This type of canine competition was born in London in 1978, just the month the canine exhibition of world CRUFTS DOG SHOW was being celebrated, a new sport was born: The Agility.
Introduction :
Agility, is a sport discipline opened to all dogs to compete. It consists on making them surpass diverse obstacles, with the purpose of showing its intelligence and agility. It is a sport and educative game that favors the good integration in the society.
This discipline requires a good harmony between the dog and its master, and leads to a perfect understanding of this equipment, this is the reason why it is necessary that participants have an elementary base of education and obedience.
Route :
The route is formed by obstacles whose disposition on the ground will make it more or less fast.
The dog will have to do it in a basic defined time and according to an established order to pass all the obstacles.
General information:
The necessary land for the installation of a route of agility must be minimum of 20 x 40 meters and in case of establishing two routes, some closing fences or leaving an approximated distance of 10 meters between the routes is recommended.
Double or triple obstacles to be done of a jump, must have a minimum separation of 0 ' 70 meters.
Combinations of 2 or 3 obstacles will count as a single, but each element will be judged of independent way. The distance between the elements will be of maximum 5 steps, just around 3 ' 50 meters.
The distance between 2 following obstacles will be approximately of 2 steps, about 7 meters.
track route:
Track route depends on the imagination of the judge, but it must include obligatorily, at least 2 changes of direction.
Before the beginning of the tests, the obstacles must be reviewed just to see its availableness and just after checking them, he will establish the route and will give it to the organizers just to position the obstacles according to defined route.
The judge will control the positions as long as the accurate length..
An affluent route will let the dog move easily without any trip.
The purpose is to find the balance between the control of the dog, to avoid failures in the obstacles and the execution speed.
As general norm it is recommended frequently modify the disposition and the positioning of the obstacles, with the purpose of avoiding any mechanization of the dog.
Development of the competition :
Any preparation or training in the route of the test is not allowed. It is only allowed the recognition of the route by the conductor without his dog just before the beginning of each test. The judge will meet the participants just to communicate them the details of the test, time of standard route, (trs) and the maximum time (tmr), that has been determined. He will also remember the regulation and the criteria to them of score.
Fixation of time of standard route (trs)
The criterion that serves as base for the determination of trs, is the speed in meters/second, chosen for the evolution of the route, this evolution will be based on the level of the test and of the complexity of the route, the speed of evolution is located between 1 ' 8 and 3 ' 5 m/seconds
Trs, in seconds will be obtained just dividing to the exact length of the route by the speed of evolution in meters/established second.
Example:
For a circuit of 150 meters and one 5 chosen speed of 2 ' m/s, trs will be: 150/2'5 = 60 seconds.
Determination of maximum time for the circuit (tmr)
As a general rule, the judge will consider tmr just the double of trs. For example, 60 seconds trs will be 120 seconds tmr. Tmr timecannot be below 1 ' 5 times trs.
Development of the competition :
The conductor will enter the track placing his dog in a static position (lying, sitting or standing) just behind the line of exit. He will untie the strap to the dog, because collars are not allowed during the test for security reasons.
The conductor is not allowed to have anything in his hands during the test.
The conductor can be placed in the route just wherever he wants.
The conductor will give his dog the order to start when the judge orders it. Timekeeper will be counting just from the beginning the dog crosses the line of exit. It is allowed throughout the route the acoustic signals and other orders, the conductor must follow the course of the obstacles by the order of the numbers.
From the signal of exit the conductor will drive his dog so that he passes the obstacles in order without touching neither to the dog nor to the obstacles.
The end of the route and the timekeeper will take place just after the dog crosses the finish line.
The conductor will call his dog, put the collar and leave the competition area.
The conductor must not pass the obstacles.
Accredited obstacles
Fences, the viaduct or wall, long jump, stopped zone ground, trestles, balance, fence, the table, the rigid tunnel, the flexible tunnel, tire, slalom and footbridge.
The obstacles do not have to present/display any danger to the dog and must be in accordance with the stipulated prescriptions.
Carmelo Garcia, Canine instructor by M.I., S.C.V., INSF
