What are the 3 main agility organizations?
American Kennel Club (AKC)
United States Dog Agility Association. (USDAA)
North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC)
- First AKC agility trials held in 1994
- mixed and pure breeds
- all sizes run the same course with adjustments in jump height and expected times.
- height adjusted to withers (elbows)
- 15 months of age
Two types of agility classes:
What are they?
What do they consist of?
Standard Class
- contact obstacles.
- A-frame, dog walk, seesaw
- each obstacle has a safety zone dog must make contact with at least one paw.
Jumpers with Weaves Class
- no contact objects that slow the pace
- jumps, tunnels, weave poles
What are the three different levels of classes?
How many legs and points are needed to qualify?
- Novice
- Open
- Excellent
Must gain 3 legs to move to the next level
Must receive 85 out of 100 points to qualify for a leg
AKC Titling
Novice standard agility
(NA) 3 Q’s
Novice jumpers with weaves (NAJ) 3 Q’s
Division A - green dogs and handlers
- dogs and handlers who have never decided an agility title
Division B - dogs or handlers who have received a novice agility title.
Open Standard Agility (OA) 3 Q’s
Open Jumpers with Weaves (OAJ) 3 Q’s
Agility Excellent A (AX) 3 Q’s
Excellent Jumpers with Weaves A Class
(AXJ) 3 Q’s
Master Agility Excellent B (MX) 10 Q’s
Master Excellent Jumpers with Weaves B Class (MXJ) 10 Q’s
Master Agility Champion (MACH)
- highest title possible
Contact Obstacle
A-frame
2 panels in shape of an A
Contact zones - lower 42 inches
Contact zones - contrasting colour - often yellow
Contact obstacle
Dog Walk
Center section and two ramp sections
Ascending contact zone - lower 45 inches
Descending contact zone - lower 42 inches
Touch contact zones with any part of one foot
Contact Obstacle
Seesaw/Teeter
Plank supported at centre by a base that acts as a fulcrum.
Touch up contact zone with any part of one foot.
Cause plank to pivot
Touch down contact zone with any part of one foot.
Pause table
Pause for 5 consecutive seconds.
USDAA Dog needs to down
Open tunnel
10-20ft Open on both ends
Can be formed into multiple shapes
Can act as a turning point in agility course
Where did agility originate?
1977 - England
Chute
A rigid entrance attached to a fabric chute.
Entrance through the rigid opening
Weave poles
6-12 poles mounted to a base.
Enter by basing between the first two poles from right to left.
Sequence is broken dog must restart sequence at or before area of error
What are the 6 types of jumps?
- bar jump
- double bar jump
- triple bar jump
- panel jump
- tire jump
- broad jump
Bar jump
Bar is supported by bar supports and mounted to uprights
Two bars unless otherwise specified
Dog must clear the top bar without displacing it in predetermined direction.
Panel jump
Up to six cross boards to give illusion of a solid wall
Dog clears jump in direction indicated by judge
Double bar jump
Two parallel bars positioned at the height specified.
Clear both bars in direction indicated by the judge
Triple bar jump
A series of three ascending jumps
Direction starts with the lowest bar
Tire jump
Circular object suspended from a rectangular frame
Broad jump
Either 4 - 8 inch sections or 5 - 6 inch sections and four corner markers.
Faults - refusals
- starts towards obstacle and changes or stops before all four paws are on obstacle
- weaves- at each incorrect entry and each missed pole
Faults - run out
- goes past an obstacle
- the point at which they can no longer complete an obstacle without turning back.
- 5 point deduction
Faults - wrong course
Dog engages in an obstacle that is not part of that specified course
- 5 point deduction
Faults - pause table
- slide off or misjump
- leaving table before completing the 5 seconds.
- dog must come back to table and restart 5 seconds
- 5 point deduction
Anticipating the count
- dog jumps before or during the command release - 5 point deduction but don't have to return to the table
Mandatory elimination
- handler or dog knocks down any obstacle or jump
- handler touches any obstacle or jumps over, goes under or steps on any obstacle.
- displacing top bars or panels of a jump
- failure to clear the broad jump
- missing a contact zone. With the exception of the ascending side of A-frame
- seesaw fly offs
- leaving table and engaging obstacle before completing 5 second count
- failure to complete all obstacles of a designated course
- running wrong course or out of sequence and not correcting before the finish line.
- contact between handler and dog that AIDS in dogs performance
- any contact between dog and handler at pause table, weave poles, contact obstacles.
- excessive handling. Continually leading dog through course
- exceeding refusal maximum for a given classroom
