WHAT IS AGILITY?

Agility is the fast dog sport that is both incredibly exciting to watch and is incredibly fun to exercise! There is probably no better feeling than running on an agility course with your best friend. Agility is about you taking your dog around an obstacle course quickly and preferably without fail. The course can consist of tunnels, jumping barriers, slalom and balance barriers to be taken in a special order.

No agility course is the other equal. It is also part of the kick that you never know what the track will look like before the competition starts. That is why there is always something more to train and get better at. For agility is a sport where you never become fully educated.

AGILITY FOR PUPPYS

Do you have a puppy that you want to practice agility with? Take it easy. Wait for the dog's agility training till the dog is grown up. But of course there are many puppy exercises that you can do, things that you can later benefit from on agility level. It can be good to train communication and responsiveness with a young dog without interfering with speed and obstacles.

With proper load and under controlled forms, both puppies and young dogs can feel good about exercising and moving. You can practice summoning and forwarding and round trees and climb logs and stones in the forest. It is not always necessary tools to train the doggie to become an agility dog. And then when your dog is mature, then you can start training agility with obstacles.

AGILITY IS A DIFFICULT SPORT - AND SOMETIMES IT GOES WRONG

The sport is based on cooperation between dog and the handler, and since it goes so fast, it is important that the cooperation works well and that you understand each other. Showing the dog all the way around the course is called "handling" and is something that agility practitioners already train as beginners and then throughout their entire career. Exercising agility is great for both dogs and humans. It is probably the mix of speed, physics and collaboration that makes so many (both two-legged and four-legged) love agility.

And you, because agility goes rapidly, it happens quite often, and perhaps even more often than that, that things go wrong on the agility court. It is the wrong obstacle or the dog misses a contact field. But just stay calm. That happens in agility, and it will do so again. And even when that happens, remember that you have the world's best doggie. Have fun with your dog! And then just try again.

TO COMPETE IN AGILITY

To stand on the starting line with your dog and then have those seconds together where you two become like one, it's a magical feeling. It gives such a kick and that is probably why agility becomes addictive. Happiness and joy that you two share together. The result on the agility course it is almost secondary, it is the feeling that counts. And that is also why agility is a sport for everyone. For old and young. For the little dachshund to the sheltie, from the miniaturepinscher to the border collie, from the poodle to the Labrador. And of course the mixed bread can also be included. Everyone can do agility!

In Sweden you can compete in agility in two different classes - jump class (with jump barriers, slalom and tunnel) and agility class (which also includes a-obstacle, balance beam and swing). At the competition the dogs are divided into five different sizes (from XS to XL) so that the height of the obstacle is adjusted. And in addition, the sport is divided into three levels of difficulty, from beginner in class 1 and then on to class 2 and finally class 3. It is in the latter class that the dog can take certificates and become champions. It is also in class 3 that the dog can qualify for the Swedish Championships.

AGILITY IS FUN - ENJOY THE RIDE!

Whether you want to just practice or compete in agility, you will soon notice what good communication the doggie and you get from the agility training, it will strengthen your normal dog life. You understand each other in a different way and get better contact. And that is a huge gain in itself. Because even though agility is fun, it is important to have a good everyday life together.

But what are you waiting for? Lace up shoes with good grip, bring lots of candy and your favorite toy. Bring the dogg and try some agility!