The Ultimate Dog Sport
Agility is one of the most exciting sports to participate in with a Phalene. They are quick, agile and very focused. There are many venues to compete in, we focus on AKC events at this time. Other venues for competition include USDAA and NADAC, among others.
I have built several pieces of equipment and purchased others to have a home course. It is easy to find plans for some of the pieces and many sources sell agility equipment. I now have a dog walk, A-frame, table, tunnel, chute, tire jump, eight regular jumps, an adjustable seesaw, a plank and a set of adjustable weaves. Being able to work on obstacle issues for very short times frequently throughout the week really helps to solve problems as they arise.
Training for agility usually requires a basic level of obedience, each training school has their own requirements. A good recall and a good sit stay will help tremendously. Puppies should not be jumping over their elbow height until their growth plates close, usually after 1 year of age. Lots of training can take place before that, however. Buying an inexpensive children’s tunnel and encouraging puppies to go through it will help to familiarize them to an obstacle while having fun playing.
There are many titles that can be earned in agility. In AKC, there are three classes. Dogs run in a Standard class, with an array of different obstacles, they can run in Jumpers with Weaves, a class designed more for speed. It includes jumps, weave poles and often tunnels. The newest class is FAST. Fifteen and Send Time is designed to test the dog’s ability to work at a distance and it also includes strategies to accumulate points. Titles are earned for mastery at various levels, including Novice, Open, Excellent and Master. The top title is Master Agility Champion (MACH) and you can earn multiple levels with the MACH title.
Agility dogs need good structure, sound legs and a very focused temperment. Food and toy drive are very desirable to help with training. Not every dog is an agility dog. However, many Papillons and Phalenes seem to be tailor-made for this sport. In fact, they are the top toy breed competing in agility today.
A good source for more info on agility is Clean Run, a magazine dedicated to the agility enthusiast. It contains lots of information on training, competing, home courses, agility organizations and supplies.
