Agility is Britain’s fastest growing dog sport. Most weekends Agility shows are held up and down the country and top competitions are held at Crufts, Olympia and The Royal Show.
Agility is terrific fun for dogs, handlers and spectators alike. It involves the dog being guided around a course of between 16 and 20 obstacles by the handler in as fast a time as possible without incurring faults. Much like show jumping except that you don’t sit on them!
A course includes a number of obstacles:
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‘A’ frame
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dog walk |
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long jump |
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tyre |
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weave poles |
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hurdles
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flat tunnel
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rigid tunnel |
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see-saw |
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Contact obstacles are so called because the dog must make contact with the last 3 ft at each end (usually painted a different colour) so as not to incur penalties.
No dog is allowed to compete before it is 18 months old. The ideal age to start training a dog for Agility is 12 months or slightly older for a large, heavy breed but an older dog, providing that it is fit, will take to it just as well.
Scallywags offer a range of agility classes from beginner to advanced. Click here to see the range of classes available.