Agility Competition

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Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in arace for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off- leash with no food or toys as incentives,and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. Consequently the handler's controlsare limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional trainingof the animal and coordination of the handler.

In its simplest form, an agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles, laid out byan agility judge in a design of his or her own choosing on a roughly 100 by 100-foot (30

by 30 m) area, with numbers indicating the order in which the dog must complete theobstacles.

Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly withouthuman direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handlingstrategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed equallyimportant. Many strategies exist to compensate for the inherent difference in human anddog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dogs and handlers.

Contents

[hide]

1 Competition basics 2 Agility obstacles

o 2.1 Contact obstacleso 2.2 Tunnelso 2.3 Jumpso 2.4 Miscellaneouso 2.5 References for equipment

3 Agility scoring and clean runs 4 Competition classes 5 Fairness among dogs 6 History of dog agility 7 Agility worldwide 8 International championships 9 Training 10 Competition process

o 10.1 Key trial jobso 10.2 Competition locationso 10.3 Course designo 10.4 Building a course and calculating timeso 10.5 Running a course and determining resultso 10.6 Awards and Titles

11 See also 12 References

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13 External links

[edit ] Competition basics

Because each course is different, handlers are allowed a short walk-through before thecompetition 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 positionthemselves and guide their dogs to get the most accurate and rapid path around thenumbered 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 aquick run.

The walk-through is critical for success because the course's path takes various turns,even U-turns or 270 turns, can cross back on itself, can use the same obstacle more thanonce, can have two obstacles so close to each other that the dog and handler must be ableto clearly discriminate which to take, and can be arranged so that the handler must work with obstacles between himself and the dog, called layering, or at a great distance fromthe dog.

Course map showing the layout of the course in the preceding photos. Maps like this arecommonly used by handlers to help design their strategies. This is a fairly simple [citationneeded ], flowing course, probably used for novice dogs.

Printed maps of the agility course, called course maps , are often made available to the

handlers before they run, to help the handlers plan their course strategy. The course mapcontains icons indicating the position and orientation of all the obstacles, and numbersindicating the order in which the obstacles are to be taken. Course maps were originallydrawn by hand, but nowadays almost all course maps are created using a program calledClean Run Course Designer .

Each dog and handler team gets one opportunity together to attempt to complete thecourse successfully. The dog begins behind a starting line and, when instructed by his

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handler, proceeds around the course. The handler typically runs near the dog, directingthe dog with spoken commands and with body language (the position of arms, shoulders,and feet).

Because speed counts as much as accuracy, especially at higher levels of competition,

this all takes place at a full-out run on the dog's part and, in places, on the handler's partas well.

Scoring of runs is based on how many faults are incurred. Penalties can include not onlycourse faults , such as knocking down a bar in a jump, but also time faults , which are thenumber of seconds over the calculated standard course time (SCT), which in turn isdetermined based on the competition level, the complexity of the course, and other factors.

[edit ] Agility obstacles

The regulations of different organizations specify somewhat different rules anddimensions for the construction of obstacles. However, the basic form of most obstaclesis the same wherever they are used. Obstacles include the following:

[edit ] Contact obstacles

A Hungarian Vizsla climbing an a-frame.

A-frame

Two broad ramps, usually about 3 feet (0.91 m)wide by 8 to 9 feet (2.7 m) long, hingedtogether and raised so that the hingedconnection is between five and six-and-a-quarter feet above the ground (depending on theorganization), roughly forming an A shape. The

bottom 36 to 42 inches (0.91 to 1.1 m) of bothsides of the A-frame are painted a bright color,usually yellow, forming the contact zone , ontowhich the dog must place at least one pawwhile ascending and descending. Mostsanctioning organizations require that A-frameshave low profile, narrow, horizontal slats allalong their length to assist the dog's grip goingup and down. Some organizations allow the topof the A-frame to be narrower than the bottom.

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A Border Collie on a dogwalk

Dogwalk

Three 8 to 12 ft (2.4 to 3.7 m) planks, 9 to 12inches (23 to 30 cm) wide, connected at theends. The centre plank is raised to about 4 feet

(1.2 m) above the ground, so that the two end planks form ramps leading up to and downfrom the center plank. This obstacle also hascontact zones. Most sanctioning organizationsalso require slats on the dogwalk ramps.

