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AGILITY

Agility is a FUN team sport involving a dog and a handler. It involves obstacles and a prescribed course and is a game of physical skill. It is a game where control and patience are needed and teamwork is paramount to success. Agility is a race against the clock, but accuracy is always the first requirement.

Agility requires the handler to direct the dog through a course set up by a judge. Obstacles include jumps, tunnels, contact obstacles, and weave poles. These test the dog’s versatile and agile nature.

Agility requires lots of training through a variety of levels of agility training at CDTA. Agility foundation is the first class in the curriculum and introduces the dog and handler to the basic skills of focus, attention, and flatwork with inclusion of some of the obstacles in the game. Basic classes further develop the skills of handler and dog. Additional classes are designed to help the handler and dog fine tune the basics and work on developing more advanced skills.

It's a sport that requires team work and that requires a commitment of time each week to develop the skill that will eventually be used in competitions. Students should be prepared to spend at least a year or more in the training phase before entering a competition.

For further general information please read the Agility General Information Flyer.

We are offering classes to small groups at all levels. Students already in a class are given priority. Please check the Agility Calendar Dates posted on the event calendar for information on this session. Sessions are generally six weeks in length. Beginner classes occur only once a year or less. Wait lists are a standard thing for us. Interested in being put on a wait list for any class? Please send a note to the contact address listed on the Flyer, and fill out this Agility Class Application Form. Don't forget to submit it once you are finished.

All classes are on Thursday nights at the Northwest WA Fairgrounds. Names are being taken for the beginning class but the starting date for that is unknown. If you are beyond the Foundation level, please contact the coordinator at any time by emailing agility-info@cdtadogs.com.

Specific dates for the current classes are on the home page under events, and under Documents/Flyers.

Class Levels - (not all offered at the same time):

Beginning/Foundation - new handlers and new dogs.
Obstacle Performance & Basic Handling
Techniques and Sequencing
Intermediate Handling
Advanced Handling
Electives - occasionally offered - e.g. - Jumping skills, Weaves, Contacts, Course Management, Introduction to Competing. etc.

SESSION fee: This is dependent on the number of weeks but ranges from $85 to $110 for a six week session. Non-members will pay more per class than club members. Juniors (under 18 years) who are CDTA club members pay one-half of the amount charged to regular CDTA members.

Dogs eligible to participate: Any dog, mix-breed or purebred, large or small, that is physically sound and non-aggressive to people and other dogs can play. Dogs 4 months of age and older may start in the Beginner Class. Dogs must be current on all vaccinations including Rabies.

Training methods are positive and motivational. Students are prepared to compete in all venues. Students also learn about equipment set-up in the classes.

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