Understanding Courses

Dog agility courses are generally presented in a standardized format, showing obstacle placement within the competition ring or area.

Standard dog agility courses, jumping courses, and relay courses, also identify the sequence in which obstacles are to be performed. Other dog agility courses, such as gamblers or snooker classes, where flow is either partly defined or not defined at all, include a summary of rules that apply for the specific course.

Course maps are generally distributed up to one hour prior to the first competition class of the day and is the primary tool for many competitors in studying the course and planning how they will direct their dog around the specific course, including any alternative plans, should they encounter difficulty when performing the course.

The basic premise is to establish a handling strategy to perform efficiently using the training skills necessary for the designated course, given your knowledge of the working habits and skills of your dog.  

The obstacles appear on a grid, with each obstacle represented by a standardize form:

OBSTACLES

Obstacle Legend

 

STANDARD AGILITY COURSE MAP

Sample Course Map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on understanding courses and course design, see USDAA’s Course Design Guidelines or contact the USDAA office at ahartman@usdaa.com, or by calling, (972) 487-2200, ext. 107.