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DOG
AGILITY
By Brenna Fender
Agility is often referred to as a timed obstacle course for dogs. But it
is very much a human sport since owners and trainers teach their pets
both obstacle performance and directional skills to successfully
negotiate each course as a competitive team. They will never run the
same course twice, and handlers must plan strategically to master the
course of the day. With a variety of games and classes, dog trainers are
constantly challenged to learn new skills and teach them to their canine
companions. The combination of strategy, speed, and great fun with the
family pet makes agility an addictive sport to the many that compete on
a regular basis.
Dog agility was developed to entertain spectators during the 1977
Crufts Dog Show in England. The sport grew by leaps and bounds in the
UK, especially after being paired with the International Horse Show in
Olympia. In 1983, American dog obedience competitor Kenneth Tatsch
traveled overseas and watched agility at Crufts. When Tatsch returned to
his home state of Texas, he had plans to bring agility to America. With
the help of other handlers, Tatsch was demonstrating agility at
obedience trials in 1984. By 1986, Tatsch’s newly formed United States
Dog Agility Association (USDAA) began holding competitions.
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