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There are a number of agility courses you can run with your adult dog for a variety of titles. The American Kennel Club (AKC) has two types of courses, Standard and Jumpers with Weaves, which can be run at three different levels, Novice, Open and Excellent.
Course Types
- A Standard Course includes jumps and ‘contact obstacles.’ These obstacles (the A-frame, dog walk and seesaw) require that the dog hit colored contact zones at certain points. This is for the dog’s safety; it discourages risky leaps on or off the obstacles.
- Jumpers with Weaves is a course of jumps and a set of ‘weave poles’ – poles a dog must weave in and out of in a specific pattern.
Competition Levels
- Novice level courses have fewer obstacles and give dogs a longer time to complete the course.
- Open level dogs have more to do and less time to do it in.
- Excellent level courses are the most complex, with the most obstacles to be navigated in the least amount of time. At the Excellent level, dogs are expected to cover 2.5-3 yards a second.
Other organizations offer titles for unusual classes such as Relay, Snookers and Gamblers. Check with dog organizations in your area for more on these courses.
Regardless of what course is being run for what organization, agility is always a lot of fun for everyone at the event: handler, dog and fans!
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