A Pembroke Welsh Corgi dismountingthe see-saw

Teeter-totter (or seesaw )

A 10-to-12-foot (3.0 to 3.7 m) plank pivotingon a fulcrum, much like a child's seesaw. It isconstructed slightly off-balance so that thesame end always returns to the ground. This isdone either by placing the support slightly off-center or else weighting one end of the board.This obstacle also has contact zones. However,unlike the other contact obstacles, the teeter-totter does not have slats. The balance point andthe weight of the plank must be such that even atiny dog, such as a Chihuahua , can cause thehigh end of the teeter-totter to descend to theground within a reasonable amount of time,specified by the sanctioning organization's rules(usually about 2 seconds). Smaller dogs getmore time to run a course, and this is onereason why it can take them longer than it takeslarger dogs.

A Shetland Sheepdog performing acrossover at a charity run featuringvintage equipment

Crossover

A 4-foot (1.22 m) high, 3-by-3-foot (0.91 by0.91 m) square platform, with ramps similar tothose found on a dogwalk descending from thecenter of three or four of its sides. The dog mustascend the correct ramp and then descend the

ramp indicated by the handler, possiblychanging direction to do so. This obstacle haslargely been discontinued due to itscumbersome size and danger of dogs falling off as they can not easily see where the narrowramps meet the square platform center. Nomajor agility organization in the United Statescurrently allows the use of a crossover. The

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Kennel Club discontinued the use of thisobstacle in January 2009, as well as the AgilityAssociation of Canada, but other organizationsmay still allow it in competitions.

[edit ] Tunnels

A Boxer exiting a tunnel. Note thesandbags to prevent tunnel movement.

Tunnel

A vinyl tube, 10 to 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1 m) longand about 2 feet (61 cm) in diameter, throughwhich the dog runs. The tunnel is constructed of flexible vinyl and wire, such that it can beconfigured in a straight line, or in a variety of curves.

A German Shepherd Dog exiting acollapsed tunnel

Collapsed Tunnel (or chute or cloth tunnel)

A barrel-like cylinder with a tube of fabricattached around one end. The fabric extendsabout 8 to 12 feet (2.4 to 3.7 m) and lies closeduntil the dog runs into the open end of the chuteand pushes his way out through the fabric tube.

Other Tunnels

UKC agility allows two additional tunnel types,the crawl tunnel and the hoop tunnel, that are notfound in other agility organizations. CPE

allowed an interconnected set of tunnels called atunnel maze from 2004 though 2006, butdiscontinued the tunnel maze as of the 2007rulebook. [6]

[edit ] Jumps

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This winged single jump is adjusted in height so that small dogs such as PembrokeWelsh Corgis may compete against similar-sized dogs.Jump (or hurdle)

Two uprights supporting a horizontal bar over which the dog jumps. The height isadjusted for dogs of different heights. The uprights can be simple stanchions or can have wings of various shapes, sizes, and colors.

A Brittany jumping an ascending triple-bar spread jumpDouble and triple jump (or spread jump)

Two uprights supporting two or three horizontal bars spread forward or back fromeach other. The double can have parallel or ascending horizontal bars; the triple

always has ascending bars. The spread between the horizontal bars is sometimesadjusted based on the height of the dog.Panel jump

Instead of horizontal bars, the jump is a solid panel from the ground up to the jump height, constructed of several short panels that can be removed to adjust theheight for different dog heights.

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An Australian Shepherd jumping through a tire jump .Broad jump (or long jump)

A set of four or five slightly raised platforms that form a broad area over whichthe dog must jump without setting their feet on any of the platforms. The length of the jump is adjusted for the dog's height.

Tire jumpA torus shape roughly the size of a tire , suspended in a frame. The dog must jumpthrough the opening of the "tire"; like other jumps, the height is adjusted for dogsof different sizes. The tire is usually wrapped with tape both for visibility and tocover any openings or uneven places in which the dog could catch.

Other hurdlesUKC agility allows a variety of hurdles not found in other agility organizations:

bush hurdle, high hurdle, log hurdle, picket fence hurdle, rail fence hurdle, longhurdle, window hurdle, and water hurdle.

[edit ] Miscellaneous

A Border Collie demonstrates fast weave poles .Table (or pause table)

An elevated square platform about 3-foot-by-3-foot (1-meter-by-1-meter) squareonto which the dog must jump and pause, either sitting or in a down position, for a designated period of time which is counted out by the judge, usually about 5seconds. The height ranges from about 8 to 30 inches (20 to 76 cm) depending onthe dog's height and sponsoring organization.

