Agility Basics

How Do I Earn an Agility Title?
Titles can be earned in standard events or gaming events. Most German Shepherd Dogs are in the tallest height class, which depending on the club will be usually 24" or 26". There is also a "veterans" or "performance" class that can be chosen for various reasons like an older dog, junior handler, or disabled handler. The "performance class" usually will be one height class lower, somewhere around 20", and extra time is allowed. The courses will get more difficult as the dog moves up in class. Beginners are sometimes called "starters" or "novice." There is usually a class for those who are brand new to the sport, having never received any titles, as well as one with a new dog to the sport, but they have handled before. Once you earn a title in the novice level, you will move up a level and so on.

Is the Course Always the Same?
The judge for the match determines the course for each level (novice, advanced, masters, etc.). The course layout truly has endless possibilities so the challenge is to get the dog to take only obstacles within that course, not skip one, or go to a different obstacle, or turn around on an obstacle, not touch the contact point (example would be jumping from the top of the "A" frame), not knock down a bar, etc. The handlers are given on paper the course to review as well as allowed time to work out through the actual course without your dog, but with all the other handlers.

How is Agility Scored?
Scoring agility seems complicated, but it isn't once you understand the basics. Whenever the dog (or handler) does something wrong, it is called a fault. Different faults have different point levels depending on the severity. Different clubs have different requirements on how many faults are allowed and what the penalties are. If you successfully complete the round to the specific club requirements, you will receive a qualifying "leg." Usually at three "legs" you will receive a title for your dog. Some clubs do not allow any faults to "qualify," and some will allow 5 points and still qualify. Some faults cause elimination from the round. Besides the course faults, there are also time faults. The judge measures the course length and uses a formula to determine the amount of time is allowed. There is additional time allowed for the smaller height classes. The amount you go over the allowed time is considered a time fault. If you were 2 seconds over, you would have a 2 point time fault. In agility anyone who completes the course within the required time, with no course faults will qualify. In placement of position, it always starts with the fastest time, with no faults. In other words, even if there were several faster dogs with faults, the faultless dog, with the fastest time would win. Running "clean" as they say, is the better than fast. The course is recorded in seconds and usually takes somewhere in the neighborhood of a minute or so. There will be a set time to complete the course for your class. In an example we'll use 52 seconds. If you dog completes the course in 52.45 seconds, and went on the "A" frame instead of the jump it was supposed to take (10 point fault), your score would be 52.45 seconds, 10.45 faults. If your dog ran the course in 45.51 seconds, and had no faults and another dog ran the course in 40.52 seconds and had 5 faults, you would not only qualify, but you would be in first place over that dog. Clean is better.

Are The Different Types of Events?
There are also gaming events. Those will include things like "jumpers with weaves," or "gamblers." The jumping and weaving has only that as well as tunnels. It is a very fast round. Gamblers has a required course similar to the standard, but it includes a "gamble" at the end, which includes a section where you direct your dog away from you to complete obstacles. If you don't complete that part, the rest doesn't count. There are other fun events with pairs, where each team does a part of the course, or others yet where obstacles are given points if you complete them, and you can run the course anyway you want. You are timed, and the dog who is able to get the most points in the time frame without breaking any rules wins!