Dog agility competitions are a relative newcomer to the world of sports with the first public demonstrations dating back to a 1978 Crufts dog show in England. Today there are competitions all over the world and there are even organizations that have been developed in many countries to sanction official dog agility events. Here are a few fun facts about dog agility and agility competitions.
As with many dog sports, the dog works with a handler during the event. The handler is allowed to use certain signals and commands in order to direct the animal through the course. Toys or treats or other incentives are not allowed and every organization has other restrictions and animals are expected to complete the course before a set amount of time has passed.
Different breeds of dogs can compete against one another in dog agility competitions and typically the contests are divided not by breed but by height. For example, the United States Dog Agility Association, which is the world's largest dog agility organization, has four height classes. In addition, dogs typically are at least 14-18 months old before they are allowed to compete in a USDAA sanctioned event. Other organizations have other requirements, but typically training is not recommended for animals under a year in age as their bodies are still developing and training could cause injuries. Once you reach 18 months, the dog is fully mature and has reached its full height.
While every organization differs, you generally see the same types of obstacles in all agility contests. The number of obstacles dogs must navigate varies by organization and within that organization it varies by class. There are contests for dogs who are just starting out, contests for more experienced dogs and contests for the older veterans of the sport. Typically, the novices and veterans will have around 15 obstacles, while the advanced or master-class animals could have as many as 20 obstacles.
Agility dog course obstacles include a variety of jumps and other pieces of dog agility equipment. There are usually several contact obstacles, such as a see-saw, a dog walk and an A-Frame. Dog agility tunnels also are part of the course and usually include one pipe tunnel and a collapsible tunnel. A pause table and a tire jump also are included. Dogs also must jump over several hurdles and weave through a set of poles.
There are several good reasons to consider agility training with your dog, even if you never plan on pursuing the competitive angle. Agility courses provide an excellent source of exercise for your pet. Learning the obstacles increases the level of trust and affection between owner and animal. This type of training is also a great way to improve overall obedience. To find equipment, check out online sites like Carlson-Agility.com. These sites not only sell a wide variety of jumps, contact obstacles, weaves and tunnels, they offer some great advice pertaining to training.
As with many dog sports, the dog works with a handler during the event. The handler is allowed to use certain signals and commands in order to direct the animal through the course. Toys or treats or other incentives are not allowed and every organization has other restrictions and animals are expected to complete the course before a set amount of time has passed.
Different breeds of dogs can compete against one another in dog agility competitions and typically the contests are divided not by breed but by height. For example, the United States Dog Agility Association, which is the world's largest dog agility organization, has four height classes. In addition, dogs typically are at least 14-18 months old before they are allowed to compete in a USDAA sanctioned event. Other organizations have other requirements, but typically training is not recommended for animals under a year in age as their bodies are still developing and training could cause injuries. Once you reach 18 months, the dog is fully mature and has reached its full height.
While every organization differs, you generally see the same types of obstacles in all agility contests. The number of obstacles dogs must navigate varies by organization and within that organization it varies by class. There are contests for dogs who are just starting out, contests for more experienced dogs and contests for the older veterans of the sport. Typically, the novices and veterans will have around 15 obstacles, while the advanced or master-class animals could have as many as 20 obstacles.
Agility dog course obstacles include a variety of jumps and other pieces of dog agility equipment. There are usually several contact obstacles, such as a see-saw, a dog walk and an A-Frame. Dog agility tunnels also are part of the course and usually include one pipe tunnel and a collapsible tunnel. A pause table and a tire jump also are included. Dogs also must jump over several hurdles and weave through a set of poles.
There are several good reasons to consider agility training with your dog, even if you never plan on pursuing the competitive angle. Agility courses provide an excellent source of exercise for your pet. Learning the obstacles increases the level of trust and affection between owner and animal. This type of training is also a great way to improve overall obedience. To find equipment, check out online sites like Carlson-Agility.com. These sites not only sell a wide variety of jumps, contact obstacles, weaves and tunnels, they offer some great advice pertaining to training.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. To discover an obstacle course for dogs, or to find more about training equipment for agility for dogs, please go to the Carlson-Agility.com site now.
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