Agility Training Program Details
Agility is a canine sport that tests your dog’s ability to perform a series of obstacles working with you as a team. Typical obstacles consist of jumps, tunnels, A-frame, weave poles, elevated dog walk and pause table, etc. There are three levels of agility in AKC; Novice, Open, and Excellent. Each level is more difficult than the previous, similar to achieving a higher education.
Each of the classes is normally 6 weeks. Classes meet once a week for 1 hour. The class provides the instruction necessary for each of the skills at the given level. Class tuition typically ranges from $120.00 to $180.00 per class for Bayshore Club members and $140.00 to $190.00 for non members.
The Agility Training Program consists of a series of classes focused on each of the competition/skill levels. There are several Novice level classes which teach the basic competition skills. Each class in the progression builds on the skills learned in the previous class and prepares the team for the agility trial ring. The Novice classes teach all the skills necessary to achieve a Novice title in the different trial class events such as Standard and Jumpers With Weaves. Some of the skills taught are; Jumping, Contacts, Weave Poles and Front and Rear Crosses. While these skills appear simple, there is a significant amount of skill involved and the classes provide the knowledge and training to become proficient at these skills. It should be noted that youngs under the age of 15 months will NOT be required or expected to perform Full Height Jumps and will NOT be expected or required to perform the Weave Poles as they will be in competition later on. This is both a safety and health item, since many dogs this young are still growing.
The next classes prepare the team for the Open competition level. The Open level continues to build upon the Novice Foundation Skills and adds increasing levels of difficulty in the sequences to be run. While many of these skills appear to be similar to the Novice level skills, there are additional techniques for those skills that add a degree of difficulty to the basic skill.
The highest level classes in the Agility curriculum will prepare you and your dog for the Excellent or Masters level, which is the most advanced level of Agility competition. The Excellent level skills add still more techniques, such as "layering" and others. These techniques build upon the Open level skills being more complex versions of the Open level and combining aspects of previous techniques.