What is agility for dogs: the rules, advantages and features of an exciting sport

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What is agility? This is not only a sport, receiving awards and pride in his dog. Classes and training strengthen the bond between the owner and the animal. The dog becomes more balanced, confident and obedient. A man and a dog get mutual pleasure from communication, and most importantly - complete mutual understanding. So, let's see what agility is.

In short, Agility is a sport in which the dog and its owner participate. From the English language, the word agility translates as "agility, agility, speed." Dogs are happy to do agility. Photos show it well.

It seems to many that a trained dog performs all the tricks independently, and it is to her that all the merits belong. But this is only an appearance. The dog follows the owner and executes his commands, he is responsible for everything that happens. In agility leading host called handler. His duty is to establish quality and productive contact with the dog, otherwise there will be no victory.

Shells are placed on the highway. It can be various barriers, tunnels (soft and hard), slalom, swing, boom, slide, etc.

A track is a group of projectiles installed in a specific order. In each individual competition the track may differ. But in any case there will be no more than 20 obstacles on it, and the length of the route should not be more than two hundred meters. Despite the impressive length, a lot of space for the competition is not needed, even a rich track can fit in a small area due to several laps, various loops, snakes, etc.

Initially, agility was not an independent sport. He served as entertainment for guests of the English exhibition. One of the organizers, John Varley, who, together with his friend Peter Minwell, wanted to surprise visitors with something never seen before. They copied some of the shells from the horse jumping and came up with several new fixtures. The result was a very interesting obstacle course for dogs. New entertainment called Agility. Thus, 1978 can be considered the year of birth of a new sport in which dogs and their owners participate with pleasure. All dog lovers soon learned what agility is.

The current agility chairman of the FCI Sports Committee, Jean-Paul Petidier, was present at that momentous exhibition. And he liked the performances of the participants so much that he decided that such competitions should be held everywhere in the clubs of dog breeders. It was he who extended the fashion to a new sport throughout Europe.

Interest in agility came to Russia around 1992-1993. And already in 1994, the first Russian Dog Agility Championship was held in Moscow. So far, only 12 host pairs with their dogs took part in this competition. In 1995, the Cup of Russia was held, in which Jean-Paul Petidier himself was a judge. The Team Spirit Team won the Russian Cup. In 1996, the Russian teams received the right to participate in the World Agility Championship.

Agility competitions in Russia are held in accordance with the FCI rules on approved projectiles. They must be safe for dogs and comply with certain size rules.

Agility is quite a spectacular sport, but it is no different with complex rules. Handler can not keep his dog on a leash, even the collar is removed. All commands are given at a distance, you cannot touch and guide the dog with your hands. It is also forbidden to encourage the dog with treats while passing the track.

The main task in agility is to accurately, competently and quickly overcome an obstacle course. Speed is not the most important thing, if a dog overcomes obstacles quickly, but with errors, it will not receive a high mark. There is even such a thing as the purity of the route - this is an indicator that is calculated taking into account all the penalty points.

Penalty points may be awarded for:

The refusal of the dog to overcome any projectile.
Errors when working with a projectile.
Exceeding the passage of the route. This time depends on the length and complexity of the track, and on the average speed, which is determined at this competition (from 2.5 to 4.5 meters per second).

Before the start of the competition, handlers may briefly, within a few minutes, familiarize themselves with the track. They need to understand how difficult it is, calculate the capabilities and strengths of their dog. But to practice on the track with a four-legged friend will not work - dogs are not allowed to speak on the track.

During the competition, the dog overcomes obstacles at the command of the host, and the judge measures the time of passing the track and checks the cleanliness and literacy of working with shells.

Agility Difficulty Levels

Agility-1. Dogs that do not have an agility certificate take part in this type of competition.

Agility 2 open to dogs that have already received a certificate.

Agility 3 - This is a competition for the best athletes. It can take part dogs that three times won prizes in second-level competitions.

Each dog will be glad to know what agility is. Any dog breeds can take part in the competition, and even purebred dogs. Absolutely any dog can get a prize, because the main thing is a good connection between the owner and the pet, which allows working smoothly in a team.

In dogs with solid dimensions (dogs, wolfhounds, Leonbergers) problems may arise with the passage of some obstacles, for example, it may be difficult for them to squeeze into the tunnel. It will be more difficult for dogs with shoulder and hip joints at right angles. For this reason, terriers and schnauzers will be a little worse in slalom and barriers, but creeping dogs such as shepherd dogs will have an advantage on these shells.