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A Chinook on a pause tablePause box

A variation on the pause table. The pause box is a square marked off on theground, usually with plastic pipe or construction tape, where the dog must

perform the "pause" behavior (in either a sit or a down) just as he would on theelevated table.

Weave polesSimilar to a slalom , this is a series of 5 to 12 upright poles, each about 3 feet (0.91m) tall and spaced about 20 inches (51 cm) apart, through which the dog weaves.The dog must always enter with the first pole to his left, and must not skip poles.For many dogs, weave poles are one of the most difficult obstacles to master.

Other obstaclesUKC agility allows the following obstacles not found in other agilityorganizations: swing plank, sway bridge, and platform jump. NADAC also uses ahoop obstacle. A Hoopers course consists entirely of hoops, but hoops may beused in other courses as well.

[edit ] References for equipment

Equipment specifications for various organizations:

AKC (PDF), under "Obstacle Specifications and Performance Requirements"(United States)

ASCA (PDF), in Appendix A "Equipment Specifications" (United States) CPE, follow the "Rules" link (United States) FCI (PDF), under "Obstacle Specification" (International) NADAC (North America) TDAA (North America) USDAA (North America) UKC , list of equipment, no specs (North America) The Kennel Club , partial specs (United Kingdom)

[edit ] Agility scoring and clean runs

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Each organization has its own rules about what constitutes a fault, and whether one canearn a qualifying score with faulted runs. A completed run that passes the minimumdefined standards for time, faults, points, etc., is referred to as a qualifying run and insome cases earns credit towards agility titles. A qualifying run is also referred to as a leg .A clean run or clear round is one with no faults.

Different organizations place different values on faults, which can include the following:

Time faultGoing over the maximum time allotted by the judge to complete a course(the standard course time (SCT) ).

Missedcontact

The dog failing to place a foot in the contact zone while performing acontact obstacle. Leaping from a contact obstacle a long way above thedescending contact zone is sometimes called a flyoff .

Knocked ordropped bar

Displacing a bar (or panel) when going over a jump.

Weave polefault

Entering the weave poles incorrectly (the dog must enter with the first pole

on his left), skipping poles, or backweaving when attempting to correctmissed poles.

Off courseTaking the wrong obstacle on a course in which the obstacles are numberedsequentially.

RefusalThe dog making an approach towards the correct obstacle, but then turningaway or hesitating significantly before attempting the obstacle.

Runout The dog running past the correct obstacle.

HandlingThe handler deliberatelyor, in some cases, accidentallytouching the dogor an obstacle.

Training inthe ring

The handler deliberately taking an action that appears to be for the purposeof training the dog, rather than trying to run the course correctly, such asasking the dog to repeat an obstacle that he has already completed when therules don't allow it. The penalty for this varies by organization: the handler may be excused from the ring, elimination may be scored but the handler isallowed to continue, the handler and dog may be allowed to complete their run but are given the maximum course time, and so on. Some organizationshave no penalty for training in the ring. In general it is up to the judge todetermine what is or isn't training in the ring.

Other faults

The dog biting the judge or the handler, the dog or handler exhibitingunsportsmanlike behavior, the dog eliminating in the ring, the dog leavingthe ring and not coming back, the handler carrying toys or food into thering, the dog running with his collar on (in organizations that prohibitcollars being worn during a run), and so on.

[edit ] Competition classes

Given the available set of obstacles and possible faults, there are many permutations of games, or classes , that one can play on the agility field. A typical course is laid out within

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a 100-by-100-foot (30 by 30 m) area, with roughly 10 to 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1 m) betweenobstacles.

Judges design their own courses (in NADAC, judges can do so or can select from previously designed courses) using the rules of the sanctioning organization. Each

organization decides which classes are valid for achieving titles and how each must be performed, but there are many similarities.

Some of the common classes are

Standard , Regular , or Agility : This is a numbered course consisting of (usually)at least one of each of the three primary contact obstacles (not including thecrossover) plus jumps, tunnels, and weave poles of various flavors. A novicecourse might consist of as few as 15 obstacles; a higher-level course might have22. The dog must negotiate the obstacles in the correct order within the standardcourse time (SCT).

