Dogs can be cuddly companions and astounding athletes. American Kennel Club agility competitions tap into a variety of skills to determine pooches that are worthy of the winner's circle.
If you've ever watched one of these showcases, you've seen good boys and girls run through tunnels and jump through hoops. What is the official format?
Check out fun facts on how these events come together below:
Which exercises must dogs attempt?
Handlers use cues to guide their dogs through different sections of the course. Per the American Kennel Club, competitive events incorporate over a dozen obstacles, including:
Dog walk
Weave poles
Tire jump
Open tunnel
Seesaw
A-frame
Pause table
What are the difficulty levels and formats for dogs?
There are three progressive difficulty levels:
Novice
Open
Excellent (Master)
Three class formats are incorporated:
Standard: Contact obstacles (seesaw, A-frame)
Jumpers With Weaves: No contact obstacles or pause table
Fifteen and Send Time (FAST): Fast-paced course with 15 point-valued obstacles/obstacle combinations and distance challenge
How are dogs scored?
Dogs are judged by a number of factors, which include stepping into the "contact zone" at the end of an obstacle and adhering to the time limit of the course. For jumps, dogs are measured at the shoulder and placed in categories that determine how high the jumps will be, to ensure fairness. Faults are given for reasons such as a dog completing the course out of order or refusing to do an obstacle altogether. Penalty points differ depending on the aforementioned difficulty type. Dogs that obtain a qualifying score in their class earn a "leg" toward their title.
Can my dog compete?
Any breed or mixed breed of dog can compete as long as they are 15 months or older in age, in good health and registered with the American Kennel Club (or the Canine Partners program for mixed breeds). Dogs with dreams of making the grand stage (such as the AKC National Agility Championship) will need to start with agility classes before moving through the three difficulty levels. Once dogs make it to the "Master" level, they can start accumulating championship points and double qualifying scores to qualify for events.
How can I watch dogs in action?
Fans and aspiring participants can learn more about the full selection of annual events on the American Kennel Club calendar. Select American Kennel Club events are available to watch at home on the ESPN streaming hub.