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Dog agility or agility training, is a relatively new dog sport

It was originally created as a demonstration in the 1970s in the United Kingdom. Since then it has spread all over the world. Broadly speaking it is common to find that there are three separate disciplines in which you can take part and in which your hovawart can gain titles- Agility, Jumping and Games and three levels of title for each discipline - Expert, Master and Champion. So for instance a dog could already be an Agility Master, but still be working towards its Jumping Expert and Games Expert titles. However, in order to be awarded the overall title of Supreme Champion, your dog must achieve Champion titles in all three disciplines.

The sport of agility training

Simply stated the sport of agility involves the handler instructing his or her dog through an obstacle course in a race against both time and accuracy. Your dog begins behind a starting line and on your command goes around the course as quickly as possible. The agility course obstacles are laid out by the judge in a design of their own choosing in an area of approximately 30 by 30 metres, numbers indicate the order in which the dog must complete the obstacles. The course may contain U-turns or 270 degree turns, or cross back on itself, or use the same obstacle more than once. The dogs run the course off the lead without food or toys as incentives, and your controls of your hovawart are restricted to the use of voice and various body signals, (the position of your arms, shoulders, and feet) and it requires a high degree of training for both of you.

Different names, rules, organization and country

There are different names given to the obstacles, and different rules applied to the sport according to organisation, and country. It is however normal for all the dogs to be divided into groups, of size and experience, for the competition. This means that there will be winners in each group for each class (or game) throughout the competion (or trial).

The dogs are divided into height groups by measuring their height at the withers (shoulders). So for example, dogs measuring between 30 and 37.5 cm might compete together with the jumps set at a height of 37.5 cm. This helps to ensure that any dogs who have a size (larger or smaller) advantage on a particular course, is kept to a minimum.

They are normally further divided into levels of experience based on the individual dogs successes at lower competitive levels before they can move on to compete with more advanced dogs. Sometimes there are special categories; for older dogs usually over 7 years; or classes for junior handlers usually under 18 years of age.

Competition, decide on strategies beforehand

Before the competition, the you must decide on any strategies needed in order to direct your dog through the course with precision and speed. Since each course is different, you are usually allowed a "walk-through or a run-through" before the competition starts. This gives you the opportunity to walk or run around the course (without the dog), deciding the optimum path for yourself, good planning is needed for a quick run.

A run that is completed and passes the minimum standards for time, faults, points, and so on, is referred to as a qualifying run; but the rules about what constitutes a fault and whether or not you can earn a qualifying score with faulted runs varies. Different organizations place different values on faults. A qualifying run is often referred to as a leg and a clean run or clear round is one with no faults. A qualifying score can earn credits towards agility titles.

The scoring for agility

• The scoring for agility is based on how many faults or penalties are incurred. Penalties can be awarded for such things as:-
• Displacing or knocking down a bar (or panel) when going over a jump.
• Time faults - going over the maximum time allowed to complete the course (the standard course time (SCT). Based on the number of seconds over SCT which is in turn based on the competition level, the complexity of the course, and other factors.
• Missed contact - the dog fails to place a foot in the contact zone. The part of an obstacle painted in a contrasting bright colour, often yellow, is the contact zone on which the dog must place at least one paw while ascending and/or descending.
• Weave pole fault - the dog must enterthe weave with the first pole on his left and go through the weaves without missing any. Entering incorrectly, missing poles, or backweaving when attempting to correct missed poles can all be faulted.
• Off course - the dog fails to follow the sequentially numbered obstacles.
• Refusal - the dog approaches the correct obstacle, but then turns away (or hesitates significantly) before attempting the obstacle.
• Runout - the dog does not go to the next obstacle, but instead he runs past it.
• Handling - the handler deliberately touching the dog or the equipment.
• Other faults - can include biting the judge or the handler or any unsportsmanlike behavior, the dog eliminating in the ring, the dog leaving the ring and not coming back, the handler carrying toys or food into the ring, or the dog competing with his collar on (collars are normally removed).

The Obstacles

• A-frame - usually about 1 metre wide by 6 metres long, hinged in the middle and raised above the ground forming an A shape. Most A-frames have narrow, horizontal slats all along their width to assist the dog's grip going up and down. This obstacle has contact zones.
• Dogwalk - three 3 to 4 metre long planks, 25 to 30 cm wide, connected at the ends. The middle plank is raised about 1.2 metres above the ground, and the two end planks form ramps with slats leading up to and down from the center plank. This obstacle also has contact zones.
• See-saw - a 3 to 4 metre long plank pivoting on a support, constructed slightly off-balance so that the same end always returns to the ground. This obstacle also has contact zones.
• Crossover - a 1.2 metre high table with dogwalk ramps descending from the center of all four sides. The dog must go up the correct ramp and then go down the ramp indicated by the handler.
• The Rigid tunnel - a vinyl tube, 3 to 6 m long and about 60 cm in diameter, through which the dog runs, constructed of flexible vinyl and wire so that it can be placed in a straight line or a curve.
• The Collapsed tunnel (or chute or cloth tunnel) - a cylinder with a tube of fabric attached around one end. The fabric extends about 3 to 4 m and lies closed until the dog runs into the open end of the chute and pushes his way out through the fabric.
• Other types of tunnels - the crawl tunnel, the hoop tunnel, and a tunnel maze which is an interconnected series of tunnels.
• The Jump (or hurdle) - two uprights supporting a horizontal pole over which the dog jumps, the uprights can be simple bars or can have wings of various shapes, sizes, and colors.
• The Double and triple jump (or spread) - two or three sets of uprights, each with horizontal poles. The Double can have parallel or ascending horizontal poles; the triple always has ascending poles. The distance between the horizontal bars can be adjusted based on the height of the dog.
• The Panel jump - instead of horizontal poles, the jump is a solid panel , made up of several narrower panels that can be removed in order to adjust the height.
• The Long jump - a set of four or five slightly raised platforms forming a broad area over which the dog must jump without setting foot on any of the platforms.
• The Tire jump - a tire shape suspended in a frame. The dog must jump through the opening of the tire, which varies between about 450 to 600 mm.
• Other types of hurdles - bush hurdle, high hurdle, log hurdle, picket fence hurdle, rail fence hurdle, long hurdle, window hurdle, water hurdle.
• The Table (or the pause table) - an elevated square table about 1-meter-by-1-meter 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 Pause box - a variation on the pause table. The pause box is a square marked on the ground, usually with plastic pipe or construction tape, where the dog must "pause" in either a sit or a down just as he would on the elevated table.
• The Weaving poles - a series of upright poles, each about 1 metre tall and spaced about 50 cm apart, through which the dog weaves. This is one of the most difficult obstacles for a dog to master varying from 5 to 12 poles at one time. The dog must always enter with the first pole to his left and must not miss out any poles.
• Other obstacles - swing plank, sway bridge, platform jump.

This is just a snapshot of the sport. there are lots of clubs so it will not be hard to find one near you, go and see for yourself. Hovawarts enjoy agility, and the other diciplines of Jumping and Games, with many having gained titles over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

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