Jumpers or Jumping : This numbered course consists primarily of various typesof jumps and, depending on the organization, also weave poles and tunnels. Thedog must negotiate the obstacles in the correct order within the standard coursetime (SCT). The dogs achieve their fastest speed on these courses because thereare no contact obstacles to slow them down.

Gamblers , Jackpot , or Joker : An unnumbered course. The game typicallyconsists of two parts, an opening period and the closing period, also known as thegamble, joker, or jackpot. In the opening period, the dog has a certain amount of time in which to do whatever obstacles the handler deems appropriate and accrues

points based on the obstacles completed. At the end of the allocated time for theopening period, a whistle blows. At that point, the gamble begins. The dog has acertain small amount of time (about 15 seconds) in which to complete a sequenceof obstacles designated by the judge ahead of time. The challenge is that there is aline on the ground past which the handler must not step, typically paralleling thegamble obstacles, from 10 to 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1 m) away depending on the levelof competition. The handler must choose an opening sequence that flowscomfortably for the individual dog's skills and experience. The sequence mustalso be planned so that, when the whistle blows, the dog is in a good position toimmediately begin the gamble. The greatest challenge is the distance handling getting the dog to move or even turn away from you.

Snooker : Loosely based on the billiard game of Snooker . The course has at leastthree red jumps, each numbered 1, and six other obstacles numbered 2 through 7.The dog accumulates points based on the obstacle's number. This also has two

parts, an opening sequence and a closing sequence. In the opening sequence, thedog must complete a 1, then any obstacle numbered 2 to 7, a different 1 and any 2to 7 obstacle (including the one already performed), and yet another different 1and another 2-7 obstacle. For example, the dog could perform the red on the left

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for 1 point, the 7-point obstacle, the red in the middle for 1 point and then the 7- pointer again, then the red on the far side of the course and the 7-pointer one moretime, for a total of 24 points in the opening. After successfully completing this,the dog must complete the obstacles 2-7, in order, for an additional possible 27

points. Failure to follow these rules exactly (such as knocking a bar or taking 2

reds in a row) results in the dog and handler being whistled off the course.o Strategy and entertainment value : The dogs might have to negotiate

between other obstacles without taking them or make a difficult entry tothe obstacle, often combined with a longer distance between the reds andthe 7 so that it consumes more time to do the higher-point obstacle in theopening.

Power & Speed : The course consists of two sections. The first is an untimed"Power" section, which features the contact equipment and any of the following atthe discretion of the judge setting the course: weaves, table, a-frame, spread jump,long jump. If this section is negotiated without accruing any faults, the dog and

handler may go on to the "Speed" section, which consists of a timed jumpingcourse.

Juniors : USDAA defines this class for handlers aged 18 or younger, who maycompete with their dogs at four levels, beginner, elementary, intermediate, andsenior. Each level gets progressively harder and gains more obstacles. Thecompetitors earn medals or bronze, silver, or gold or rosettes of blue, red, yellow,or white.

Team , Pairs , or Relay : Two or three dog-and-handler teams each execute a portion of a Standard agility course, with the handlers exchanging a baton

between sections. Variations and combinations of the preceding, such as AKC's Fifteen and Send

Time (FAST) class.

[edit ] Fairness among dogs

This section does not cite any references or sources .Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may

be challenged and removed . (May 2010)

A St. Bernard competing in dog agility.

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Although each organization has its own rules, all divide dogs into smaller groups that areclose to each other in size and experience for purposes of calculating winners. Thismeans that there will be winners in each group for each class (or game ) over the course of a trial.

Dogs are measured in height at the peak of their withers (shoulders). They are thendivided into height groups; for example, dogs measuring between 12 and 16 inches (30and 41 cm) might compete together with the jumps set at a height of 16 inches (41 cm).This ensures that dogs who might have an advantage on a particular course because of their size (larger or smaller) keep the advantage to a minimum.

Dogs are further divided into their experience levels. So, for example, there may becompetitions for 12 inches (30 cm) Novice dogs, 12 inches (30 cm) Intermediate dogs,and 12 inches (30 cm) Masters dogs. Dogs typically have to have certain numbers of successes at lower levels before they can move up to compete with more advanced dogs.Some organizations allow beginner dogs to run on-leash in some situations.

