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.
Since the late 19th Century, the American Kennel Club has been a prominent fixture in the dog world, and they host many dog agility events during the course of the year. The courses are smaller than USDAA, but the obstacles, in general, are a bit easier to tackle. Of course, there are some pure bred dogs that are not allowed in the AKC, and mixed breeds are not allowed to compete either. So if you have a mutt or a breed not recognized by the AKC, you will have to find another group, such as USDAA.
Another long-standing organization in the dog world is the United Kennel Club, which also originated in the late 1800s. This group is not quite as stringent in terms of allowable breeds, they recognize more purebred dogs than AKC and also allow mixed breed animals to compete in dog agility. However, their courses are tighter and obstacles are tricky to navigate, with the emphasis placed on the precise navigation of each obstacle rather than on precision and speed.
While these aforementioned organizations are probably the three biggest in the country, there are some other excellent groups to consider. If you are the owner of a tiny dog, you might look at the dog agility contests hosted by the TDAA, which stands for the Teacup Dog Agility Association. The CPE (Canine Performance Events) are another option, and they allow many different dogs, including dogs that are partially blind, deaf and sometimes even an amputee.
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.
Since the late 19th Century, the American Kennel Club has been a prominent fixture in the dog world, and they host many dog agility events during the course of the year. The courses are smaller than USDAA, but the obstacles, in general, are a bit easier to tackle. Of course, there are some pure bred dogs that are not allowed in the AKC, and mixed breeds are not allowed to compete either. So if you have a mutt or a breed not recognized by the AKC, you will have to find another group, such as USDAA.
Another long-standing organization in the dog world is the United Kennel Club, which also originated in the late 1800s. This group is not quite as stringent in terms of allowable breeds, they recognize more purebred dogs than AKC and also allow mixed breed animals to compete in dog agility. However, their courses are tighter and obstacles are tricky to navigate, with the emphasis placed on the precise navigation of each obstacle rather than on precision and speed.
While these aforementioned organizations are probably the three biggest in the country, there are some other excellent groups to consider. If you are the owner of a tiny dog, you might look at the dog agility contests hosted by the TDAA, which stands for the Teacup Dog Agility Association. The CPE (Canine Performance Events) are another option, and they allow many different dogs, including dogs that are partially blind, deaf and sometimes even an amputee.
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 enjoys 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 site today.