Dog agility traces its origins to a demonstration in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. It caught the fancy of the public and has since grown into a sport with major competitions held across the globe. The sport encompasses a drill in which a handler directs a dog through a variety of obstacles. The competitions involve the handler navigating the dog through the obstacles in the shortest possible time and as accurately as is possible. All commands and instructions from the handlers are verbal only and they are not allowed to touch the dog or the obstacle. But why this sport?
Agility involves honing the skill of a dog to attain the natural skills involved in hunting of small prey. Dogs are natural hunters and have been so for centuries. Domestication has dulled the instincts of these animals, and agility is one way to ensure that dogs retain those instincts. The natural prey of dogs are rabbits and foxes and it requires a fast dog to catch these.
Like humans, dogs also require exercise, which is a great way to stay in shape. As populations move towards urban areas, dogs are deprived of large opens spaces where they can run. The sport ensures that a dog gets a regular amount of exercise which would keep the dog fit and improve endurance.
As a handler, you would need to be alongside the dog when he is training. The exercise itself would be a great workout, which would keep you in great shape and allow you to enjoy the exercise. As a handler, the sessions with your dog would bring you a lot closer to your dog and help create a bond which can more likely be felt than explained.
A usual competition would have course made up of several obstacles. The handler is given the course map which indicates the position, orientation and the sequence of in which the obstacles should be taken. The obstacles include tire jumps, standard jumps, weave polls, tunnels, pause tables, teeter-totter, collapsed tunnels, broad jumps and panel jumps. While some organizations require the dog to be a purebred, others have no such requirements. Dogs are divided on the basis of their height (which is measured in height at the peak of their shoulders) and not on the basis of breed. Some competitions categorize dogs of a certain height as novice, intermediate and master dogs. These are based on how the dog has performed in previous competitions. Some competitions are also known for dividing handlers into different categories like junior handlers (under 18 years), senior handlers and handicapped handlers.
The obstacle courses are so designed that only a handler could lead a dog through them. This dependence on the handler for the hand and verbal instructions relies on the trust built up between them. Not only does communication improve between the two, it also reinforces the bonding between the dog and the handler. This helps both the handler and the dog in the long run.