The United States Dog Agility Association

The Us Dog Agility Association has only been in existence for 20 years, and they have made dog agility competition into a national sport.

In dog agility competitions, dogs are timed as they run through an obstacle course.  They must jump hurdles, climb ramps, go through tunnels, run on a seesaw and slalom through a line of poles.  The competition tests the speed and agility of the dog, but it also tests the trainer’s training and handling skills.  Trainers must stay ahead of the dog, signaling him what to do next.  The courses are set up so that the dog can’t just run through the obstacle course; he must pay attention to his handler and obey hand signals and commands as he is running.

The US Dog Agility Association runs three main events each year:  The Grand Prix of Dog Agility World Championship, the Dog Agility Steeplechase (a speed jump tournament) and the Dog Agility Master’s (a three-dog team competition).  Television stations have covered some dog agility competitions and they are a popular spectator sport.

The US Dog Agility Association has over 30,000 member dogs representing over 200 breeds, including mixed breeds.  Dog agility is the “sport for all dogs” because it is not limited to purebred dogs.  Any dog with the speed and agility to succeed can compete for dog agility patches.  Dogs aren’t penalized for size, either.  Small dogs compete with small dogs, and hurdles are scaled appropriately for each size of dog.

The US Dog Agility Association sponsors dog agility training, too.  When a dog and handler are ready to compete, they can compete at two levels:  Performance and Championship.  The Championship level competitions are more rigorous than the Performance competitions.

If your dog is fast, smart and agile, and you’ve taught him to jump over things or through hoops and some other tricks, you might consider dog agility training.  Whether you decide to compete or not, dog agility training might be fun for both you and your dog.