If you have a healthy, high-energy dog that excels at jumping, dog agility can be an amazing option for fun and fitness. For this dog sport, much of the focus is on dog agility jumping and there are even competition options that concentrate almost solely on jumps. Let’s dive in and take a look at dog agility in all its glory, with an emphasis on jumping.
The Dog Agility Course: What To Expect
When we talk about fun, fitness and finesse, fun and fitness apply universally. Setting up a backyard dog obstacle course can provide your dog and your whole family with hours of entertainment, and it also provides a wonderful source of exercise both for dogs and handlers. Competitions provide fun and fitness, but, of course, there also is some level of finesse as dogs must learn how to navigate courses quickly and without error.
If you decide to compete, you will need to set up a backyard space for agility equipment. There are many different dog agility organizations and most of them include anywhere from 12 to 20 obstacles, and the majority will be jumps. The other obstacles include a dog tunnel, the agility dog walk, an agility a-frame, a dog agility teeter, an agility pause table and agility weave poles.
When it comes to jumps, the course might have single, double or triple jumps and these may or may not have panels. The panels restrict vision, and this increases the difficulty of the course. Every course also will include a tire jump.
The goal for you and your dog is to navigate the course in a clean run. Agility organizations define a clean run as a trip around the agility course moving from obstacle to obstacle in the correct order and within a specific amount of time. Dogs also must enter contact obstacles (teeter, a-frame, dog walk) at the correct spot.
In dog agility, a “clean jump” refers to when a dog successfully clears a jump obstacle without knocking down the bar or making any mistakes that could result in faults or penalties. This means the dog must jump over the bar without touching it, ensuring it remains securely in place. Additionally, the dog should approach and leave the jump in the direction specified by the course design, without any refusal or hesitation.
Achieving clean jumps is crucial for maintaining a smooth, fast, and fault-free run in agility competitions. It demonstrates the dog’s precision, training, and ability to follow the handler’s cues effectively.
The “Jumpers” Competitions & Other Fun Options
Many dog agility organizations have multiple types of dog agility competitions. These include traditional or “standard” courses with many different obstacles, as well as competitions called Jumpers, Snooker, Gamblers and Time 2 Beat.
The Jumpers class focuses solely on speed and accuracy with jumping. Most Jumpers courses only include jumps, although some will include a tunnel, but there will be no weaves and contact obstacles on the course. This makes the course faster-paced and requires sharp handling skills and quick responses from both the dog and the handler. This can be a great option for a dog that is fast and excels at jumping.
For dogs that truly excel at all of the obstacles, you might consider Snooker. A Snooker course includes jumps and obstacles that each have a point value assigned to them and the goal is to run through the obstacles in a specific order and then you can attempt a closing sequence where you run the dog through as many high-value obstacles as possible before the time runs out.
In a Gamblers class, there’s a gamble period where the handler must direct their dog to complete a sequence of obstacles from a distance, without entering a designated area. This tests the dog’s independence and the handler’s ability to control the dog from afar. Before the “gamble”, handlers work to gather points by completing other obstacles.
For Time 2 Beat, agility teams (dog and handler) compete to set the quickest time, which becomes the time to beat for subsequent teams. Obstacles may include jumps, tunnels, and weave poles. The layout and order are less rigid, focusing on speed and fluid motion. This can be a great fit for a fast dog that isn’t always quite so accurate on the course.
Is My Dog A Good Fit For Agility & Jumping?
This is a common question and one that we often discuss in our blog articles. They say that agility is a sport for all dogs, and for the most part, this is true. Typically, all breeds and ages of dogs are welcome to participate. In general, if your dog is healthy and energetic, agility can be a great option and fantastic source of exercise and so much fun for families.
However, some dog breeds aren’t great matches for agility. For instance, a low-energy breed such as a Chow Chow or Shih Tzu might not enjoy such a fast-paced sport. Likewise, dogs known for their independent or stubborn nature might not be responsive to commands, which can make it difficult to excel in this sport, where following commands is pretty much the name of the game.
Enormous breeds, such as Great Danes and St. Bernards also should not work with dog agility equipment, including dog agility jumps. Despite their large imposing physique, their bodies tend to be prone to injury when performing high-impact activities.
Small dogs, even the tiniest breeds, however, can be a good fit. With small dogs, we simply use lower jump heights and mini agility equipment. There’s even an organization, the Teacup Dogs Agility Association, which organizes competitions for the tiniest dog breeds.
Brachycephalic breeds, which are dogs with short noses and flat faces, also aren’t a great fit for agility. These dogs, which include pugs and bulldogs, often have difficulty with the intense physical activity required in agility. These dogs often have respiratory issues that can make breathing difficult during vigorous exercise.
Dogs with physical limitations or health issues, such as chronic joint problems or hip dysplasia, are not a good fit. As your dog ages, agility might become a bit more unsafe, but agility organizations do have specific categories for senior dogs with lower jump heights and slower course times.
What About Puppy Agility?
Puppies have tons of energy, but agility jumps are not safe for puppies. In fact, agility organizations won’t allow dogs to compete until they are past their first birthday and, in most cases, at least 15 months old.
With puppies, we recommend teaching obedience skills and some basic agility training concepts beginning around 8 to 12 months. However, dogs should not begin jumping until they have reached physical maturity. This delay can prevent joint and bone problems as younger dogs’ growth plates have not yet closed.
When starting young dogs on agility training, it’s important to focus on low-impact exercises, such as dog tunnel work, basic obedience, and groundwork that involves navigating around weave poles or through ladders.
These activities help build coordination, focus and fitness without putting undue stress on developing bodies. Actual dog agility jumping should be introduced gradually and only when the dog is physically ready to handle the impact.
Always consult with a veterinarian to ensure that your dog is ready for more physically demanding activities like agility jumps. You could, however, teach your puppy to walk over a jump pole that rests flat on the ground to get used to the idea of going over a jump in general.
Getting Started With Dog Agility Jumping
If you have a dog that loves jumping, we have a huge selection of agility jumps at Carlson Agility, as well as any other piece of dog agility equipment you might need. Our jumps are competition quality and can be adjusted to suit any dog’s height or age class. We also have a mini agility tire jump for smaller breeds and specialty equipment such as obedience jumps.