Nevertheless, agility can do absolutely everything. After all, cups and victories are not the main thing. In the first place, agility training is a great chance to improve relationships with a pet, strengthen the owner-dog relationship and just have fun with a four-legged friend. In addition, it is no secret that the dog must constantly evolve. Agility training can be a good exercise and food for the mind.

Growth categories

Of course, the tracks for very small and for large dogs are different. Therefore, agility is divided into several categories.

Mini. Dogs take part in this category, their height does not exceed 35 cm.
Midi - for dogs from 35 to 43 cm tall.
Standard - for dogs above 43 cm at the withers.

Dog training

Agility can begin to engage when the dog is four months old. Of course, you can do with the older dog. Chances to take a prize in competitions are all.

With a young dog, you can immediately begin to study agility shells and practice for a year, it is after this period that it will be seen whether the dog is a future champion.

Agility training can begin in a different way. This method is well suited for adult dogs - first go through a general course of obedience and UGS (controlled city dog), and then get acquainted with agility shells. A trained dog will have enough month to master them.

What is Agility

Agility is a special kind of competition involving a dog and a person called a guide or handler.. The purpose of the athlete is to guide the dog through a strip with various types of obstacles. In the process of passing a strip, not only speed indicators are taken into account, but also the level of their accuracy.

Dog running is carried out without rewards in the form of food or toys. The rules establish the impossibility of the handler to touch his dog or used obstacles, and the process of controlling the animals is carried out with the help of voice, gestures and various body signals. That is why agility involves exceptional dog training in preparation for performance.

It is interesting! The conditions of the competition are created in such a way that they allow to properly assess not only the strengths, but also all the weaknesses of each particular pair, consisting of a guide and a dog.

The simplest and most common variant of the obstacle course is a series of standard objects that are installed by a judge on the court with dimensions of 30x30 meters. Each such object on the site is supplied with a sequence number, in accordance with which the strip is passing.

At the very beginning of the competition, the athlete assesses the lane, chooses a competent strategy, which allows him to guide the animal along an obstacle course. When choosing the tactics of passing, the speed of the dog and the accuracy must be taken into account.

Depending on the level of complexity differ:

Agility-1 and Jumping-1 - for pets that do not have an "Agility Certificate",
Agility 2 and Jumping 2 - for pets with an “Agility Certificate”,
Agility 3 and Jumping 3 are for pets who have won a prize in Jumping 2 three times.

Appearance history

Agility is a fairly young and promising sport, which originated in the territory of England in early 1978. The founder is considered to be John Varley. It was he who, being a member of the committee at the Kraft exhibition, decided to entertain the spectators who were bored during the breaks between the leading sections. Given his passion for equestrian sports, Varley attracted dogs to the event, who had to overcome projectiles and various barriers.

Varley was assisted in the development of the very first program on Agility by his friend and like-minded person Peter Minwell.. The first performance was attended by two teams, each of which consisted of four trained dogs. Focusing on the team of athletes, the animals overcame the obstacle course, represented by barriers, slides and tunnels. It was the delight of the public that determined the birth of a new sport.

It is interesting! After some time, the English Kennel Club officially recognized the sport of Agility, as well as established regular competitions, which were based on a whole set of specially developed rules.

What breeds can participate

Agility is a very democratic sport in which dogs participate, regardless of their breed. The main requirement for an animal is the ability and desire to compete. Agility classes are conducted with pets who are a year old or more, due to the presence of a fully formed skeleton in an animal and minimal risk of injury during exercise or passing through an obstacle course.

Despite the fact that formally any dogs can take part in competitions, but not every pet has the necessary qualities. As practice shows, a very high result is most often shown by shepherd’s breeds of dogs, represented by border collie, Australian Shepherd Dogs and Shelties. In this sport, as agility, it is customary to use the division of dogs according to their height at the withers into several categories:

"S" or smаll - dogs with growth in withers less than 35 cm,
"M" or medium - dogs with growth at the withers within 35-43cm,
"L" or lárgе - dogs with an increase in withers over 43 cm.

Important! The performance of dogs in the competition is increasing, therefore, first the breed of the class “S” takes part, and then - the class “M”. The final is the performance of dogs belonging to the class "L", which is due to the mandatory change in the height of the obstacles.

Each category is characterized by the presence of several best breeds, suitable for participation in agility, and differing in the optimal set of all necessary qualities for the competition:

in the class "S" are most often involved spitz,
in the class "M" most often participate sheltie
in the class “L” the border collie is most often involved.

What shells are used

The track is a special complex, represented by successive obstacles.. The rules allow you to set different in size projectiles, change their angles of inclination, as well as other basic parameters. Projectiles used in competition can be either contact or non-contact.

