What is Agility?

Agility began as an exhibition sport in Great Britain and was imported to the United States in 1977. The sport was patterned after equestrian events and combines handler control, agility, and confidence. The sport of agility is comprised of a course set up of many different obstacles. Agility is meant to be a fun, non-regimented sport, with a lot of spectator appeal. Obstacles include jumps, tunnels, a dog walk, a see-saw or teeter, an A-frame and weave poles.

The Dogwalk requires the dog to walk up, over and down in the direction designated by the judge. The dog should touch the safety contact zones both on the ascent and the descent (mount and dismount). Faults are assessed for missing the safety contact zones.

On the A-Frame, the dog is required to walk up, over and down in the direction designated by the judge, touching the safety contact zones both on the ascent and the descent. Some venues (AKC for example) do not require the dog to touch the up contact, but requires the dog to touch the down contact zone. Faults are assessed for missing the safety contact zones.

The Teeter is a dogwalk requires the dog to walk up, over and down. The dog should touch the safety contact zones both on the ascent and the descent. Faults are assessed for missing the safety contact zones, and for leaving the plank before it completely settles on the ground (typically called a fly-off).

The performance of the Jumps (single, double, and triple) is simple. The dog must go between the standards, and over the bars in the direction designated by the judge. Knocking the bars will be faulted.

The Tire is a hoop suspended in the air. The required performance is for the dog to jump through the hoop in the direction designated by the judge.

For the Tunnel, the dog's job is to get in and go through in the direction designated by the judge.

With the Collapsed Tunnel (Chute), the dog's job is to get in, and go through in the direction designated by the judge, pushing through the fabric chute.

The dog must get up on the Table and assume a control position while the judge counts five seconds. In the USDAA the control position is always a down. In AKC, the control position might be either a sit or a down. Faults are assessed for thedog leaving the table before finishing the performance during the judge's count.

For the Weave Poles, the dog is required to enter the line of poles from right to left in the direction designated by the judge, and weave alternately down the line. All odd-numbered poles will be performed on the dog's left, and all even-numbered poles will on the dog's right. Faults are typically assessed for going past a pole on the wrong side.