The Sport of Dog Agility

Dogs can be athletes too. In dog agility competitions, dogs negotiate obstacles while following their handlers' directions. Judges award points for speed and accuracy, and they hand out fault points for mistakes on the course. Dogs gain skills, confidence, and an increased fitness level while playing in a giant doggie playground.

Dog agility is for humans as well as for dogs. It's a spectator event and an opportunity for people and their canine companions to bond through training and practice time together.

There are dog agility forums, chat rooms, mailing lists, and clubs. You can get dog agility clipart, course designer programs, and scoreboard and record management programs for your computer. You can learn from books and videos about dog agility, and you can wear your interest with dog agility T-shirts.

Dog agility is popular in the US, Canada, numerous European countries, Australia (where it's a national sport), and other parts of the world.

The history of dog agility

Dog agility began as a spectator sport in England for a filler at Crufts Dog Show. When show committee member John Varley was asked to develop something to entertain spectators between events, he drew on his experience with show horse jumping. He also recruited dog trainer Peter Meanwell to help set up the course, and the event was staged in February 1978.

The audience loved it, and dog agility competitions began to take place in various parts of England. In 1986, the United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA) was founded in Texas.

Dog agility is the fastest-growing dog sport in the US and throughout the world.