Dog agility is a fast, fun dog sport! A dog negotiates an obstacle course of specially designed equipment directed by the handler’s voice and body language only. As you might imagine, dog agility is mentally and physically challenging, requires dedicated training, and and relies on and builds a strong relationship between dog and handler. It’s also really good fun and very rewarding to train!
In agility competitions, the dog who successfully completes all the equipment in the correct order with no faults, and in the fastest time, wins! Competitions are held across the UK and internationally. The course is set by the judge, and is different every time you compete.
There are different types of equipment to train, including tunnels, dogwalks, weave poles, see-saws, aframes, and various different types of things to jump over.
Almost all kinds of dog can participate in agility training, whether you have a Chihuahua, a Labrador, a Poodle, or a crossbreed! Providing your dog is healthy and enjoys training, both you and your dog should find agility training fun and rewarding. Dogs should also be able to train off-lead for safety reasons, so a good recall is essential!
If you’re looking to compete in the future, there are different competitive categories for different sizes of dogs, from Small to Large. In the UK, you can compete with any dog, regardless of whether they have a pedigree, are a crossbreed, or have unknown heritage.
There are only a few reasons we might recommend not to attempt agility training with your dog. These are almost always for welfare reasons; for example, if your dog has any existing health problems, especially if they’re on medication, agility is probably not the best choice (this could range from joint conditions like hip or elbow dysplasia or luxating patellas, to other conditions such as epilepsy). Another reason is if your dog is at a higher risk for injury from impact-based training; we usually don’t recommend agility for giant breeds such as Newfoundlands or Saint Bernards.
There are lots of other training activities and even competitive sports you can enjoy with your dog, even if agility isn’t the sport for you and your dog. You can always get in touch with us to discuss alternatives!
Agility is a very inclusive sport for the human side of the team! We do our best to accommodate all owners in training their dogs, considering all fitness and mobility levels, and can tailor training to suit individual skill sets. You don’t need to hit the gym to train your dog in agility!
In agility competitions, class levels are categorized by combined handler and dog experience. There are no divisions based on gender or age, and you can choose how to direct your dog around the set course in a way that is comfortable for you.
There are European and International agility competitions, including specific events for Junior handlers, and Paragility events for para-athletes.
North K9 prioritises safety when it comes to dog agility. Whilst it’s a lot of fun, agility involves physically strenuous, high-impact training, often at speed. Foundation Agility allows you and your dog to learn all the basics away from the equipment. This means that when we introduce the equipment, your dog already knows all of the relevant flatwork and can focus on learning how to move their bodies safely when jumping, weaving, and ducking through tunnels! By completing Foundation Agility, you and your dog will also make much faster progress when you begin the equipment.
Foundation Agility also gives you the opportunity to start the basics of agility with a younger dog! It’s a great way to build your relationship and training skills with a puppy, without the physical stress and strain of equipment-based agility.
Don’t worry! Whilst we don’t have a full course recap online as not all activities should be attempted without guidance, you can find information about most of the practical training we have covered in class in our Online Agility module. The information and videos there should serve as a useful reference point and reminder about what you and your dog learned in class!
You need to be logged in to your North K9 account to access our online content, and if you’ve attended our Foundation Agility course, you should have access to the Online Agility module already. If you don’t have access, please just let us know at agility@northk9.co.uk so we can ensure you can see all the relevant information!
If you would like to continue agility training, we now run an Agility Introduction course which will introduce you and your dog to the agility equipment, and develop the skills you’ve learned on the Foundation Agility class. This is a four-week course at our outdoor venue, and is suitable for dogs aged 6 months +, as it remains low-impact training.
Once you’ve completed the Agility Introduction and your dog is over 12 months old, you can join our Beginner Agility class! This class will continue to build on your skills, introducing new challenges and building to running sequences with your dog. Everything we teach will allow you to progress as far as you want to, whether it’s a fun activity or you’re aiming for the competition ring!
If your dog isn’t 12 months old yet, you’ll have to wait before joining our Beginner Agility class. This is to ensure your puppy’s growing bones and muscles aren’t damaged by excessive running and jumping! You can continue practising all the skills you’ve already learned. If you’d like to progress, you can contact Leanne at agility@northk9.co.uk to discuss the options for one-to-one agility training that is age-appropriate for your pup.
If you don’t want to continue agility training, then hopefully you’ll find many of the foundation skills useful in other aspects of your dog training!
We have the option to arrange for one-to-one training at limited times. Please just contact us if this is something you’re interested in. One-to-one agility training may also be appropriate if you attend class but you’d like extra training, or are looking for help on a specific training challenge.
We are proud to have a good relationship with other agility trainers and clubs. This means we can recommend other agility training in the surrounding area that may be scheduled on more suitable days or times for you. You will have to travel further afield, but there are excellent training options available on a regular or one-off basis. Again, please just contact us to discuss so we can recommend the best option for you and your dog!
Leanne teaches all our agility classes at North K9.
“Hi, I’m Leanne! I ‘ve been working with Claire and North K9 for over a decade, and have years of experience in dog training, with a special interest in canine fitness and biomechanics after working in veterinary rehabilitation for 10 years. I started agility with my first dog Kim (a lurcher) in 2002, and I have trained lots of different breeds/crossbreeds since! I was a qualified agility judge for many years, and I currently compete in agility (and flyball) with my Australian Shepherds. As well as teaching North K9’s agility classes, I offer coaching support at agility competitions for my students. My training focus is to ensure confident, happy dogs, and to foster a positive mental attitude for both dogs and handlers.”
Got any questions? Ask us here!
