Agility Show – what is it and why would you go?

If you follow me and read my posts then you will know that I am pretty passionate about dog agility.  I have done other things with my dogs, most notably flyball, with Aura.  I have competed in obedience and had a go at heelwork to music.  So what is the attraction of an Agility Show?

For me, it is about having fun with your dog, pure and simple.  It is about spending focused time with your dog, working together and doing something they enjoy.  This is particularly important if you have more than one dog, as you need to spend some time with them on their own.  You need to pay attention to them as an individual and learn about their personality and what they like.

Training vs competition

Classes at an Agility Club are a great way to have fun with your dog.  They are very sociable too; you get to hang out with other lovely dog people, chatting about your dogs.  You get to run about, keeping yourself and your dog fit.  And you have to think, following instructions and trying to remember the course and how to handle it.

But if you want to go to the next level, you need to enter a show.  Agility shows are run throughout the year, around the country.  However they are mainly concentrated over the ‘summer’ months, ie April to September.  During this time there will be several shows held over every weekend.

Different heights

I have already explained about the equipment and the different grades and rules in my beginners guide to agility, but I forgot to mention the height differences.  This is important, as it puts the dogs into (currently) three main categories: small, medium and large.  It is complicated by the introduction two years ago of an optional (for show organisers) Lower Height, which can be added to all three of the current heights.  Usually, at the moment, shows offer a Lower Height Option (LHO) in the classes for large dogs, as there have historically been many more large dogs than small and mediums.

Dogs are measured to confirm their height at official measuring sessions.  A metal hoop is placed over their shoulders and they must be under the hoop to get into the category.  Border Collies have nearly always measured as large dogs, hence the majority of competing dogs are large.

Over the last few years however, there have been several changes to this situation, in addition to the LHO being added.  These include:

• more medium and small dogs being run, making these classes bigger
• smaller collies being bred, measuring into medium and even small classes
• an increasing number of other dog breeds coming into agility

Very tall dogs might be able to ‘step over’ the jumps, but any jumping, climbing or running puts strain on their joints.  They will also have more difficulty getting through the tunnels and the weaves.  On the other hand, there are plenty of smaller dogs who struggle with even the ‘small’ jumps.

Small dogs are easy

You might think that a small dog would be easier to run in agility.  Dream on!  They are in no way easier, in my opinion.  For a start, as I have explained many times, Border Collies are simply motivated to do it.  Other breeds have different motivations; in the case of terriers, for example, they just want to run off after a scent.  Some dogs are just not that fussed about doing it.  When they are motivated, they are just as fast as a collie.

It might also seem that small dogs find it easier to negotiate the obstacles.  This is also not the case, as I saw yesterday.  I watched around 30 small dogs do a course and none of them went clear!  And then I saw an amazing character fail to touch the bottom of the dog walk!  Bless her, and well done to her handler.  I do not think I would have her patience :p

What happens at a show

Briefly, there are different classes for different grades and heights.  You enter the ones appropriate to you and your dog.  Usually a dog will run in a maximum of four classes per day.  You receive a ‘running order’ a few days before the show.  This tells you which order the classes are being held and in which ring they are happening.  You also find out when you are supposed to run your dog in each class.  This might be at the beginning, middle or end.

For example, you will find out that you are doing a grade 3 agility class in ring 4 and your running order is 64, out of 107 dogs.  The class is the second class in the ring, with the first class having 58 dogs.  This tells you that your class won’t start for at least an hour into the show, and that it will be at least an hour after it starts before you should run.

The complication is that in addition to knowing when you are supposed to run, you also have to know when the class is ‘ready for walking’.  You need to go round the course, without your dog, learning which way to go.  This is a crucial part of the competition.

In an ideal world, we would teach the dog to read numbers, so they could figure it out.  Sadly, they are not able to do that, so we have to tell them what to do.

Why I love an agility show

Agility is fun!  Did I mention that?  The dogs absolutely love it.  They get a real buzz from being around it, even when they are not competing.  It is really stimulating for them and they love to run with you.  They don’t know or care if they have won or lost, they just know that they are doing something really special with you.

The people are great.  Unlike some sports and activities, where people are all really competitive and can be bitchy, or ‘cliquey’, agility is a real community, where everyone supports everyone else.  If you want to see examples of good sportsmanship, go to an agility show.  We all know how hard it is to work with your dog, so we all celebrate the victories and commiserate with those who have struggled.

As a way to spend a day, or a weekend, it’s pretty cool.  You get to hang out with lovely dog people, and your dogs.  It is time being outside, moving about.  Oh and you get a rosette, if you’re really lucky 🙂

What I’m not so keen on

It’s tiring!  You spend most of the day walking and running about.  Agility is demanding, both mentally and physically.  There is also a lot of hanging about.  Each run takes around 30 seconds.  Four runs = 2 minutes.  And it can be quite expensive.  We don’t camp (in a caravan) at shows, but most people do and this all adds up.

