Dog agility is a highly popular sport and is fun for the dog, the handler and the spectators. There are quite a few different organizations around the country that host dog agility contests. While each group has their own course designs and scoring guidelines, here is some general information that might help you learn what to expect if you compete.
Generally, you will encounter the same basic obstacles everywhere. Your dog will be expect to navigate several different kinds of jumps, run through weave poles, sit and stay on the pause table, shuffle through tunnels and handle several contact obstacles. These contact apparatus include the a-frame, the dog walk and the teeter totter or see-saw. Practice makes perfect, so set up a dog agility course in your backyard to make it easy to practice every day. All of the dog agility equipment you need can be purchased at Carlson Agility, which sells pause tables, a-frames, tunnels, dog agility jumps, teeters and everything else you would ever need.
Dogs are separated into different classes, and usually this is based on the height of the animal. The dog's age and their experience level also determine the class, and there are a few other classes, as well, but those are the basic types. Your dog must complete the course is a set amount of time or a time fault is given.
Aside from not completing the course in time, a dog can incur a missed contact fault if they fail to complete a contact obstacle correctly, such as jumping off when they are supposed to walk down. If you dog turns away from an obstacle or goes up to the obstacle but pauses too long, this is known as a refusal fault. A runout occurs if the dog simply passes an obstacle, and an off-course fault happens then they run the course in an incorrect order. Failing to go through the weave poles the correct way earns a fault, as does dropping a bar or panel on a jump.
It's not just the dogs that can earn a fault; the handlers sometimes make mistakes, too. A handling fault is applied if the handler touches the dog or touches an obstacle, which is not allowed. Even if this is accidental, it is still a fault. Training in the ring is another fault a handler can receive, and this is a penalty that varies greatly from group to group, and some groups don't have this penalty at all. If the handler brings toys or treats onto the course, that also can be a fault as using incentives is almost always forbidden during competition.
Again, it is important to note that every organization is different and has different rules, a different selection of obstacles and different faults. Sometimes you are eliminated if you incur a fault, and sometimes not, it all depends. It's best to study all of the rules and regulations carefully and train according to the requirements of your organization to ensure the highest possible level of success.
Generally, you will encounter the same basic obstacles everywhere. Your dog will be expect to navigate several different kinds of jumps, run through weave poles, sit and stay on the pause table, shuffle through tunnels and handle several contact obstacles. These contact apparatus include the a-frame, the dog walk and the teeter totter or see-saw. Practice makes perfect, so set up a dog agility course in your backyard to make it easy to practice every day. All of the dog agility equipment you need can be purchased at Carlson Agility, which sells pause tables, a-frames, tunnels, dog agility jumps, teeters and everything else you would ever need.
Dogs are separated into different classes, and usually this is based on the height of the animal. The dog's age and their experience level also determine the class, and there are a few other classes, as well, but those are the basic types. Your dog must complete the course is a set amount of time or a time fault is given.
Aside from not completing the course in time, a dog can incur a missed contact fault if they fail to complete a contact obstacle correctly, such as jumping off when they are supposed to walk down. If you dog turns away from an obstacle or goes up to the obstacle but pauses too long, this is known as a refusal fault. A runout occurs if the dog simply passes an obstacle, and an off-course fault happens then they run the course in an incorrect order. Failing to go through the weave poles the correct way earns a fault, as does dropping a bar or panel on a jump.
It's not just the dogs that can earn a fault; the handlers sometimes make mistakes, too. A handling fault is applied if the handler touches the dog or touches an obstacle, which is not allowed. Even if this is accidental, it is still a fault. Training in the ring is another fault a handler can receive, and this is a penalty that varies greatly from group to group, and some groups don't have this penalty at all. If the handler brings toys or treats onto the course, that also can be a fault as using incentives is almost always forbidden during competition.
Again, it is important to note that every organization is different and has different rules, a different selection of obstacles and different faults. Sometimes you are eliminated if you incur a fault, and sometimes not, it all depends. It's best to study all of the rules and regulations carefully and train according to the requirements of your organization to ensure the highest possible level of success.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. To discover an agility equipment for dogs, or to find useful agility dog training equipment like dog agility kit, please check out the Carlson-Agility website now.
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