the experience of the dog.
While treats and toys may be used for
motivation during training, they may not be used in the competition
ring.
