Dog agility is the fastest growing dog sport in the world, and while you might just want your dog to train with agility equipment for the fun and exercise and to solidify the bond between the two of you, you also might be considering entering dog agility competitions. Just about every state has a variety of dog agility clubs and competitions, and there are a few well-known organizations out there that host the majority of these events. Here is some helpful information about these organizations.
The most prominent dog agility group is the one that started it all, at least in the United States. The United States Dog Agility Association, or USDAA, has been hosting contests since the mid-1980s, and there are 25,000 dogs registered in this group. They also host the world's largest dog agility competition, the Grand Prix of Dog Agility, which you can watch every year on Animal Planet. In addition to being the biggest dog agility group, they also are fairly inclusive, allowing many different sizes of dogs to compete and allowing both mixed breed animals as well as pure bred animals. There are also smaller local USDAA events in many cities, larger regional events and some international events.
The nation's oldest dog organization is the American Kennel Club, which actually dates back to the 1880s. The AKC sponsors a variety of dog agility events throughout the year, and the obstacles in AKC events typically are considered to be a bit easier to navigate than that of other major organizations. Of course, the AKC is quite particular about the breeds of dogs allowed at these events. For example, no mixed-breed dogs are allowed, and the AKC doesn't allow some pure breeds either.
While the United Kennel Club, which is almost as old as the AKC, focuses mainly on pure bred animals, they do allow mixed breed dogs to compete at their agility contests. The UKC courses are quite difficult, but it has been said that if you can succeed at UKC events, you can probably excel at any other organization's events. In addition, the UKC considers precision to be more important than overall time. So dogs need to be very skilled at each obstacle, but not necessarily extremely fast.
While those are the big three, there are still several other organizations to consider. Canine Performance Events or CPE is open to many different breeds, both mixed and purebred. Even dogs that are blind or deaf in one eye or ear are allowed to compete and sometimes even canine amputees compete. If you have a particularly small dog, you might consider the Teacup Dogs Agility Association or TDAA, which accepts dogs that are 17 inches or less at the withers.
Your dog will need to master a variety of obstacles prior to competing, so it's a good idea to join a local club and to purchase some of your own dog agility equipment. An online store, perhaps Carlson-Agility.com, will have a large selection of sturdy, quality equipment. You can purchase dog agility jumps, different types of dog tunnels, an agility dog walk, an a-frame, weaves, pause tables and anything else you need. When you first start out, consider purchasing a starter kit which will include perhaps three different obstacles to get you on your way.
The most prominent dog agility group is the one that started it all, at least in the United States. The United States Dog Agility Association, or USDAA, has been hosting contests since the mid-1980s, and there are 25,000 dogs registered in this group. They also host the world's largest dog agility competition, the Grand Prix of Dog Agility, which you can watch every year on Animal Planet. In addition to being the biggest dog agility group, they also are fairly inclusive, allowing many different sizes of dogs to compete and allowing both mixed breed animals as well as pure bred animals. There are also smaller local USDAA events in many cities, larger regional events and some international events.
The nation's oldest dog organization is the American Kennel Club, which actually dates back to the 1880s. The AKC sponsors a variety of dog agility events throughout the year, and the obstacles in AKC events typically are considered to be a bit easier to navigate than that of other major organizations. Of course, the AKC is quite particular about the breeds of dogs allowed at these events. For example, no mixed-breed dogs are allowed, and the AKC doesn't allow some pure breeds either.
While the United Kennel Club, which is almost as old as the AKC, focuses mainly on pure bred animals, they do allow mixed breed dogs to compete at their agility contests. The UKC courses are quite difficult, but it has been said that if you can succeed at UKC events, you can probably excel at any other organization's events. In addition, the UKC considers precision to be more important than overall time. So dogs need to be very skilled at each obstacle, but not necessarily extremely fast.
While those are the big three, there are still several other organizations to consider. Canine Performance Events or CPE is open to many different breeds, both mixed and purebred. Even dogs that are blind or deaf in one eye or ear are allowed to compete and sometimes even canine amputees compete. If you have a particularly small dog, you might consider the Teacup Dogs Agility Association or TDAA, which accepts dogs that are 17 inches or less at the withers.
Your dog will need to master a variety of obstacles prior to competing, so it's a good idea to join a local club and to purchase some of your own dog agility equipment. An online store, perhaps Carlson-Agility.com, will have a large selection of sturdy, quality equipment. You can purchase dog agility jumps, different types of dog tunnels, an agility dog walk, an a-frame, weaves, pause tables and anything else you need. When you first start out, consider purchasing a starter kit which will include perhaps three different obstacles to get you on your way.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt enjoys dog agility training. To find an agility dog course, or to know more about agility equipment like k9 training equipment, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com site today.
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