All about Agility Dog Sport

The Dog Agility made its debut as a demonstration in the United Kingdom at Crufts back in 1978 after adaptation from Horse Agiity and today it becomes the most popular and fastest growing dog sport. It is a sport where you find dog and handler teams together on a set up course. It is fast paced, fun and entertaining not only for the dog and handler but to the spectators as well. Most important thing of all, it create confidence, motivation and bonding between the dog and the handler.

The similarity between Horse Agility and Dog Agility
The agility courses are set up with obstacles with direction where the handler directs the dog with or without leash in a correct flow. An ideal course is made up of 15 to 20 obstacles according to a pre-numbered sequence and each course is timed. The Standard Course Time (SCT) is determined by using rate of travel of 2.0 - 2.5 meters/ second. The Maximum Course Time (MCT) is set at 1.5x - 2x the SCT eg. 50 seconds SCT would give a minimum MCT of 75 seconds. In the event that the MCT is exceeded, a whistle shall be blown and team shall have to forego the rest of the run.

The dog that finishes with the least faults and the fastest time will win. The run with 0 faults will consider as a Clean Run

Obstacle of Course
Jumps or Hurdles
It includes 8 to 12 jumps in a course with various types of jumps such as the winged or wingless hurdles, double bar, triple bar, broad jump, wall or castle jump and a suspended tyre jump. Some organization may also include specialized jump such as the water jump, brush jump and wishing well. The shoulder height of the dog also determines which jump height it should enter.

Basic bar jump - Jump heights for small, medium and large breeds (12", 16", 22" - 26")
Broad jump - Jump lengths for small, medium and large breeds (20", 36", 48 - 60")
Tyre jump - Jump heights for small, medium and large breeds (12", 16", 22" - 26")
Spread jump with 2 or 3 bar jumps placed in a row. Spread is 12" - 20" wide depending on class and dog has to clear both the height and spread as well.
Commands Used: Jump, Over, Hup, Tyre,


Tunnel or Chute
Two types of tunnels used are 1) the Pipe, or rigid tunnels with diameter 10” to 20” in length which can be formed in a ‘U’ or ‘S’ shape that the dog run through and 2) the Chute, or closed or collapsed tunnel with entrance length 2 ½” and chute length is 12” to 15”. The entry portion is made of a rigid barrel of which a chute of material is attached. The dog will enter the barrel and burrow its way through the chute material to emerge on the other side. The chute material should always be straight and lying flat on the ground to prevent dog getting tangled in the chute.
Commands Used: Tunnel, Chute, In, Through

Contacts
The contact obstacles usually made of wood and it was named such because the dog has to place at least one paw on the contact portion known as the contact zone with 3” - 3½” at the start and end of each board of the obstacles. This includes the Dog walk, A-Frame, and Seesaw or Teeter and it were built in consideration of the safety feature for the dogs where they are not allowed to jump off.

Types of contacts:
Dogwalk with height range from 4” - 4½” and narrow width at 1”. The dog to ascent up, walk over and descent down a long, slim plank.
Commands Used: Walk, Step

A-Frame with steep range from 5½” – 6” with much broader width. The dog has to run up with momentum to overcome the steepness and to descent controllably to touch the contact before coming to ground.
Commands Used: Frame, Climb

Seesaw or Teeter with 2” in height and narrow width at 1”. The dog to walk up slowly to the point where the plank begins to tilt downwards and hits the ground.
Command Used: Seesaw, Teeter

Weave Poles
Weave Poles are a series of upright poles placed 20" - 24" apart that the dog weaves in and out. Dogs must enter with the first pole at their left shoulder and then proceed down the straight line of 12 poles. This obstacle usually takes the longest to train as the dog has to zig zag through which is not considered as a natural movement for them. Common fault are seen where dog misses a pole or two.
Commands Used: Weave, Pole, Twist

Pause Table with 3”x 3” square top and height ranges from 1” – 2” is a place to stop with and rest for the count of 5 seconds before proceeding on to the next obstacle. Dog will either be down or sit stay on the table depending on the rules imposed by the Judge.
Commands Used: Table, On

Faults Counted
Failure to perform an obstacle
Refusals
Running off course or out of sequence
Knocked down bars
Missed contact zones or fly offs
Sliding off pause table
Exceeding standard course time

ELIMINATION
3 refusals
Excessive handling
Fouling (pee or poo) in the ring
Running out of the ring
Exceeding maximum course time