Agility is an action packed event that is fun for everyone involved! The goal is to successfully direct your dog off leash through an obstacle course in a specific order,  in a set amount of time, without error. Agility started back in the 70's as a half-time entertainment for the crowd at Crufts. It has caught on like wild fire and there are several organizations that offer sanctioned trials. You will find links to them here on this page.

The purpose of this page is to help the beginner get started and to explain the equipment. I remember being very confused when I first started and it is my goal to help make agility as newbie friendly as possible!

The first step is finding an agility class in your area. If you live in a rural area and there aren't many classes close to you, you can certainly begin training on your own. There are a number of excellent recourses in books and videos available on line. One of my favorite places is Clean Run. They have a wonderful selection of books and videos for all levels and all areas of agility. They also have a monthly magazine which is full of excellent information for beginners to advanced.

If you are going to train at home you will also need some equipment. You can build your own or buy some. A search on agility equipment will keep you looking all day long! If you find a class to take in your area, you will still probably invest in some equipment of your own. It is not necessary to run an entire course for practice, in fact it is more beneficial to work on small segments designed to work on your skills as a handler/dog team.

Lets take a moment and talk about the obstacles the dogs are required to perform.

JUMPS

This is your plain old non winged jump. It makes up a good portion of most courses. It is small and compact and often breaks apart for easy storage. They are great for small backyards!

This is a winged jump. You will notice the "wings" on either side of the pole that hold the bar up. That is called a wing. It can make things a lot more challenging for the handler, because you have to be mindful of where they are and be sure you are positioned so that you will be able to avoid running into them... which is sometimes easier said than done when running a course!

Wings come in all shapes and designs, from barrels, to cartoon cutouts, to more traditional equestrian style wings. The jump in the first photo at the top is also a winged jump.



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