Dog agility is a sequence of obstacles, in which you run your dog through in a particular order, under a predetermined amount of time. It sounds a little scary at first, but it’s not. It’s just great fun! I think of it as a playground for my dog – fun things for her to do with me! Here is a list of the typical obstacles you will see in an agility course:
- Jumps
- A-Frame
- Weave Poles
- Table
- Dog Walk
- Chute
- Tunnel
- Teeter
Mocca on the Dog Walk
A few basic obedience skills are all that’s needed before trying to do agility with your dog. You need to be able to handle your pet off leash, and a steady sit/stay/lay down/come is helpful. You can learn these commands in an obedience class. Dogs must be 18 months old to compete in a trial, but you can start familiarizing them with the equipment early on, being careful to not let them onto any obstacles or jumps too high for their developing joints & muscles. And yes, older dogs can learn agility! Most agility trials have special courses set up for older or slower dogs (and people!) Mocca & I compete in the “Preferred” group, because Mocca is 10, and it allows us more time, and shorter jumps due to her age.
Most dogs just love doing agility because it is fun for them, and fun for them to do WITH YOU. All your dog wants is to be with you, really, and agility is even more exciting for them because it works their minds, bodies, and spirits. You can just TELL how happy dogs doing agility are. I couldn’t stop doing it with Mocca, because I can see how happy she is running her courses with me.
There are many different types of organizations that train agility dogs, and hold competitions. Check around your area for a trainer or club! Here is a link to some example agility equipment you could use to train your dog, although I personally recommend first getting some training from a professional trainer.
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You’re tempting me to consider agility classes!