Contact

The name “Contact Elements” itself implies the obligatory direct contact of an animal with an installed projectile:

"Hill" - a projectile, represented by two at an angle connected shields raised at the top of about half a meter above ground level. Contact projectiles in the zone of obstacles are painted red or yellow, and are characterized by the presence on the surface of fixed transverse bars, which facilitate the movement of the dog. To help the animal to overcome such a projectile, the handler gives the command “House!” Or “Gorka!”
"Swing" - a projectile, made in the form of a board, which rotates around its base in the process of moving the dog. So that the pet could run up to such an obstacle, the shield balance shifts a little to one side, and the athlete gives the command “Quality!”
"Boom" - a projectile, which is a kind of slide, but is characterized by the presence of inclined surfaces with a horizontal board. The shell is also painted red or yellow, and has transverse slats. The obstacle is overcome by the dog at the command of the handler “Boom!”
"Tunnel" - a projectile, made in the form of a shortened barrel-shaped manhole with the presence of a long and thin fabric part of the "soft tunnel", or a curved and straight rigid pipe "hard tunnel". Handler in this case, apply the command "Tu-Tu", "Tun" or "Bottom".

Contactless

Non-contact, or so-called, jumping and running projectiles, involve overcoming by means of a high or long jump, as well as running:

"Barrier" - a projectile, represented by a pair of vertical struts and easily knocked transverse bar. The pet jumps over the obstacle at the command of the handler “Hop!”, “Jump!”, “Bar!” Or “Up!”,
The “ring” is a shell, which is a kind of barrier and has the shape of a circle, which is fixed in a special frame by means of a support. The pet overcomes the projectile in the process of jumping at the command of the handler "Circle!" Or "Tire!"
“Jump” is performed by the dog through several established platforms or benches at the command of the handler “Hop!”, “Jump”, “Bar!” Or “Up!”
"Double barrier" - a projectile, represented by a pair of special strips, which are always located in parallel. Overcomes a pet at the command "Hop!", "Jump!", "Bar!" Or "Up!"
"Barrier fence" - a projectile, which is a solid wall, with an easily knocked lining installed at the top. The pet overcomes the projectile in the process of jumping at the command of the handler "Hop!", "Jump!", "Bar!" Or "Up!".
Also, the category of contactless elements includes the following, equally common in competitions in alzhiliti, projectiles:
"Slalom" - a projectile consisting of twelve racks, which are located on a single line, which implies that the pet overcomes obstacles in running "snake" at the command of the handler "Trrrrrr!"
"Podium square" - a projectile, represented by a square platform raised to a height of 2 cm to 75 cm, to which the pet runs and stops during the time set by the judge.

What are the rules in agility

Each organization conducting agility competitions establishes its own rules governing the issues of errors and violations during the passage of obstacles.

For example, “pure” is called mileage, performed without errors, and “complete” is mileage with minimal errors and in minimal time. The main, most obvious mistakes, as a rule, are:

"Time Error" - the cost of more time than set aside for the pet to overcome the strip,
“Loss of contact” - touching the contact area with a paw in the process of overcoming an obstacle by a dog,
"Downed crossbar" - the displacement or fall of the crossbar in the process of a dog jumping,
“Slalom Error” - entering the area between the racks on the wrong side, as well as going backwards or skipping any rack,
“Getting the dog off the route” - implies a violation of the sequence when the dog passes an obstacle course
"Failure" - the lack of execution of the dog command, which is served as a guide in a pair,
“Pass” - pet running past the desired obstacle,
“Conductor error” - intentional or accidental contact of a pet with a guide in the process of passing an obstacle course
"Repeat obstacles" - the direction of the conductor of a pet to repeatedly overcome the projectile.

К не менее распространённым ошибкам можно отнести укус собакой судьи или проводника, а также неспортивное поведение, использование проводником игрушек или лакомства или побег с ринга.

Перед тем, как начнутся соревнования, хэндлер проходит ознакомление с трассой и разрабатывает оптимальный вариант для ее прохождения. The judge must be held a preliminary conversation with all participants, during which the rules are announced, and the maximum and control time is reported. The dog is required to clear the collar and leash before passing the track..

Agility Classes

The use of various obstacles, as well as the variation of errors and violations, allow us to divide Agility into several classes, the number and type of which are regulated by judges of different organizations.

