Get Away from your Computer Idea #1: Watch a Dog Agility Event
December 3, 2022 11:23 PM Subscribe
How to Find Dog Agility Trials (via https://dogagilitytrials.com/) UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada links inside.
See pure happiness without having to talk to anyone! How could anybody have a better time than a very good dog who finally has something to do with all that energy and smarts? The hottest club in [your US state] is your local dog agility course. Culture and rules might vary at places and events – especially indoors, so check before going, but generally you do not have to own a dog to watch an agility trial.
Find events (called "trials") in any US state by clicking this map, or check out the several North American organizations listed in the main link, some of which include other countries.
Events in the United Kingdom;
in Australia (locales and groups);
in New Zealand;
in Canada (specify ‘Agility’ in the first drop down list, then search).
Here’s a nice two-page Spectator’s Guide to Agility from the Willamette Agility Group (pdf).
I am pro-”rescue” dog (also called “mutts”), and I have seen and adored such dogs joyfully galloping through agility trials.
Find events (called "trials") in any US state by clicking this map, or check out the several North American organizations listed in the main link, some of which include other countries.
Events in the United Kingdom;
in Australia (locales and groups);
in New Zealand;
in Canada (specify ‘Agility’ in the first drop down list, then search).
Here’s a nice two-page Spectator’s Guide to Agility from the Willamette Agility Group (pdf).
I am pro-”rescue” dog (also called “mutts”), and I have seen and adored such dogs joyfully galloping through agility trials.
Huh. There’s a venue in the next town over from me. Who knew?
posted by SisterHavana at 11:57 PM on December 3, 2022
posted by SisterHavana at 11:57 PM on December 3, 2022
I am pro-”rescue” dog (also called “mutts”), and I have seen and adored such dogs joyfully galloping through agility trials.
Kratu comes to mind. Among breeds, I have a soft spot for French and English bulldogs and errant dogs of any breed.
posted by y2karl at 12:12 AM on December 4, 2022 [8 favorites]
Kratu comes to mind. Among breeds, I have a soft spot for French and English bulldogs and errant dogs of any breed.
posted by y2karl at 12:12 AM on December 4, 2022 [8 favorites]
Much like improv (especially music improv), seeing a participant "messing up" is really the peak experience for the audience. (...but only if everybody genuinely tries to be cool and do it right, and knows how to laugh at themselves when needed.)
posted by amtho at 12:51 AM on December 4, 2022
posted by amtho at 12:51 AM on December 4, 2022
Dogs being dogs at agility trials is endlessly entertaining.
posted by y2karl at 1:25 AM on December 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by y2karl at 1:25 AM on December 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
In fact, often you're encouraged not to bring your own dogs to watch an agility trial if you're not competing or they're not otherwise used to that sort of thing: it's a pretty high stress environment for a dog and it's generally better for everyone to manage it by not bringing dogs that are going to get overwhelmed. Often dogs that are waiting for their turn in the ring are hanging out chilling in crates to minimize that kind of stress. So if you don't have a dog yourself, there's literally no way for anyone to know that unless you tell them, and even then I'm pretty sure the general reaction would be surprise and delight.
From a spectator perspective, I love watching agility runs for the successes at least as much as for the mistakes. There is something really impressive about the level of communication that the dog and handler have to be able to manage on the fly to correctly direct the dog over all the obstacles on the course at the right order, usually at high speed. At the lower levels you can see at lot more breeds (including mutts) and strategies for success on the course, including going for sheer reliability vs speed. It's interesting watching all the ways things can go wrong because it really highlights how much work and effort on both sides it takes for things to go right.
posted by sciatrix at 4:58 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
From a spectator perspective, I love watching agility runs for the successes at least as much as for the mistakes. There is something really impressive about the level of communication that the dog and handler have to be able to manage on the fly to correctly direct the dog over all the obstacles on the course at the right order, usually at high speed. At the lower levels you can see at lot more breeds (including mutts) and strategies for success on the course, including going for sheer reliability vs speed. It's interesting watching all the ways things can go wrong because it really highlights how much work and effort on both sides it takes for things to go right.
posted by sciatrix at 4:58 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
Although I know that there are greyhounds who can successfully do agility, I very much enjoy this representation of the breed.
posted by misskaz at 6:06 AM on December 4, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by misskaz at 6:06 AM on December 4, 2022 [9 favorites]
Yesterday we watched hours of agility on livestream, as a friend was trying out for the U.S. team (in some European international competition). Got a nice photo of our dog watching carefully.