Some organizations further divide dogs into special categories because the dogs are older (usually over seven years), or have junior handlers (usually under 18), or the like. For example in AAC trials there is a category for veteran dogs (dogs over seven years old)which allows them to jump at a height lower than they are measured for as well as havingthe height of the a-frame lowered. The AAC also offers a 'specials' class for handlers thatdo not wish for their dog to jump their officially measured height or climb a full height a-frame for any reason (typically this is chosen for dogs who are heavy set and/or are notnaturally agile). Otherwise, dogs are not separated by age; they must only be of at least aspecified minimum age to compete.

Dogs also are not separated by breed in agility competitions. Some organizations requirethat dogs entering its competitions must be purebred , but many organizations allow anysound, able-bodied dog, whether purebred or mixed-breed .

[edit ] History of dog agility

Main article: History of dog agility

The history of dog agility can be traced to a demonstration at the Crufts Dog Show in thelate 1970s in the United Kingdom. Dogs were run around a course designed similar tohorse jumping courses during intermission as a way to entertain the audience. It has sincespread rapidly around the world, with major competitions held worldwide.

[edit ] Agility worldwide

Main article: Dog agility worldwide

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Dog agility is an international dog sport with many different sanctioning organizationsand competitions worldwide.

[edit ] International championships

Some competitions invite qualified entrants from multiple countries, thereby makingthem international championships. Examples include:

Fdration Cynologique Internationale Agility World Championships, the oldestand best-known, always (so far) held in Europe. The event was held as aEuropean championship until 1995, then a world championship from 1996, and isrestricted to registered pedigree dogs only. The FCI has more than 80 member countries (via each country's kennel club ), over 30 of which typically take part inthe FCI World Championships. The British, American and Canadian kennel clubsare not FCI members, but their teams are allowed to participate by specialinvitation.

The International Mix & Breed Championship in Agility (IMCA), first held inItaly in 2000 as a response to the FCI pedigree-only championships. Thecompetition is held annually with about 18 countries participating, includingteams from outside Europe. Now open to any breed or mixed-breed dogregardless of origins, and in Europe considered to be the main international rivalto the FCI championships.

Since the 2002 IMCA (Gyula, Hungary), this championship is organised together withthe ParAgility World Cup for disabled competitors.

The International Federation of Cynological Sports (IFCS), has since 2002organized a biannual world agility championship open to any breed or mixed-

breed dog regardless of pedigree. English-speaking member or associate member countries include the United States (via the United States Dog AgilityAssociation), the United Kingdom (via UK Agility), Canada (via the AgilityAssociation of Canada), and Australia (via the Agility Dog Association of Australia). Ten countries participated in the event in 2006.

The Cynosport World Games, officially named in 2003, as the consolidated venuefor USDAA's three tournament series - Grand Prix of Dog Agility , $10,000 Dog

Agility Steeplechase and Dog Agility Masters Three-Dog Team Championship and exhibitions and competitions in other popular canine sports. USDAAtournaments were opened to invited overseas participants for the first time in

2001, which led to establishment of USDAA affiliates in other countries wherequalifying events are now held each year. Prior to 2001, USDAA qualifyingevents were limited to Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States. TheCynosport World Games in 2006 attracted some 1,000 competitors in dog agilityfrom twelve countries, and also now includes world championship events inflyball and flying disc. Participants from other countries may still apply for

participation by invitation if USDAA qualifying events are not held in their country or region.

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The European Open. An informal annual championships since its foundation in2002, open to all dogs regardless of origins. It rotates around a small number of countries in central Europe, though attracting competitors from all over Europe,with 25 countries due to participate in the 2006 event. From 2007, the competitionwill be held under Fdration Cynologique Internationale regulations, with a view

to developing it into a 'World Open'. In years when the World Dog Show is heldin Europe, the European Open will be held at the World Show and not separately.

[edit ] Training

A mixed-breed dog demonstrates the teeter at an agility class.

Dogs can begin training for agility when young or old; however, care is taken whentraining dogs under a year old so as to not harm their developing joints .[7] Dogs generally

start training on simplified, smaller, or lowered (in height) agility equipment and trainingaids (such as ladders and wobbling boards to train careful footing); [8] however, evenquickly learning puppies must be finished growing before training on equipment atstandard height to prevent injury.