Today, the main classes include:

The “Standard” class is represented by a numbered obstacle course, on which obstacles of each type are placed. Beginners compete on the track with fifteen obstacles, high-level competitions suggest about twenty obstacles
Jumping class - represented by a numbered obstacle course that includes various shells for jumping. Sometimes the organizers of the competition include as additional projectiles slalom and various tunnels,
The Joker or Jackpot class is represented by an unnumbered obstacle course consisting of an introductory and final part. In the first period, the pet for a certain period of time overcomes the obstacles chosen by the handler and accumulates points, and in the second part of the competition the obstacle chosen by the judge passes
The Snooker class is based on a well-known billiard game, and the obstacle course is represented by at least three red obstacles for jumping and six other obstacles that your pet scores points according to the number of obstacles. The dog passes the projectile for jumping, and then any of the six. This sequence is repeated three times,
“Relay” class - several “guide-dog” teams participate, which in turn perform part of the “Standard” class with the transfer of a baton. Teams are usually formed in accordance with the experience and size of pets.

Dog training for agility

A feature of all competitive sports, including agility, is the need to properly prepare a pet.. Starting from the age of three months, the puppy can already be gradually involved in training. Training must be daily in a specially designated, safe for your pet. Performing the “Barrier!” Command will require the preparation of a dry and non-slip surface.

Before the start of training, a favorite delicacy is prepared for the puppy, which is used to encourage him for the correct execution of the team. You can not force a small pet immediately take too high barriers. The height of the bar increases gradually.

To overcome a low barrier, any dog pushes off the ground with four paws at once, and in order to overcome a high and deaf barrier, the pet will need to ensure sufficient run-up. At the first stages of training the dog must be insured. Immediately before the master performs a jump, the command “Barrier!” Is clearly pronounced. From about six months old, a puppy who has mastered small obstacles is able to learn how to overcome higher and deaf barriers.

It is somewhat more difficult to teach a dog to overcome low obstacles by crawling. In the process of learning this skill, you need to give your team the command "Crawl!". The dog fits into the "lying" position, and the owner's left hand fixes the withers, which will not allow the pet to rise. With the help of the right hand with a delicacy, the dog must be directed forward. Thus, the dog begins to crawl. Gradually need to increase the distance for crawling.

Important! In addition to training the dog on the shells, as well as carrying out work on obedience, with a pet necessarily conducted classes on general physical training.

General dog training includes activities represented by long walking, walking on tight leash, cross-country walking, towing, playing with a pet, running through deep snow or water, jumping up, long jumps, and swimming. You also need to prepare the dog for such exercises as shuttle run and “super slalom”.

Recently, specialists have appeared who are ready to prepare the dog for agility competitions. Nevertheless, as practice shows, in this case there may be no contact and understanding between the owner and the pet, which is extremely negative for the results of the competition. It is for this reason that it is recommended to train the dog only independently.

Dog agility: what is it

The game involves overcoming obstacles four-legged pet. The owner is nearby, runs along with the dog, prompts what projectile will be next. The winner is a pet that correctly passed all obstacles, showed the best time. If the dog came to the finish line faster than other rivals, but made many mistakes, the judges remove points.

Gambling, fascinating competition brings a pet and owner closer, allows to improve the level of dog training, shows that the animal and the person can act as a single team. During the game, it is unacceptable to physically punish the dog: a sharply negative reaction of the owner immediately leads to the disqualification of the participant.

Agility, it is a game and a pleasant leisure with physical exertion, there are strict rules, but there are no harsh views and shouts. Dog Agility Championship videos show that everyone is happy: pets, owners, spectators, judges. The health benefits of animals and owners, good mood, cheerfulness, improvement of skills and level of obedience, positive emotions are the advantages of competition.

Agility is carried out as an independent event or is often combined with a breed review. The spectacle is fascinating, not boring, viewers get a lot of bright emotions, as well as participants of the competition.

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Who can participate

To compete allow dogs of any breed, without restrictions on weight and variety. Even mongrel dogs often become Agility winners.

An important caveat is the pet's age: young dogs should not be actively running along the obstacle course. Animals up to one year old are not allowed to compete: at an early age bones are not formed, injuries are possible during agility competitions. Adult dogs willingly participate in overcoming obstacles.

What breeds willingly participate in agility:

Benefits

Agility is a lot of positive things:

closer contact and mutual understanding between the pet and the owner is established,
the animal and the person receive a charge of cheerfulness and good mood,
Exercise in the fresh air during agility training - health benefits,
Classes are more interesting and fun than regular training, the pet is less morally tired, does not get bored, which increases the result of training.
the dog becomes more obedient, learns commands better.

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Competition Rules

The dog and the person managing the pet with the help of voice, gestures and special commands participate in agility. To touch the animal with your hands, to give a treat is prohibited. A person is called a "handler."

