The How To of Agility

How Not to Qualify (get a scoring run, leg toward a title, and a chance at a placement) in AKC Excellent Agility.

1. Dog goes around or by whatever obstacle or jump he is supposed to take next in line.

2. Dog takes the wrong obstacle or jump.

3. Dog spins or otherwise turns away from a jump or obstacle within the last 1/3 of the distance to the obstacle/jump from the last obstacle jump.

4. Dog drops a bar on any jump.

5. Dog does not get a toe in the yellow on the down contact of a contact obstacle. Applies to all contact obstacles.

6. Dog does not get a toe on the yellow of the upside contact of the dogwalk.

7. Dog pulls out of the weave poles before completing them.

8. Dog "slips" or misses any weave pole even though they stay in them.

9. Dog slips, skids, or jumps off the table, even if it's a wet day and the table is slick and the dog can't help it.

10. Dog does not complete a contact obstacle start to finish (i.e., jumps off the dogwalk, teeter, or aframe before completed.

11. Dog stops or hesitates more than a fraction of a second before taking an obstacle or jump. The judge gets to decide what that fraction of a second is.

12. Dog enters wrong end of the tunnel.

13. Dog enters correct end of the tunnel but turns around and comes back out that same end.

14. Dog leaves the ring.

15. Dog is aggressive to handler or judge.

16. Dog attacks another dog.

17. Dog nips at handler excessively.

18. Dog eliminates (urinates, defecates, or vomits) in the ring.

19. Handler curses in the ring.

20. Handler inadvertently touches dog at any time the dog is in the weave poles.

21. Handler touches dog or dog touches handler at any time the dog is on the table. This includes dog giving the handler a loving swipe of the tongue.

22. Handler trains in the ring. This includes harsh corrections or retaking an obstacle already taken once.

23. Handler and dog bump into each other inadvertently, and the bump aids the dog in correcting its path to the next obstacle.

24. Handler bumps dog deliberately to correct its path to the next obstacle.

25. Dog runs without any of the above faults but is over the set Standard Course Time.

26. Dog runs out of the ring without the handler after the run is complete (i.e., not under control).

27. Handler leaves dog at the start before the timer has said "Go."

28. Handler holds up the trial by not coming to the startline when requested.


How to Qualify in AKC Agility Excellent

1. Run without faults and under the Standard Course Time.

How to Qualify and get First Place in AKC Agility Excellent.

1. Run without faults and faster than anybody else.

Now you know. When we say agility is a difficult sport, we ain't a-kiddin'. We tend to be a humble lot.

--Robin