by Laurie Leach

Going back to school used to mean buying notebooks, packing lunch, and escorting your youngster off to catch the school bus. Going back to school can now also mean filling your bag with good treats, a water bottle, squeaky toys, and leashes and loading your dog into the car. In recent years, the proliferation of games and sports that are played by a human and her canine partner has motivated many dog lovers to enroll in dog training schools to learn how to play.

Flyball, tracking, obedience, disc dogs, freestyle, and herding draw a loyal following, but the most popular of these sports is the game called agility.

Since its creation in the late 70s, the sport of agility has captured the hearts and souls of dog fans across America and around the world. Designed to test a person´s training and dog-handling skills, this game has you guiding a dog through a timed obstacle course which includes tunnels, jumps, a towering A-frame, and a line of weave poles. Virtually every recognized breed, as well as many mixed breeds, are earning titles in this sport.

People participate in agility to develop a partnership with their dogs and to try earning multiple agility "titles." Garril Page, agility competitor and teacher, captured the feelings of many when she said, "The sport keeps me in shape physically and mentally sharp. What could be better than being outdoors, having fun with my dogs in the company of friends?"

Five major organizations in the United States sponsor agility trials, putting on dozens of trials each year within the Bay Area. So far this year, Sonoma and Napa County dog clubs have hosted four local agility trials and a fun match, each of which attracted hundreds of competitors and spectators. If you want to see the excitement first hand, you will have an opportunity on September 17th and 18th. Competitors will gather in Marin County at the Civic Center to play the agility game.

I´m game; now what?

On each course, there are a variety of obstacles including tunnels, an A-frame, weave poles, a dogwalk, and a teeter-totter. During the run, the handler is only allowed to give verbal commands, point, and use body language (no touching!) to get the animal to negotiate the obstacles in the correct order and under the maximum course time.

Agility teams progress through skill levels from novice to advanced with each level becoming increasingly challenging. At the novice or starter level, courses include 13-15 obstacles and are generally fairly simple to negotiate. At the intermediate and advanced levels, courses average 18-20 obstacles, require teams to perform complex maneuvers, and discriminate between obstacles placed very close together.

Dogs are organized in classes by height. Dogs are measured at their withers to determine how high they must jump. If you have a very small dog, he might jump eight inches. A large breed might jump twenty inches or more.

A judge scores each dog´s performance as she runs each competition course. Knocking bars off jumps, completing obstacles in the wrong order, or failing to perform an obstacle safely all result in penalties. On each competitive run, a dog either qualifies or disqualifies based on the number of penalties accumulated and the time it took to complete the course. Dogs that qualify earn "legs" toward degrees that are equivalent to a high school diploma, college degree, and doctorate. Dogs that don´t qualify can try again the next day or next week.

Who gets to play?

One of the attractions of agility is that anyone who can move around a flat, grassy area can play. At a typical trial, you will see junior handlers, those who are under 18, and senior handlers. You will see lightning-quick, as well as slower handlers. You will see able-bodied handlers and those with disabilities. "On course," handlers must stay close enough to their dogs to show them the correct obstacles. Slower handlers can compensate for their lack of speed by training their dogs to work further from them. The bottom line is that if you want to try agility, get out there and give it a go. Even if you never compete, you and your dog will become closer friends.

In addition to learning how to move your dog through the courses, there are other skills to learn that will enhance the fun for you and your dog. You will learn how a positive approach to training makes a difference. A good sense of humor can take you a long way on those days that you trip and fall over the finish line. Lastly, obtaining the skill of ample patience is important during the many months of training.

Feelin´ good and ready to run

Purebred or mixed breed dogs in good health who like to run are good candidates for this sport. One agility organization allows purebreds only, but other organizations allow mixed breeds. All sizes, giant to toy dogs, participate. For example, Suzanne Deghi of Sebastopol competed successfully for years with her Russian Wolfhound, and Debbie Stoner, also of Sebastopol, has been a regular finalist at the national level with her Papillon, Moose. Although the herding types are most common, there are outstanding performers in every breed. Aggressive dogs, however, need not apply.

Agility is a great outlet for most dogs. Agility provides physical and mental exercise for an active pup looking for a job. Agility is a great confidencebuilder for the retiring canine.

The best things in life take time

In the early days of agility, folks often built a few obstacles in the backyard and, using their intuition and traditional training techniques, taught their dogs how to perform. Those days are long past. Today the required range of agility skills make it essential for potential competitors to get help from a good agility teacher from day one.

North Bay residents are lucky to have many agility schools from which to choose. How to choose? Look for a school that offers classes for your level. If you cannot find one, you might want to sign up for a few private lessons. If you need to choose from a number of schools, you might want to visit a class to see if the school is a fit for your needs.

Do keep in mind that reaching the level that allows you to compete, if that is your goal, is a long-term commitment. Most dogs take at least a year to train; becoming a good handler is a life-long process. Trainers who make the investment will tell you that the payoff is terrific. Agility teacher Connie Tuft captured the joy of running an agility course perfectly when she said, "I love the thrill of running a course when Tag and I are totally in sync. She is a great little dog and will do everything I ask. My job is to just be there in time to let her know what I want next."

Are you ready to change your life?

As you and your canine friend begin your new adventure, you will find that agility often turns out to be much more than just another hobby. "When you fall in love with the sport, you join a large community of dog lovers who are passionate about this complex game," As Lauri Plummer of Leapdog Agility says. "It´s all about developing the bond, relationship, and communication between you and your canine friend."

In a matter of months, you may find yourself unable to pass an open field without checking it out as a potential agility course. If (pre-agility) you live in a hillside home, you may find yourself looking longingly at houses with flat yards. Even if you have never built anything, you may find yourself surrounded by epoxy and pieces of plastic pipe used to construct agility jumps. When you make that first call to find out about an agility class, be aware that you are about to embark on a wonderful adventure with your dog as your partner.