Introducing a new dog to the agility obstacles varies in response. Each individual doglearns at his own pace; confident dogs may charge over equipment with littleencouragement, while more timid dogs may take weeks to overcome their hesitationswith much encouragement. Both scenarios present their own challenges; confident dogsmay be overconfident and sloppy to the point where they have a serious accident; self control must be taught. [9][10] Timid dogs need extra support to boost their confidence. [11]

Given the right encouragement, a timid dog can gain confidence through learning thesport itself. [12][13] The size of the dog can also have an effect on training obstacles, particularly with the chute, in which smaller dogs are prone to getting trapped andtangled inside. [14] Great effort is taken in general to see that the dog is always safe and hasa good experience in training for agility so that they do not fear the obstacles, and instead

perform them willingly and with enthusiasm. [15]

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The teeter-totter (or see-saw) and the weave poles are typically the most challengingobstacles to teach to any dog. [16] Many dogs are wary of the see-saw's movement, and theweave poles involve a behavior that does not occur naturally to the dog. [17][18] Contactobstacles in general are challenging to train in a manner that ensures that the dog touchesthe contact zone without sacrificing speed. Whether for competition or recreation, the

most important skill for an agility team to learn is how to work together quickly,efficiently, and safely. [19] Dogs vary greatly in their speed and accuracy of completing acourse, as well as in their preferences for obstacles; therefore, the handler must adjusttheir handling style to suit and support the dog.

Training techniques for each piece of equipment varies. For example, the techniques for training the weave poles include using offset poles that gradually move more in line witheach other; using poles that tilt outward from the base and gradually become upright;using wires or gates around the poles forcing the dog into the desired path; putting a handin the dog's collar and guiding the dog through while leading with an incentive; teachingthe dog to run full speed between two poles and gradually increasing the angle of

approach and number of poles; et cetera.[20]

Agility can be trained independently (for instance at home) or with an instructor or clubthat offers classes. Seasoned handlers and competitors, in particular, may choose to trainindependently, as structured classes are commonly geared towards novices. [21] Seasonedhandlers often instead look to seminars and workshops that teach advanced handlingtechniques, and then practice on their own. Common reasons for joining an agility classinclude:

Access to agility equipment, especially the larger contact obstacles, which can beexpensive, difficult to build, and require a lot of space to use. [22]

Seeking the guidance and expertise of more experienced handlers .[23]

Enjoying the social venue that many classes provide. [24] Training in a more distracting environment, which is helpful in preparation for

competition. [25]

In addition to the technical and educational training, physical training must also be done.[26] At the very least, the dog must be fit enough to run and jump without causing stress or injury to its body. The handler can also benefit from being physically fit, but with somehandling styles it is not necessary to keep up with the dog (nor is it possible with very fastdogs). [27] Being able to handle a dog from a distance allows mobility-impaired handlers to

participate in the sport en par with mobile handlers.

[edit ] Competition process

Competitions (also called trials or matches or shows ) are usually hosted by a specificlocal club. The club might be devoted solely to dog agility, or it might be primarily a

breed club that wants to promote the working abilities of its breed, or it might be a clubthat hosts many types of dog sports . The club contracts with judges who are licensed by

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the sanctioning organization and applies to the organization for permission to hold a trialon a specific date or weekend; most trials are two-day weekend events.

[edit ] Key trial jobs

The club designates a member to be the chairperson or show manager , who isresponsible for ensuring that the trial takes place, and another member to be the secretary , who is responsible for providing competitors with the show premium or schedule --a document that describes the specific competition, summarizes the rules,describes the trial site, and includes an entry formreceiving completed entry forms,sending out running orders, producing running-order lists for the day of competition, andcompiling the results from the trial to send to the sanctioning organization.

The designated chief ring steward or ring manager is responsible for finding andassigning workers, almost always volunteers, to perform the myriad tasks involved in

putting on a trial. For example, if electronic timing is not being used, each class needs a

timer , who ensures that the dog's running time is recorded, a scribe , who records the judge's calls as a dog runs the class, and pole setters (or ring stewards ), who ensure that jump bars are reset when they are knocked off and change jump heights for dogs of different sizes.

[edit ] Competition locations

Agility competitions require considerable space. Each ring is usually at least 100 feet (30m) on each side, though exact dimensions vary according to the organisations.Competitions can have anything from one up to more than a dozen rings. The groundmust be level and, ideally, grassy, although other surfaces are used.

