Dog agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. The handler's controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal and coordination of the handler.
An agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles laid out by a judge in a design of their own choosing in an area of a specified size. The surface may be of grass, dirt, rubber, or special matting. Depending on the type of competition, the obstacles may be marked with numbers indicating the order in which they must be completed.
Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed equally important. Many strategies exist to compensate for the inherent difference in human and dog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dogs and handlers.
Competition basics
As each course is different, handlers are allowed a short walk-through before the competition starts. During this time, all handlers competing in a particular class can walk around the course without their dogs, determining how they can best position themselves and guide their dogs to get the most accurate and rapid path around the numbered obstacles. The handler tends to run a path much different from the dog's path, so the handler can sometimes spend quite a bit of time planning for what is usually a quick run.The walk-through is critical for success because the course's path takes various turns, even U-turns or 270° turns, can cross back on itself, can use the same obstacle more than once, can have two obstacles so close to each other that the dog and handler must be able to clearly discriminate which to take, and can be arranged so that the handler must work with obstacles between themself and the dog, called layering, or at a great distance from the dog.
Printed maps of the agility course, called course maps, are occasionally made available to the handlers before they run, to help the handlers plan their course strategy. The course map contains icons indicating the position and orientation of all the obstacles, and numbers indicating the order in which the obstacles are to be taken. Course maps were originally drawn by hand, but nowadays courses are created using various computer programs.
Each dog and handler team gets one opportunity together to attempt to complete the course successfully. The dog begins behind a starting line and, when instructed by their handler, proceeds around the course. The handler typically runs near the dog, directing the dog with spoken commands and with body language.
Because speed counts as much as accuracy, especially at higher levels of competition, this all takes place at a full-out run on the dog's part and, in places, on the handler's part as well.
Scoring of runs is based on how many faults are incurred. Penalties can include not only course faults, such as knocking down a bar in a jump, but also time faults, which are the number of seconds over the calculated standard course time, which in turn is determined based on the competition level, the complexity of the course, and other factors.
Agility obstacles
The regulations of different organizations specify somewhat different rules and dimensions for the construction of obstacles. However, the basic form of most obstacles is the same wherever they are used. Obstacles include the following:Contact obstacles
Contact obstacles are obstacles made of planks and ramps, they require dogs to ascend and descend the obstacle and to place a paw on a "contact zone", an area that is painted a different colour. The height, width and angle of the planks and ramps varies by the organisation running the competition.;A-frame
The A-frame comprises two ramps that meet in the middle forming an A shape, the ramps vary between and in length, and between and in height at the apex.
;Dog walk
The dog walk is an elevated plank with ascending and descending ramps at each end, the ramps vary between in length and in height above the ground.
;Seesaw
The seesaw, sometimes called the teeter-totter, is a seesaw, that the dogs walks the length of. The seesaw varies between in length and the apex between in height.
Tunnels
The tunnel obstacles involve tunnels of different designs that the dogs run or crawl through.;Open or piped tunnel: The open or piped tunnel is an open flexible tube; they are usually in diameter and between in length.
;Closed, collapsed or chute tunnel: The closed, collapsed or chute tunnel is no longer used by the majority of agility organisations throughout the world due the risk of injury to the dogs. It was a tube of light fabric with a rigid end for the dog to enter; the entrance is between in diameter and long.
Jumps
;Jump : Two uprights supporting a horizontal bar over which the dog jumps. The height is adjusted for dogs of different heights. The uprights can be simple stanchions or can have wings of various shapes, sizes, and colors.;Double and triple jump : Two uprights supporting two or three horizontal bars spread forward or back from each other. The double can have parallel or ascending horizontal bars; the triple always has ascending bars. The spread between the horizontal bars is sometimes adjusted based on the height of the dog.
;Panel jump: Instead of horizontal bars, the jump is a solid panel from the ground up to the jump height, constructed of several short panels that can be removed to adjust the height for different dog heights.
;Broad jump : A set of four or five slightly raised platforms that form a broad area over which the dog must jump without setting their feet on any of the platforms. The length of the jump is adjusted for the dog's height.
