Whidbey Island Agility Training

History

• Dog agility as a competitive sport was born at the Crufts Dog Show in England in 1978. Since then competitions have been organized and held in the United States by the American Kennel Club, North American Dog Agility Council and United States Dog Agility Association. NADAC and USDAA were the first to allow both pure and mixed-breed dogs to compete. This year the AKC followed suit by introducing the AKC Canine Partners program. The program is the first that allows AKC Canine Partners registered mixed breed dogs to compete in AKC agility events.

Foundation Training

• Dog agility is a sport that takes place entirely off lead. Foundation obedience training and dog attention skills are must have prerequisites to any agility training program. Before being introduced to formal agility training, dogs should be able to respond to the "sit," "down," "come" and "stay" commands. Puppies can be introduced to the sport, but should refrain from jumping full height or climbing contact equipment at full height until their skeletal system and muscle structure reach maturity.

Agility Skills

• The sport requires a dog and handler to be able to complete a course of 14 to 20 different obstacles. Standard classes use all of the equipment to include jumps, contact equipment, tunnels, chutes, the table and weave poles. Contact equipment consists of the dog walk, A-frame and teeter. Jumpers With Weaves classes consist only of jumps, tunnels and weaves. Dogs are trained to compete at three levels of competition. Those levels may have different names based on the agility organization, but consist of a beginner, intermediate and advanced level of training. In AKC, which holds the most dog agility trials, the levels are known as "novice," "open" and "excellent."
  Each level of training is more complex and requires dog and handler to be faster and more accurate. The only difference in equipment used at each level is the weave poles. Six poles are used for novice competition while 12 poles are used for open and excellent level classes.

Training in Whidbey Island

• Training classes on Whidbey Island are available from Joyful Dog Training. Owner Joy Thompson is a positive, motivational trainer with more than 20 years of experience training and showing dogs. The business is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Private and group classes are available. Foundation skills classes are required before being accepted into the agility class. You can find information on the company's website (see References).

Agility Classes near Whidbey Island

• Dog agility organization member dog clubs and member trainers of the Association of Pet Dog trainers offer dog agility training near Whidbey Island. You can do club and trainer searches on the AKC, USDAA, NADAC and Association of Pet Dog Trainers websites (see References).

Warnings

• The dog agility sport requires both you and your dog to run and make a number of quick direction changes in a short period of time. The sport also requires the dog to jump, climb and traverse tall pieces of equipment. Before beginning any agility training program, make sure both you and your dog are physically capable of the demands of training.
  This is a sport that takes place predominantly off leash. Keep safety in mind and train only in fenced or enclosed areas on grass, soft packed dirt, carpeted or cushioned surfaces. Do not participate in any training that you feel is unsafe for you or your dog.