Agility is one of the fastest growing competitive dog
sports in the country. It provides enormous fun for both
dog and
handler. The dog, with his handler telling him where to go next, negotiates
an obstacle course where he will go through tunnels, over jumps, weave through upright
poles, climb an A-Frame or a seesaw, jump through a tire, or sit on a low table.
In trials, course speed is judged against the clock but many people take
agility classes with no intention of competing--they do it because they and their dogs
simply have such a good time. Any dog enjoys agility, regardless of size or age; in
fact, agility training is an excellent confidence-builder for the young and
shy.
PCOTC has designed an agility program which offers agility
instruction from Beginning foundation skills to the Masters level taught
by instructors who have been training and competing in the sport for years.
(See Instructor Bio's)
Basic 2
Obedience or its equivalent is a requirement to enter, since dogs must have reliable
obedience skills in order to work the courses. We teach each obstacle separately
with positive reinforcement and patience.
Very young dogs do not use obstacles which
must be jumped or scaled, to avoid injuring growing bones.
Whether you're interested in competition or just looking for a structured
way to play with your dog, agility offers wonderful opportunities.
