Agility is a canine sport. It is an obstacle course that can be practised for pleasure or contest.
Agility is one of the most famous dog sports in the canine world. Ring and agility must share the star. As its name suggests, it is an activity where the master and the dog must be particularly agile.
It is a discipline appreciated by the four-legged animal owners. We will introduce it to you while evoking the competition.
What is the Agility?
This activity can be practised in leisure or competition. The goal is to achieve a journey with obstacles, without making mistakes, the most properly possible.
On the course, the dog will meet several obstacles:
Hurdles to jump: Each height will be different depending on the category of the dog.
Tunnels available in two kinds: rigid tunnels and soft tunnels, also called socks.
Swings.
Ramps.
The pair will have to work a lot to provide compelling results.
The agility holds its origins in England. Then, following several meetings, this discipline was officially registered with the Central Canine Society on January 1, 1988.
Over time, it has improved until they are open to all dog breeds. Fortunately, to protect these animals, different conditions will have to be respected.
The dog will not be able to practice agility only when he is at least 18 months old. For some breeds, the competition may be possible at 12 months. The reason is simple: it is a physical activity and trying. The puppy is unable to achieve such efforts without endangering his health and his joints.
Depending on your expectations and desires, you will be able to choose specific competitions. The Championship of France and the World Championship will be reserved only for dogs registered on the book of French origins. If you do not have a LOF dog, there are competitions like the Grand Prix de France that are for both LOF dogs and non-lof dogs.
To participate in contests, the pair will have to display a correct attitude. The animal will have to be connected and focused on his master to ignore the other dogs. In addition, since it is an event without a leash, the driver must make sure to control his dog smoothly.
Depending on the breed of the dog and its size, the pair will be assigned to a category. There are 4:
Dogs with a garrot of less than 37cm will be in category A.
Dogs with a height at the Garrot of 37 to 47cm will be in category B.
Dogs with a size of 47cm or more at the withers will be in category C.
Moloss, like the Rottweiler or Leonberg will be in category D.
Depending on the category, the size of obstacles and hedges will vary.
The events in agility
Speed is not what is most important in agility. To get the best score, you have to be fast, certainly, but having a dog that has not committed any penalty. Each foul causes a withdrawal of 5 points on the final score.
To pass an exercise, the complicity will be put forward. The greater the confidence between the two, the greater the chances of success. There are teams that will only bet on the score (especially in the world championship), while others will highlight the pleasure of participating.
The agility can go on leisure in a canine club. For people who wish to compete, there are competitions available. These will be divided into two types:
The Agility: This is the part that contains the contact areas. All obstacles are present, with jumps, obstacles to zones or obstacles to passage. The subtlety of this test is that the dog will have to lay at least one leg in each zone, whether while rising or downwards.
Jumping: It is an activity that will not understand any contact area. Jumps, slaloms and tunnels are the components. The course is traced according to the desire of the judge who brings you. However, it must rely on agility’s international regulation.
Several grades are available. In order to move from grade 1, the Agility Pass and CAESC must be obtained. Access to grade 2 will be done when the dog has obtained 3 “excellent” mentions with the absence of penalties with three competitions under at least two separate judges. Finally, to access the last rank, number 3, the pair will have to present:
3 “agility” events with “excellent”, without having any penalties, under two separate judges. It will also have to be present in the first 3 of the competition.
2 “Excellent” mentions without any penalty in the “Jumping” event. As with other grades, the two judges will have to be different. The pair will have to finish in the first 3.
The regression of grades is possible if you do not have good scores in the competition where you participate.
Why the Agility?
The agility will allow you to learn new orders for your pet. But all this will only be possible if he already obeys simple orders as sitting here. Especially since for this sport, he must not have a leash, collar and that his master must not touch him.
The agility also requires a certain concentration because the dog will have to be permanently listening to hear what you ask him.
Finally, this sport is strongly recommended to maintain good relationships with your dog and strengthen your complicity. Throughout the course, you must follow your current animal most of the time. The agility will quickly be a nice moment for your dog since it has shared it with you. In addition, it will allow you to keep some fitness.
Where and when to practice agility?
The agility will practice in Canine Club. For this, you must have a license that will be issued by the affiliate association. To obtain it, conditions must be honoured, such as respect for the dog, the world of cynophilia and the Charter of Ethics.
The advantage of such a sign is that it has a trainer who will provide you with answers to your questions.
The agility can start very early. Nevertheless, jumps will have to wait for the puppy growth to be finalized. The risk of damaging the joints is too important.
Canine clubs are numerous. More than 400 are referenced at CSC. You will necessarily find one near you. If you wish, you will be able to watch one or more Agility sessions to get an idea of the teaching method, although the treatment is the most widespread.
Take advantage of this universe that brings this discipline. You will create exceptional complicity, and you will appreciate these moments. It is a great way to entertain your dog, whether in physical or mental expenditure. Not to mention that it play sports for the human!
Check out the activities to practice with your dog:
Play with your dog: the benefits and different types of game
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Coupling
Creek
Canicross
Cani mountain bike
Flyball
Frisbee
Jumping
Rhythmic
Tracking
Ring
Choose a toy for his dog
Run with your dog
Play out with your dog
