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A-Frame:
This is a climb up and over a 6 ft tall scaling wall.
The obstacle has “contact zones” at the bottom of
each side which the dog must touch to qualify. Sounds
simple, but making sure the dog starts at the bottom
of the ramp and goes to the bottom of the down ramp
can be tricky if the dog is going at speed. |
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Dog walk:
a board (10-12” wide), elevated about 4 ft off the
ground and about 16 feet long with ramps at either
end. The dog must touch the contacts at either end
to qualify. |
 |
Tunnels:
flexible tunnels, 16-20 ft long and about 24” in diameter
that the dogs have to go through. These tunnels are
usually bent so the dog cannot see the exit as he
enters. This is usually a favorite for the dogs. |
 |
Jumps:
A variety of jumps of different heights and complexity.
Like the verticals and oxers designed for horses,
these jumps require the dog to adjust himself to the
jump requirements. Some jumps mirror the horse jumps
using a variety of materials to add interest and difficulty
to the course. |
 |
Chute:
The entrance of this obstacle is a barrel to which
a long lightweight sleeve of nylon material is added.
The light weight allows the dog to easily go through
the chute after the dog has learned that there is
a way out! |
 |
Teeter Totter:
A long narrow (10”) board which requires the dog
to walk to the center, wait for the teeter to “totter”
and then walk off. Again, there are contacts and the
dog must touch both ends to qualify. This is a control
test in the middle of a speed course. |
 |
Weave poles:
Imagine a slalom course. Posts are set in a line inches
apart. The dog must enter on the correct side and
weave through the entire stretch to qualify. Done
right, it is a most amazing obstacle when done by
a large, fast moving Shepherd! |
 |
Table:
A low table the dog must jump onto and then hold a
down for a specified time (5 seconds or so). Sounds
simple, but again, these dogs are in a speed contest
and are just as competitive as their owners. Lying
down without owner contact and holding that position
while knowing the next jump is just waiting for them,
is quite a challenge at times! |
| Agility classes
are springing up almost everywhere. When selecting
one be sure you look for an instructor who uses safe
and positive methods. |
| Here
are links for various North American agility organizations:
AKC NADAC USDAA AAC (Canada)
UKC
agility
art from dogpatch.com
Rikki
v TeMar being introduced to Agility Course
|
