Home | Dog Sports | What’s New | About | Contact | Store | Links

Agility | Conformation | Disc Dogs | Dock Diving | Earth Dog Trials | Flyball | Herding | Field Trials & Hunting | Lure Coursing  Obedience | Rally- O | Schutzhund & Protection Dogs | Therapy Dogs | Tracking | Pulling Sports

Dog Agility Trials at AthleticDogs.com

Agility Trials - How They Work

Agility trials are run in a similar manner to any other athletic competition. The hosting organization is usually an affiliate of one of the governing bodies (AKC, UKC), such as a local breed club and the like. They advertise the event on the governing body’s website and in other agility-related publications. The handler must register to compete and in some cases registration is allowed up to the day of the trial.

The trial judge is responsible for the course design - he or she designs the course and the sanctioning organization approves the design. Each sanctioning body has its own rules about how far apart the obstacles must be, how many turns are allowed or required, which obstacles must be present, and the like. The Chief Builder and Ring Stewards do the actual layout and building of the course. Read more about Agility Courses here.

Once it is in place, the judge checks the course and measures the distance between obstacles and the overall distance of the course to ensure it meets the approved specifications of the original design. Any necessary adjustments will be made when the judge walks the course. Most organizations intend that the same run never be used in more than one trial, though a few organizations do allow judges to select from previously used courses.

On the day of competition, the check-in packet will typically include a numbered armband, a course map, and any other information you will need to compete that day. You and the other handlers will meet with the judge for a briefing – an overview of how the course (and your class in particular) will be judged. There will be time allotted for you to walk the course, without your dog, to figure out the best course of action to finish the trial with speed and accuracy. In most cases, there will be ten or fifteen minutes allowed for this, so you will have time to run the course several times to identify the best route and potential challenges. The more experience you have in running agility trials, the easier, and more important, walking the course will become.

The dogs run the course without leashes or collars (for safety reasons), nor is the handler allowed any physical contact with the dog. When it is your turn to run, the judge will tell you when to start. Once your dog crosses the start line, the Timer will start the stopwatch. Time stops when any part of your dog crosses the finish line. There is also a Scribe who documents any faults in the run when signaled by the judge. After the run, the scribe records the time (from the Timer) on the run sheet as well. A Runner takes the completed run sheet to the score tent for final calculations.

Different organizations compile the results in different ways. Some require electronic or computerized scorekeeping, others provide standard handwritten scoresheets. Once all the dogs in a particular height group, level, and class have run, the score table compares run times, faults and any other requirements to determine placement and qualifying scores. The results are then generally posted at the scorekeeper’s tent. Each ring is likely to run several classes during a day of competition, so the entire process from setup through briefings through scoring is repeated several times.

Each dog and handler team is given one opportunity to complete the agility course. You and your dog are competing both against the other dogs in your class AND to achieve individual achievements. Your goal at every trial is to achieve a “clean run” – one with no faults and within the organization’s set time limit. Accumulating clean runs allows your dog to move up through the competitive levels of the agility organization, eventually competing to become an agility champion.

Course Map & Walkthrough

The hosting organization provides all competitors with a course map showing the layout of the obstacles on the course. You can use this map to figure out the most logical route for both you and your dog – one that flows logically for the dog and keeps you within sight of your dog to provide guidance. It is very common for agility courses to cross back over themselves and require quick 90°, 180°, or even 270° turns for both you and your dog.

Course Map

Course maps, which are usually posted or provided to agility trial participants, provide the competitors a first look at the course they will be running. Generally, the course numbers are clearly marked and the obstacles are identifiable by clear icons. The more experience you have with agility trials the easier it will be to read a course map, see the challenging areas, and strategize the best route for you and your dog.

Walking the Course

Because each course is different, handlers are allowed a short walk-through before the competition starts. During this time, all handlers competing in a particular class can walk or run around the course without their dogs, determining how they can best position themselves and guide their dogs to get the most accurate and rapid path around the numbered obstacles. The handler tends to run a path much different from the dog's path, so the handler can sometimes spend quite a bit of time planning for what is usually a quick run.

Stuff You Need for Agility Trials

• Pop-up canopy or screenroom awning tents for shade
• Crate, exercise pen, or dog tent for your dog to rest, out of the sun, between runs
• Plenty of water & treats
• Reflective cloths to cover the crate and reduce sun exposure
• Camera to catch the action!

Check out all the agility gear you need for your next agility trial at AthleticDogs.com!