Still, it is a lot better than sitting in the house all weekend watching the telly.  See you there!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

How do I find an agility club?

What do you do if you want to start doing something with your dog but don’t know where to go?  It’s really challenging.  Often, when people get their first dog, they don’t know many other ‘dog people’.  Just like with any hobby or interest, if you don’t do it, you don’t know anything about it.

You could talk to people you meet when walking your dog.  Ask them if they do any training with their dog and if so, who do they go to?  Usually people are only to happy to promote their trainer, so that is a good place to start.  Often though, good trainers are fully booked up, but they may well know other people who train.

Anyone with collies should know plenty of dog trainers – collies need to be doing something!

What questions should you ask when choosing a place to train for agility?

• Do you teach fun or competitive agility?  If you have a collie and are young and fit, you will definitely want to go somewhere that trains for competition.  If you are old and unfit and have another breed, consider going to ‘fun agility’ first.  But be warned!  Fun agility can just mean “I don’t really know what I’m doing.”  This might mean that it’s not safe.
• How experienced are the instructors?  Again, it’s about safety.  The more experienced the trainer, the better, obviously.  There are qualifications for agility training – KC Accreditation, or the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers (BIPDT), specialising in agility.  If you want to be taught well, try and find someone who has trained and competed to Championship level, or competed at National or International level.

How old do dogs need to be before starting?

• How old do dogs need to be?  Dogs should be at least a year old before they start jumping.  Foundation work for experienced handlers can begin earlier, but a complete novice should not start with a dog younger than a year.  Equally, dogs should not be too old; any dog over about five is probably too old to start.  They must be fit – agility is not a way to get an obese dog into shape.  Again, this is about putting strain on joints, agility is a sport for the dogs (if not for their owners!)
• Do you use reward-based training?  I’d be amazed if you found anyone who said no to this question, but some trainers believe in being ‘firm’ with their dogs and expecting a good level of behaviour.  I would hope that the trainer would have the facility to cope with dogs who don’t like other dogs, or dogs who run off, or who bark uncontrollably.  There should be crates for dogs to stay in, the area should be fenced securely and there should be somewhere a dog can be tied up between runs.

Equipment and venue

• Where is the training held?  A competitive agility arena is 30m x 30m, so that’s roughly the amount of space needed as a minimum.  Most agility is done in a field or an indoor school at an equestrian centre.  Either way, it should have a good surface for running about.  Outdoor training areas can become slippery when wet, so trainers should take account of this.  What cancellation policy do they have?  You shouldn’t have to pay if it is too wet to run safely.  However, be prepared to train in all weathers!  Dogs don’t usually mind the rain.
• Do you have all the equipment, and is it professionally built?  This is very important.  Items should be reasonably heavy, so they don’t blow over.  Tunnels should be weighted down at either end so they don’t move.  Competitive agility includes the following items:
  • 16-20 items
  • Jumps with four different height settings and wings
  • Tunnels
  • Dog walk, A-frame and seesaw
  • Weaves
  • Optional items include a tyre, a long jump, a wall, other types of jumps

Details of classes

• How many people in each class?  You want a small group only; 4-6 people is ideal.  Any less than that and you are on the go all the time, which can be a bit full on when you start.  More than that and everyone gets bored.
• How long are the sessions?  Typically training classes last an hour.  After that, the dog gets tired and can’t concentrate.
• How much are the classes?  Fees vary enormously, particularly by region.  If it’s too cheap it probably means the trainer is not qualified, or insured.
• Do you have insurance?  Essential.  It’s a sport – both people and dogs can be injured.

Go and watch a class first

If you like the sound of it all, please go and watch a session first, so you know what to expect.  Dogs get very excited by agility, so your dog may not behave as you expect them to!  You might need some help managing this.  Some dogs are so focused on whether or not it is their turn that they don’t mind other dogs barking right next to them.  Others will react to this aggressively.  So be prepared to give other people space.

Agility is fun!

I cannot stress this enough.  It is fun for your dog and fun for you.  Do not take it seriously, you will be sorely disappointed!  This is a life lesson I took a while to learn.  I am a competitive person who likes to do well, so being so bad at something for so long was demoralising and uncomfortable.  Eventually I realised that it was not about winning or losing, or being better than other people.  It was about me and my dogs, being out there and enjoying ourselves.  It is also great spending time with other ‘dog people’ who are all as lovely as their dogs!

I am now training with Emma Conlisk at Beancroft Agility. I can’t recommend Emma highly enough! She is a great teacher, so positive, thorough and focused. Very professional, with a great setup.

Ask me for Advice?

You are very welcome to contact me to ask for my advice.  I won’t necessarily know the answer!  But I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you would like help with a specific topic?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think?