Agility - An Assault Course for your dog
Agility was first introduced to the UK at Crufts in 1978 and the structure of the competition has not changed very much over the years. It's a comparatively new form of dog competition, where the animal's fitness and the handler's ability to train and direct the dog over and through certain obstacles are tested. It is fast, furious and a great favourite with competitors and spectators alike.
In addition to Crufts, Agility competitions are held in December in conjunction with Olympia Horse Show. However, there are more than 300 licensed Agility Shows held annually all over the country.
It takes a lot of training and preparation to take part in Agility. Dogs compete off-lead so it is essential that your dog is fully socialised and that you have effective control at all times. For safety's sake it is recommended that dogs do not start training on equipment until they are at least a year old because of the steep climbs, balance beam work and landing from jumps.
We introduced Celsie to Agility in May 2008 by enrolling on a 6 week course, which was great fun, and we then found a local Agility Training Club to carry on.