;Tire jump: A torus shape that is roughly the size of a tire and suspended in a frame. The dog must jump through the opening of the "tire"; like other jumps, the height is adjusted for dogs of different sizes. The tire is usually wrapped with tape both for visibility and to cover any openings or uneven places in which the dog could catch. Many organizations now allow or require a so-called displaceable or breakaway tire, where the tire comes apart in some way if the dog hits it hard enough.
;Other hurdles: UKC agility allows a variety of hurdles not found in other agility organizations: bush hurdle, high hurdle, log hurdle, picket fence hurdle, rail fence hurdle, long hurdle, window hurdle, and water hurdle.
Miscellaneous
;Table : An elevated square platform about 3-foot-by-3-foot square onto which the dog must jump and pause, either sitting or in a down position, for a designated period of time which is counted out by the judge, usually about 5 seconds. The height ranges from about depending on the dog's height and sponsoring organization. The table has been removed from a handful of organizations as of July 2024.;Weave poles:Similar to a slalom, this is a series of 5 to 12 upright poles, each about tall and spaced about apart, through which the dog weaves. The dog must always enter with the first pole to their left, and must not skip poles. Dogs have 5 distinct gait styles when completing the weave pole obstacle. For many dogs, weave poles are one of the most difficult obstacles to master.
;Other obstacles: UKC agility allows the following obstacles not found in other agility organizations: swing plank, sway bridge, and platform jump. NADAC also uses a hoop obstacle. A Hoopers course consists entirely of hoops, but hoops may be used in other courses as well.
Organization in groups
Although each organization has its own rules, all divide dogs into smaller groups that are close to each other in size and experience for purposes of calculating winners and qualifying scores.History
The history of dog agility can be traced to a demonstration at the Crufts dog show in the late 1970s in the United Kingdom. Dogs were run around a course designed similar to horse jumping courses during intermission as a way to entertain the audience. It has since spread around the world, with major competitions held worldwide.Agility as an international sport
Globally, dog agility competitions are regulated and run by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and its member organisations and a number of national kennel clubs and sport federations. Rules of each organisation, titles and selection process of national teams that represent the country at prestigious international events vary slightly. One reason alternatives to FCI organisations started to emerge is that FCI is an international pure-bred dogs federation and most of its members have restrictions for dogs without pedigrees. Such organisation as USDAA, UKI and IFCS and their members have opposed that and created their own international competitions that do not restrict participation for dogs without pedigrees.International competitions
- Fédération Cynologique Internationale Agility World Championships, the oldest and best-known, is held every year. The event was held as a European championship until 1995, then a world championship from 1996, and is restricted to registered pedigree dogs only.
- The International Mix & Breed Championship in Agility, first held in Italy in 2000 as a response to the FCI pedigree-only championships. The competition is held annually with about 18 countries participating, including teams from outside Europe.
- The International Federation of Cynological Sports, has since 2002 organized a biannual world agility championship open to any breed or mixed-breed dog regardless of pedigree. Since 2013 it has been gaining more and more popularity and has been held every year.
- The Cynosport World Games, officially named in 2003, as the consolidated venue for USDAA's three tournament series - Grand Prix of Dog Agility, $10,000 Dog Agility Steeplechase and Dog Agility Masters Three-Dog Team Championship — and exhibitions and competitions in other popular canine sports. USDAA tournaments were opened to invited overseas participants for the first time in 2001, which led to establishment of USDAA affiliates in other countries where qualifying events are now held each year.
- The European Open. An informal annual championships since its foundation in 2002, open to all dogs regardless of origins. It rotates around a small number of countries in central Europe, though attracting competitors from all over world, with 25 countries participating in the 2006 event. From 2007, the competition is held under Fédération Cynologique Internationale regulations, but still allowing dogs without pedigrees.
- The World Agility Open Championships — is an event organized by the UKI committee, that is gaining popularity with accomplished competitors all over the world. In 2019 participants from 39 countries were taking part.
- Junior Open Agility World Championships — the biggest international event for handlers under 18 years of age divided into several age groups. Before 2019 it was called European Open Junior Championships. Takes place annually and is considered to be very prestigious among competitors all over the world. Along with European Open Championship is supervised by the FCI committee.