The sport of dog agility has recently grown in popularity as an increased awareness of this sport has filtered through communities worldwide. Dog agility training can be defined as a spectator sport that tests the speed, strength and agility of dogs by their performance in dog agility obstacle course competitions. People enjoy this sport worldwide because it is entertaining and exciting, not to mention fun to participate in. How did this sport begin? What exactly is involved in agility training for dogs? What are the common obstacles dogs go through on these agility courses?

This sport of agility dog training first premiered in a demonstration 1978 at the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham, England. The Crufts Dog Show holds annual competitions that are organized by a company called the Kennel Club. Dogs that participate must register and receive a stamp of approval by the Kennel Club prior to entering the competition; the KC has a list of specific qualifications for the dogs in their competitions available on their website. In 1980, the Kennel Club officially became the first organization to sanction dog agility as a sport worldwide.

In 1986 the United States debuted their own agility dog competition which was hosted by the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA), an international dog agility association. USDAA represents at various competitions worldwide in countries such as the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Spain and Japan. Even though this sport originated in the United Kingdom, it has quickly grown to be a popular international sport. As dog agility awareness has increased over the years, people are beginning to train their dogs for these competitions.

Dog agility training first begins with basic obedience training; if a dog is exceptionally obedient, he has a enhanced chance of succeeding in this sport. Common obedience tactics that are particularly helpful in agility are commands to sit, stay, and heel, in addition to various instructions the handler has taught the dog for specific agility actions used on the competition course. Dogs are first trained to run through courses that are smaller in scale to those in the official competitions. This allows for the dog to gradually become more familiar with various aspects of the course. As the dog performs well in training sessions, the sizes of the training obstacles steadily increases to the meet the standard size of those in competition.

The obstacles in course competitions vary, but there are few that are commonly seen in courses throughout the world. Some of these common course obstacles include, but are not limited to: A-frame, Dog Walk, See-Saw, Pipe Tunnel, Collapsed Tunnel, Pause Table, Weave Poles, a Tire or Hoop Jump, as well as various other forms of jumps. These obstacles are specifically designed with the dog’s safety in mind. For example, the Jump Bars are set lightly on the posts, and they are designed to fall down when touched by the dog so he does not trip and become injured.

Finally, the dogs are judged by their ability to successfully complete the course with exceptional performance and speed. The prizes for winning these competitions vary widely; some receive a certificate, while others may attain other rewards. However, many dog handler’s would agree that the satisfaction gained from a successful completion of the course is a just reward for the hard work invested in their dog’s agility training.

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