In addition, competitors need space to set up quarters for their dogs and gear; when space permits, competitors often bring pop-up canopies or screenroom awning tents for shade.Dogs, when not competing, are usually left to rest in exercise pens, crates , or dog tents familiar and enclosed environments in which they can relax and recover between runs.Handlers also bring reflective cloths to protect their dogs from sun exposure and to calmthem down (by covering their crates with the cloths). There also needs to be space for many handlers with dogs on leashes to move freely around the rings without crowding,and space for warming up, exercising, and pottying dogs. Adjacent to the site, parkingmust be available for all competitors. At weekend or weeklong shows that offer camping,space needs to be provided both for competitors' caravans and tents, and for the small

fenced enclosures or gardens that they set up around them.

In heavily populated areas, therefore, it is uncommon to find real estate inexpensiveenough to devote entirely to agility, so sites are usually rented for the weekend. Even inmore rural areas, agility-only sites are uncommon. Popular locations include fairgrounds , large parks , covered horse-riding arenas, and in cold-winter areas, large, emptywarehouses in which mats or carpet can be laid.

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[edit ] Course design

Before the trial, each judge designs the courses that he or she will judge at thecompetition. The sanctioning organization usually reviews and approves the courses toensure that they meet the organization's guidelines. Guidelines include such issues as how

far apart obstacles must be, how many turns are allowed (or required) on a course, whichobstacles and how many of each must appear on the course, and so on. The rules vary bylevel of competition and by organization.

[edit ] Building a course and calculating times

Before each class, or the evening before the first class, course builders use course maps provided by the judges to place equipment on the course. The chief course builder isusually an experienced competitor who understands what equipment is legal, how it must

be configured, how each must be aligned compared to other obstacles, and can directseveral course-building volunteers to efficiently move the equipment into place. To make

the job easier, courses are often marked in some way to correspond to a grid: for example, if course maps are printed on a grid of 10-foot-by-10-foot squares, the posts thathold the ring ropes marking the course's four sides are often set 10 feet apart.

When the course builders finish, the judge walks through the course and double-checksthat the obstacles are legal, that they are placed where the judge intended, and that thereare no unintended hazards on the course (such as potholes, uneven ground, or mud

puddles) around which the course must be adjusted. For many classes, the judge thenmeasures the path through the course to determine the optimal running distance of atypical dog. The judge uses that measurement with a speed requirement determined bythe rules to calculate the standard course time , the time under which dogs must complete

the course to avoid time faults. For example, if the course is 150 yards (or meters) long,and the rules state that dogs must run the course at a rate of at least 3 yards (or meters) per second, the standard course time would be 50 seconds. Other organizations, though,leave the decision on course time to the judge's discretion

[edit ] Running a course and determining results

The judge often holds a briefing for competitors before each class, to review the rules andexplain specific requirements for a particular course. For Standard courses for experienced competitors, the judge's briefing is often minimal or dispensed withaltogether. For novice handlers in classes with complex rules, the briefings can be much

longer.

The competitors then walk the course (as described earlier). When the walk-through ends,the gate steward or caller ensures that dogs enter the ring in the running order previouslydetermined by the trial secretary and manages changes to the running order for handlerswho might have conflicts with other rings of competition. As each dog and handler teamruns the course, the dog is timed either by a person with a stopwatch or with an electronic

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timer, and the scribe writes the judge's calls and the dog's final time on a scribe sheet or ticket , which is then taken to the score table for recording.

At the score table, scorekeepers compile the results in a variety of ways. Someorganizations require or encourage computerized scorekeeping; others require certain

types of manual score sheets to be filled out. When all the dogs in a given height group,level, and class have run, the score table compares run times, faults, and any other requirements to determine placements (and, for classes that provide qualifying pointstowards titles, which dogs earned qualifying scores).

Each ring might run several classes during a day of competition, requiring multiplecourse builds, walk throughs, briefings, and so on.

[edit ] Awards and Titles

A variety of rosette award ribbons from dog agility competitions.

Awards are usually given for placements and for qualifying scores. Such awards are oftenflat ribbons , rosettes , commemorative plaques , trophies , medals , or pins . Some clubsaward high-in-trial awards, calculated in various ways, or other special awards for thetrial. Dogs who complete their final qualifying scores to become agility champions areoften presented with special awards.

Many Kennel Clubs also award titles to those who manage to qualify enough times in a particular level. Most clubs require three qualifying scores in any level to get thecorresponding title, however, other clubs may require more or less.