With the AAC Nationals this weekend in Ontario, Agility is our Spotlight Sport!
Agility is a sport in which a handler (human) directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for time and accuracy. The course is different for every race, created by the judges at the tournament. Handler and dog must have a cohesive relationship as the dog is instructed to go through the course through the handler's signals and body language. Off leash control is a must!
It is an exciting sport to watch, and requires great teamwork. Some of the obstacles seen on an agility course are:The A-Frame
Tunnel or Chute
Tire
Weave Poles
Jumps
Teeter
There are various games within Agility that a dog can compete in.
Standard, follows the dog through the designed course, usually 15-20 obstacles must be completed in a predetermined order.
Gamblers is a course where the team will start the course, and at designated time frame the team has a certain amount of time to complete obstacles for points. So the Handler decides which obstacles are most important to gain the most points in the time alloted.
The best part: ANY dog can compete! They have height classes, so any pup from Pomeranian to Great Dane can be an agility star!!
I'm hoping to begin my agility training this fall. I'll keep you all posted on my experiences!
For more information check out these agility organizations:
AAC - Agility Association of Canada
NADAC - North American Dog Agility Council
USDAA - United States Dog Agility Association
CKC - Canadian Kennel Club
[source + photo credit]
1 comment:
Sim, you were built for agility!!! You'd be furtastically pawsome - I am looking forward to hearing more about your Agility classes this Fall ^..^
In great anticipation...
Your pal, Fritz
Post a Comment