Beginner Agility Class

Our Beginner Agility Class is for dogs and handlers who are new to the world of agility. It's a six week course. Each class session is approximately 1½ hours long. The cost of the course is $70.

To participate in our Beginner Agility Class a dog/handler team must meet the General Class Requirements and must have successfully completed our Pre-Agility Foundation Training Class.

In Beginners you and your dog will learn how to complete 14 different agility obstacles, including:

Dogwalk

The Dogwalk requires the dog to walk up, over and down in the direction designated by the judge. The dog should touch the safety contact zones both on the ascent and the descent (mount and dismount). Faults are assessed for missing the safety contact zones.

 

A-Frame

On the A-Frame, the dog is required to walk up, over and down in the direction designated by the judge, touching the safety contact zones both on the ascent and the descent. Some venues (AKC for example) do not require the dog to touch the up contact, but requires the dog to touch the down contact zone. Faults are assessed for missing the safety contact zones.

 

Teeter

Maggie teeters! The Teeter is a dogwalk requires the dog to walk up, over and down. The dog should touch the safety contact zones both on the ascent and the descent. Faults are assessed for missing the safety contact zones, and for leaving the plank before it completely settles on the ground (typically called a fly-off).

 

Jumps

The performance of the Jumps (single, double, and triple) is simple. The dog must go between the standards, and over the bars in the direction designated by the judge. Knocking the bars will be faulted.

 

Tire

The Tire is a hoop suspended in the air. The required performance is for the dog to jump through the hoop in the direction designated by the judge.

 

Tunnel

For the Tunnel, the dog's job is to get in and go through in the direction designated by the judge.

 

Chute

With the Chute, the dog's job is to get in, and go through in the direction designated by the judge, pushing through the fabric chute.

 

Table

Maggie on table The dog must get up on the Table and assume a control position while the judge counts five seconds. In the USDAA the control position is always a down. In AKC, the control position might be either a sit or a down. Faults are assessed for the dog leaving the table before finishing the performance during the judge's count.

 

Weave Poles

For the Weave Poles, the dog is required to enter the line of poles from right to left in the direction designated by the judge, and weave alternately down the line. All odd-numbered poles will be performed on the dog's left, and all even-numbered poles will on the dog's right. Faults are typically assessed for going past a pole on the wrong side.

 

The dog remains on leash at all times. Toward the end of the nine week class, you will be putting together 2-3 obstacles, to get a taste of how much fun Sequencing I and Sequencing II classes are going to be.

Requirements for Moving to the Next Level

Upon completing our Beginner Agility Class students must meet the following requiprements in order to move up to our Sequencing I Class.

  1. All dogs must have a recall with distractions and be able to work off leash. They must return to their handler and not visit or interfere with other dogs. No aggressive behavior is permitted in any class.
  2. Handlers should be able to send their dog to a table or curved tunnel from a distance of 3 to 5 feet. The dog must return to the handler and not visit other dogs. This should be done for each obstacle introduced in the class.
  3. All dogs must have a stay and allow the handler to lead out to a position half way to the obstacle. If they cannot do this, then they cannot do the first exercise in Sequencing I. Instructors should not have to hold dogs in Sequencing I or II.
  4. Contacts should be 2-on–2-off or 4 on the floor for long backed dogs or those prone to hip problems. Targets should be used and the dog must not leave the contact until the handler releases them. When released, the dog should come off the obstacle squarely and not leave the obstacle from the side.
  5. Dogs should be able to perform all contacts at full height by the end of the Beginner’s class. Jumps should be at 4, 8 or 12 inches.
  6. The teeter performance should be independent. That is, the handler should not have to have the dog on lead while doing the teeter. It is possible that an incident may cause the dog to have to be retrained during the sequencing class, but it is the handler’s responsibility to work outside class to do this. If the teeter is not in good condition it should be repaired before use.
  7. All dogs should be able to perform weaves at a good speed off leash without the handler threading them through the weaves. They need to be able to find the entrance working in front of the handler and continue to weave while working with the handler. Weaves may be offset and gates may be used.

Contact Information

To contact WAG for more information visit our Contacts page.

To sign up for one of our classes please review the documents on our Student Documents page, then go to McLennan Community College - Continuing Education, and click on the desired class. One can pay to reserve one's spot in the class on that site.

Visit our Class Location page for directions to our practice field.