Dog agility is the fastest growing dog sport in the world, and while you might just want your dog to train with agility equipment for the fun and exercise and to solidify the bond between the two of you, you also might be considering entering dog agility competitions. Just about every state has a variety of dog agility clubs and competitions, and there are a few well-known organizations out there that host the majority of these events. Here is some helpful information about these organizations.
The first group in the U.S. to begin hosting dog agility competitions is the USDAA (United States Dog Agility Association). This group has been hosting events since the sport's early days and is the largest group in general for dog agility events. In fact, some 25,000 canines are part of the USDAA, and their Grand Prix of Dog Agility is the top event in the dog agility world and is televised by Animal Planet. Unlike a few other groups, USDAA allows just about any type of dog to compete, large or small, mixed-breed or pure bred. In addition to the Grand Prix, there are international and regional competitions hosted by USDAA as well as small tournaments in many cities in the U.S.
The nation's oldest dog organization is the American Kennel Club, which actually dates back to the 1880s. The AKC sponsors a variety of dog agility events throughout the year, and the obstacles in AKC events typically are considered to be a bit easier to navigate than that of other major organizations. Of course, the AKC is quite particular about the breeds of dogs allowed at these events. For example, no mixed-breed dogs are allowed, and the AKC doesn't allow some pure breeds either.
While the United Kennel Club, which is almost as old as the AKC, focuses mainly on pure bred animals, they do allow mixed breed dogs to compete at their agility contests. The UKC courses are quite difficult, but it has been said that if you can succeed at UKC events, you can probably excel at any other organization's events. In addition, the UKC considers precision to be more important than overall time. So dogs need to be very skilled at each obstacle, but not necessarily extremely fast.
The UDAAA, AKC and UKC are the three most prominent groups, but there are certainly some additional options to think about, such as the Canine Performance Events. This group opens up competitons to both purebred and mixed breeds and also allows dogs with blindness in a single eye or deafness in one ear to compete, which is not true of some other organizations. In fact, dogs that are amputees are sometimes allowed to compete. While most groups allow small dogs to compete, the Teacup Dogs Agility Association was created specifically for those dogs measuring 17 inches or lower, and their courses include equipment especially tailored to these tiny canines. So if you have a very small dog, this might be a great group for you and your pet.
If you want to get started with agility training, you definitely will need to purchase some equipment and you can buy all the items you need easily online. Sites such as Carlson-Agility.com offer a wide variety of equipment to suit dogs of all sizes and ability levels. You can find all of the dog agility training equipment that you need, and they even have helpful dog agility kits to get you started. From there, you can create your own dog agility course in your backyard filled with a dog tunnel, agility a-frame, an agility dog walk, agility dog jumps, weaves and much more.
The first group in the U.S. to begin hosting dog agility competitions is the USDAA (United States Dog Agility Association). This group has been hosting events since the sport's early days and is the largest group in general for dog agility events. In fact, some 25,000 canines are part of the USDAA, and their Grand Prix of Dog Agility is the top event in the dog agility world and is televised by Animal Planet. Unlike a few other groups, USDAA allows just about any type of dog to compete, large or small, mixed-breed or pure bred. In addition to the Grand Prix, there are international and regional competitions hosted by USDAA as well as small tournaments in many cities in the U.S.
The nation's oldest dog organization is the American Kennel Club, which actually dates back to the 1880s. The AKC sponsors a variety of dog agility events throughout the year, and the obstacles in AKC events typically are considered to be a bit easier to navigate than that of other major organizations. Of course, the AKC is quite particular about the breeds of dogs allowed at these events. For example, no mixed-breed dogs are allowed, and the AKC doesn't allow some pure breeds either.
While the United Kennel Club, which is almost as old as the AKC, focuses mainly on pure bred animals, they do allow mixed breed dogs to compete at their agility contests. The UKC courses are quite difficult, but it has been said that if you can succeed at UKC events, you can probably excel at any other organization's events. In addition, the UKC considers precision to be more important than overall time. So dogs need to be very skilled at each obstacle, but not necessarily extremely fast.
The UDAAA, AKC and UKC are the three most prominent groups, but there are certainly some additional options to think about, such as the Canine Performance Events. This group opens up competitons to both purebred and mixed breeds and also allows dogs with blindness in a single eye or deafness in one ear to compete, which is not true of some other organizations. In fact, dogs that are amputees are sometimes allowed to compete. While most groups allow small dogs to compete, the Teacup Dogs Agility Association was created specifically for those dogs measuring 17 inches or lower, and their courses include equipment especially tailored to these tiny canines. So if you have a very small dog, this might be a great group for you and your pet.
If you want to get started with agility training, you definitely will need to purchase some equipment and you can buy all the items you need easily online. Sites such as Carlson-Agility.com offer a wide variety of equipment to suit dogs of all sizes and ability levels. You can find all of the dog agility training equipment that you need, and they even have helpful dog agility kits to get you started. From there, you can create your own dog agility course in your backyard filled with a dog tunnel, agility a-frame, an agility dog walk, agility dog jumps, weaves and much more.
About the Author:
Cheng Bernhardt loves dog agility training. To find an agility dog course, or to know further about agility equipment like k9 training equipment, please check out the Carlson-Agility.com site today.
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