For me, as the spouse who doesn't run the dogs, agility events are like gymnastics meets or children's piano recitals (i.e. fun in small doses, but you can rarely get that). If you went as "just a spectator" you could get your fill and cut out when you are done.
posted by anhedonic at 6:30 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
For me, as the spouse who doesn't run the dogs, agility events are like gymnastics meets or children's piano recitals (i.e. fun in small doses, but you can rarely get that). If you went as "just a spectator" you could get your fill and cut out when you are done.
posted by anhedonic at 6:30 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
Fascinating, thanks! I've been trying to find interesting new types of events to go to and I would LOVE to see an agility event.
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:41 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:41 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Kratu comes to mind. Among breeds, I have a soft spot for French and English bulldogs and errant dogs of any breed.
Love this and the bit that “bulldogs don’t do things to please you” cracked us up. We have a ten year old bulldog that if we had gotten her a year or two earlier (she was six when she came to us), we would have trained her to run agility. But she’s gotten to the age now where she’s decided that she will do what she wants when she wants, and that she’s had a good time in obedience classes but now she’s gonna move on. Even at her current age this girl loves to run and jump, and she’s pretty fast and can jump high. Our other bulldogs, including our Frenchie, are not able to run agility for various physical reasons, but they’re still a hoot. (Yes people, we are HIGHLY aware of the health problems of bulldogs. We work with a rescue and we’re a home that gets some of the “no one else is taking this one” cases, we call our place “the land of misfit toys.” In many cases their myriad health problems are why they’re in rescue in the first place.) Sometime in the future we’ll have one that’s active and ready to train to run agility, the wagging tails of the runners is always so awesome.
posted by azpenguin at 7:09 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Love this and the bit that “bulldogs don’t do things to please you” cracked us up. We have a ten year old bulldog that if we had gotten her a year or two earlier (she was six when she came to us), we would have trained her to run agility. But she’s gotten to the age now where she’s decided that she will do what she wants when she wants, and that she’s had a good time in obedience classes but now she’s gonna move on. Even at her current age this girl loves to run and jump, and she’s pretty fast and can jump high. Our other bulldogs, including our Frenchie, are not able to run agility for various physical reasons, but they’re still a hoot. (Yes people, we are HIGHLY aware of the health problems of bulldogs. We work with a rescue and we’re a home that gets some of the “no one else is taking this one” cases, we call our place “the land of misfit toys.” In many cases their myriad health problems are why they’re in rescue in the first place.) Sometime in the future we’ll have one that’s active and ready to train to run agility, the wagging tails of the runners is always so awesome.
posted by azpenguin at 7:09 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Even among some breeds that don't seem very athletic, you meet one that just is. I once knew a pug named Maui who was just a rocket on the agility course, and had no breathing problems.
I retired my GSD from agility: she's 9 and was slowing down, and more importantly never really adjusted to the stress. She cried in the crate between runs, and at trials would get nervous/distracted and wander around.
So instead I'm running my niece's little pit-mix, who is a very sweet boy. He knows how to do everything but is still a bit nervous, and tends to do zoomies. So we are not competing at the moment, just working on skills and comfort. But boy, does he love tunnels!
Part of doing agility is volunteering at the trials, so I usually spend a lot of time sitting in the ring as a pole-setter (you replace poles knocked down by dogs, or change the jump heights between runs). You get a really good idea of what makes a good team when you see thirty dogs do the same run, one after another.
There's one particular team I see at the facility where I trial: a guy and his small elderly mixed-breed, who was apparently a very traumatized rescue. He's not fast or athletic, but his handler has worked with him so consistently, year in and year out, that Shadow is very popular and reliable. It's really charming.
posted by suelac at 7:38 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I retired my GSD from agility: she's 9 and was slowing down, and more importantly never really adjusted to the stress. She cried in the crate between runs, and at trials would get nervous/distracted and wander around.
So instead I'm running my niece's little pit-mix, who is a very sweet boy. He knows how to do everything but is still a bit nervous, and tends to do zoomies. So we are not competing at the moment, just working on skills and comfort. But boy, does he love tunnels!
Part of doing agility is volunteering at the trials, so I usually spend a lot of time sitting in the ring as a pole-setter (you replace poles knocked down by dogs, or change the jump heights between runs). You get a really good idea of what makes a good team when you see thirty dogs do the same run, one after another.
There's one particular team I see at the facility where I trial: a guy and his small elderly mixed-breed, who was apparently a very traumatized rescue. He's not fast or athletic, but his handler has worked with him so consistently, year in and year out, that Shadow is very popular and reliable. It's really charming.
posted by suelac at 7:38 AM on December 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
how much work and effort on both sides it takes for things to go right.
This. Its just as much or more about training the handler as the dog.
posted by TDIpod at 8:24 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
This. Its just as much or more about training the handler as the dog.
posted by TDIpod at 8:24 AM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
& we have a new knock knock punchline:
...but thelightbulb mastiff has to really really really want to change zoom!
posted by y2karl at 1:10 PM on December 4, 2022
...but the
posted by y2karl at 1:10 PM on December 4, 2022
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