What is a Dog Agility Competition?

by Adam Fulford

Dog agility competitions have become a very popular sport for both adults and children alike. These events, which are usually scheduled in conjunction with a traditional dog show, are much more active, and are comprised of the owners leading their dogs through an obstacle course as quickly as possible. There are over thirty different kinds of obstacles which are commonly used, and the high energy and excitement level of the competitors makes these events a lot of fun to watch.

With dogs having to traverse teeter-totters and weave in between poles, as well as burrowing their way through a cloth chute, the events sometimes mimic playtime more than anything, and almost any child would love to have a playground as advanced as the dogs have. However, these obstacles were chosen by the organizing committees because they are difficult for the dogs to do on their own. These events emphasize great training and a lot of practice by both dog and owner, and you can almost always see this reflected in the final standings.

Some competitions will disallow leashes, and require that the owners use only their voice and a pointing device to control where their dogs move next, while others will make leashes optional. In general, due to the nature of the obstacles, a leash will be very detrimental to your ability to move through the obstacles quickly, and they are rarely used by those entering to win. In order to have the best chances, you need to have impeccable control over your dog.

Because of this, very few dogs will ever reach the championship echelon of agility competitions. Some dogs simply lack the focus and the responsibility to handle their freedom on the course, which to them will often resemble a gigantic playground. Despite this, any dog can enter these agility events, regardless of breed or the amount of training done beforehand. Some events are specifically set up for children to run their dogs through the course, and they allow the child to practice and gain confidence before going into a more serious competition. While it is primarily adults participating in the larger events, children have been known to enter, and some have done quite well with their dogs.

What makes dog agility training so popular is it’s accessibility. Before, dog events were only for the most distinguished pooches, making it a prerequisite that the dog be not only a purebred, but also a beautiful and a confident one. Dog agility competitions have no such requirement, and will typically involve a whole variety of dogs of every breed and combination thereof. That makes this a much more popular event, as nearly anyone from the myriad dog lovers in the crowd could be the potential winner.

Many national organizations are sprouting up for dog agility training events, the most notable of which is the United States Dog Agility Association, or USDAA. While they are attempting to bring some more control to the sport, tougher regulations and new obstacles, they will never truly be able to command such a spectator friendly sport. Dog agility training is more about the fun of the event and the training process rather than the exact rules and the prize structure, and most trainers and owners will agree that this is one of the most exciting sporting events to come around in years.