There are many different dog agility organizations out there and while there are many similarities, each group will have its own agility equipment size requirements and the dogs will be grouped differently.
One of the great things about dog agility is that just about any dog can participate and dogs are never organized by breed. In almost all organizations, mixed breed dogs are welcome to participate, which truly makes this a sport for every dog.
While any healthy, enthusiastic dog can participate in dog agility, it wouldn’t be quite fair to have a tiny Pekingese go up against a St. Bernard. While the tiny dog might be very fast, it certainly couldn’t jump to the same heights that the big dog could reach. Keeping size in mind, dogs will be organized by size and often agility equipment is scaled down for smaller dogs.
It is important for you to know the height of your dog during training, and a dog is measured at the peak of his shoulders or withers. Generally, you will be competing against dogs which are within about three or four inches in height of your dog. For different sized dogs, the course requirements might be different and the agility equipment might be adjusted. So it’s important that you know your dog’s height and the height of all the agility equipment on the course so that you practice using the correct equipment height.
Dogs also are grouped by experience level. This means that a canine just getting started in dog agility won’t have to go up against an expert or intermediate dog. Likewise, age also can be an issue, and you might find senior or veterans’ classes for older dogs and puppy classes for those who are young. This improves safety and also creates a better competition overall.
Sometimes there are even special dog agility handler categories. For instance, some groups have a junior handler division for handlers who are younger than 18. On the flip side, there sometimes is a category for senior handlers and perhaps even for handlers with disabilities. Disabled dogs sometimes are allowed to participate if their safety is not at risk. For instance, most dog agility organizations will allow deaf dogs to enjoy zipping around and competing with the agility equipment.
Of course, dog agility is not just about competition. This is a great way to bond with your furry friend and fantastic exercise for dog and handler. You both will learn a lot about each other when you teach your dog to navigate agility equipment. Dogs of all sizes enjoy using agility equipment and just about any healthy dog can participate either in competitions or just enjoying some great backyard fun.
Brad Carlson enjoys dog agility training. To find agility equipment or to find more about training equipment for dog agility equipment, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com website today.
