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Dog Agility Competition Classes at AthleticDogs.com

Agility Competition Classes - Different Class, Different Course

The most common classes of agility competition are:

Standard, Regular, or Agility

The course includes at least one each of the three primary contact obstacles (teeter, dogwalk, and a-frame) as well as jumps, tunnels, and weave poles of various types. The course is numbered in the order the obstacles are to be completed. A novice course might have as few as 15 obstacles while more advanced courses might include 20 or more. The standards for these courses include performing the obstacles in the correct order and staying within the standard course time (SCT).

Jumpers

Also a numbered course, these usually include a variety of jumps as well as weave poles and tunnels. The dog must complete the course in order within the allotted standard course time (SCT). These are quicker runs because there are no contact obstacles.

Gamblers

Also called the jackpot or joker course, the obstacles are not numbered in these challenges. Instead, the handler runs the dog through any of the obstacles, scoring points for each one completed successfully within the specified time. For the last 15 seconds or so of the run, the handler is required to stay behind a marked line, typically about 10 to 20 feet from the obstacles, and guide the dog through a set series of obstacles designated by the judge ahead of time. This last period is called the gamble – the risk of handling the dog from a distance.

Snooker

The snooker course includes at least three red jumps, each numbered 1, and six other obstacles numbered 2 through 7. These competitions are also split into two periods. The first period requires the dog to complete a 1, then any obstacle numbered 2 to 7, then a different 1, then any obstacle numbered 2 to 7, then a different 1, and so on. Points are accumulated based on the numbers of the obstacles completes (one point for each of the 1s, 7 points for obstacle number 7, etc.). The second period requires the dog to complete the obstacles 2 to 7 in order, for a total of 27 additional points. This game is for the very experienced dog and handler – any fault (failure to follow the sequence, knocking a bar, etc.) can result in being whistled off the course. It also requires a significant amount of strategy to balance earning points with the time it takes to get back and forth to the obstacles.

Power & Speed

The two sections of these courses are judged separately. The power section consists of the contact obstacles as well as a selection of others at the judge’s option (weaves, pause table, a-frame, broad jump). The power section is untimed, but must be completed with no faults to move on to the speed section. The speed course is a jumpers course that is timed.

Juniors

The USDAA runs a junior class for handlers aged 18 and younger. The competitions are available at four levels – beginner, elementary, intermediate, and senior and the handlers are awarded medals or rosettes for their successes.

Relay

Team or relay competitions are just what they sound like – two or three dog and handler teams each complete a portion of a standard agility course, exchanging a baton among the handlers for each turn.

FAST

The AKC has developed a fairly new agility competition, the Fifteen and Send Time (FAST). A variation of the gambler, points are awarded for the successful completion of obstacles at the handler's discretion. Fifteen obstacles are arranged according to the judge's preference; each obstacle is assigned a point value. Some obstacles may be taken in either direction, while others are directed. A bonus area, called the send, is also on the course and is marked off with tape. The handler must send the dog over the obstacles without crossing the tape. The beauty of FAST is that it allows for dogs to compete that are not quite ready for a regular course. If a dog cannot weave, the weaves may be skipped.

Other Classes

Other agility competition classes are basically variations on the classes discussed above and run by the various agility organizations.

Check out the Agility Equipment available through theAthleticDogs.com store.

AthleticDogs.com’s ebooks on training for agility are coming soon!