Agility training - fun on the run!

An Australian cattle dog competes in agility trials - his enjoyment is obvious.

Agility is fun. Dogs enjoy the freedom, the speed and the challenge. Owners enjoy the increased bond with the dog as they work out the challenges inherent in mastery of each obstacle. The dog must have perfect synchronisation with the owner on the course, for there is no collar and leash for control. Since the order of obstacles on each course is different and the pathway between the obstacles twists and turns, dogs must learn a whole new vocabulary so they don't run up an A-frame when they should be headed for the weave poles.

Conditioning is critical for strenuous agility competition. Puppies can be started in training with regular walks at four months of age. As they age, the walks should get longer so that they cover a couple of miles a couple of times a week. Obstacle training can begin in a variety of ways. An eight-inch board raised a few inches off the floor is a good beginning for the balance beam, known as the dog walk on the agility course. A ramp can be a board braced firmly on an incline, it's upper end about a foot off the ground. A beginner's "jump" can be anything form a broomstick propped an inch or two off the ground up to an eight-inch board that puppies can step over to get the idea that obstacles can be overcome.

Naturally, there are precautions. Young dogs should not jump; landing on immature forelegs and shoulders can cause injuries. Dogs must be taught not to rush the obstacles, as they can injure themselves by falling from the A-frame or the dog walk if they become too enthusiastic. The climbing obstacles on an agility course have yellow contact areas painted across the bottom; dogs must touch these contact areas on the way up and down the ramps. Ramps also have cross-laths to provide traction as the dogs scramble up the incline.

Dogs who compete in agility must be under control when not on a leash, so basic obedience and a desire to follow instructions are a must. Dogs gain confidence in their abilities as they learn to climb, jump, or crawl through agility obstacles. The learning may be tough for the dog afraid of heights or reluctant to enter dark spaces, but determined owners can coax them through the uncertainty. There's no pressure with agility - it's pure joy. Dogs can compete for years as long as they stay in shape. Almost any dog can do agility. Giant breeds and those with a wide wheelbase may have trouble with some obstacles, but if the dog is game, it can be done.

The most popular agility breeds are the medium-to-large dogs that are quick on their feet - Border collies (of course), pulis, Shetland sheepdogs, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, Australian shepherds, etc - but almost any dog, including mixed breeds, can learn, enjoy, and earn agility titles.

And this is one area where the non-pedigree pet dog has just as good a chance of winning as the pedigree - it is all a matter of the amount of time the owner is able to give to training, the enjoyment the dog experiences from competing and training, and the ability of the owner to adjust the training to the age of the dog, making sure the pup, especially, is not attempting feats that are likely to damage growing joints, ligaments or cartilage. - Norma Bennett Woolf

Adjusted and reprinted with the kind permission of Canis Major Publications.