February 2023 - Five Fault Club

Your First Agility Show: Running Your Dog

This is the third in a three-part series on what to expect at your first show. So far I’ve covered what to pack, and the general dos and don’ts at agility shows – now let’s talk about the main event, your actual debut run!

Arriving at the Ring on Time

The general rule of thumb in agility is to allow one minute per dog. This can be quite variable in Elementary and Jumpers C classes though, because the courses are often quite short and fast to run, but some inexperienced dogs and handlers will take a lot longer to get round.

The running order will be displayed on the call board, near the ring entrance. You should always check this after walking the course – even if you’ve brought along your own copy – because it might show you that some other dogs have scratched, and you’ll be earlier than you thought. If you’re not in the first 10 or so dogs, the best approach is to hang out where you can see the ring, count the dogs as they run, and check on the board every now and then.

Your First Agility Show: Outside the Ring

In the last post I went through a list of things to pack. Now the big day’s arrived and you’ve turned up at your first agility show! This post covers the etiquette for hanging out at an agility show with your dog all day. Part 3 will look at what you should actually do before, during and after your run.

When You Arrive

Drive into the show venue slowly – there may be dogs running around off lead.
For your first show, it’s best to turn up at least 15 minutes before your first course walk. This gives you a chance to walk your dog around the venue and let her see the sights.

Your First Agility Show: What to Bring

This week I’m bringing you a three-part series on what to expect at your first agility show. Competing can be great fun, but it’s always daunting to start something new when you don’t know the dos and don’ts. I hope these guides help you to have an enjoyable debut with your dog.

The Basics

Your dog. I can tell you from first-hand experience that in a multi-dog household, it is actually possible to leave home minus one of the dogs you were planning to compete with…
Collar with no tags. The only collars allowed in the agility ring are flat collars with one D-ring no attachments. This means no slip or martingale type collars, and no council or contact info tags. If your collar doesn’t meet the rules, you can either take it off before each run, or keep a dedicated collar that you put on for agility shows. Some people like to swap collars the night before so that there’s one less thing to do on the morning of the show.