The guide and the dog are a team, the result of the performance depends on the coordinated work of the partners. It is not by chance that dogs are trained for agility, they train for a special program.

The animal must pass an obstacle course with the best time and with the minimum number of errors. Contactless obstacles must not be touched; on contact categories, the pet must touch certain zones. Which team went through the whole circle in the shortest period of time and without errors, she won.

Training and training dogs

To participate in the agility you need to deal with the dog to achieve success. The pet must understand how the competition is held, what shells and obstacles there are, so as not to get injured and enjoy the lessons.

Shells you can make yourself. In some cities, dog breeders will equip special areas for agility classes, so that the dog gets used to certain obstacles and understands the rules.

Training should be held regularly so that the pet clearly knows and immediately executes commands. Gradually increase the speed of passage of obstacles. It is important that the classes be on the strength of the pet, taking into account the endurance of the breed, age and other parameters.

Training begins at the age of three months. The height of the barriers increases gradually. At first, for a properly performed action, the pet receives a treat. The owner will have to master a lot of specific commands so that the dog performs various actions. Training should be daily.

Now there are many agility coaches, but dog handlers advise the owner to deal with the pet in order to establish strong contact with the animal. The result is harder to achieve than with a professional trainer, but joint training brings the owner and the four-legged pet closer together.

Championships and awards

In each state competitions are held: open and closed club, local, regional, national championship. Periodically organize international agility competitions for dogs. Developed competition regulations and the main provisions that guide the association in each country, choose the organizing committee.

How to start training on agility and who can engage in an exciting sport? How to make classes more effective? Answers to these and other questions will be given by a professional agility coach in the following video:

Basic requirements for dogs

Requirements for four-legged agility participants are extremely simple:

age not less than 15 months for the most simple program, and not less than 18 months for programs more complicated,
Mandatory chipping or stigma,
availability of a veterinary passport with marks of current vaccination against rabies,
availability of a work card - the achievements of all competitions and dog shows are entered into it. If you do not have such a book yet, then at your request you will be given it at the first competitions.

Not allowed to compete:

sick animals or with injuries
whelping or nursing females,
current bitches are allowed with restrictions - they are the last to speak, and until then they are kept away from the competition venue.

If you have an older dog and are no longer as active and capable as the young, but you are still interested in agility competitions, then you have a chance to compete with equal opponents. Many cynological clubs in Russia hold a veteran's cup, taking into account the age characteristics of the participants.

The best breeds of dogs to participate in agility

Although the breed is not important for participation in agility competitions, shepherd dogs show the best results, since they have long been working in tandem with a man and are very keen on active training.
Welsh corgi cardigan in agility. Photo: SheltieBoy. Terriers and other highly active dogs are also good.

Top 10 most successful dog breeds in agility

Border Collie
sheltie
australian shepherd
welsh corgi
Belgian Shepherd Dogs
Jack Russell Terrier
Golden retriever
Irish Terrier
english springer spaniel
German Shepherd

But this does not mean that other breeds are not suitable for this discipline, because each pet is unique and it is possible that your dog has the ability to agility in view of character and personal characteristics, and not the breed.

Agility Dog Training

As in any sport, in the training of agility it is important to do everything correctly and as successfully as possible, without harming your health. Here are some general guidelines for self-training dogs.

You can start training from 4 months of age, but to start learning agility the dog must know the basic commands and clearly follow them,
From the very beginning of training, you need to organize everything so that the dog perceives them as entertainment, then the effectiveness of training will be higher, Agility should be a game for the dog, a pleasant pastime. Photo: SheltieBoy
It is better to train in a canine school, where the obstacles are correctly made, which excludes the possibility of injuring animals, and there the dog will get used to working in conditions where there are noisy and many outsiders,
At the initial stages of training, you should not give a strong load to the dog, use high obstacles and so on, and you should also secure your pet with projectiles from an accidental fall,
No need to try to immediately train the dog with all existing shells - do this gradually so that the dog does not get confused and does not experience excessive stress,
Classes are usually held several times a week for several hours, so that you will need to be ready for physical exertion,
If you cannot cope with such loads, or you want your dog to achieve results in the shortest possible time, you can use the services of professional handlers who specialize in training agility dogs and accompanying them in competitions.

Agility inventory. Initially, for training you definitely need a treat, for which your pet will be most willing to perform various tasks. You may also need a collar and a leash, but try to move away from their use as soon as possible, because nothing like this is allowed at competitions (neither the collar, nor delicacies, nor even the handler’s leash).

And, of course, you will need special projectiles to work out the Agility route. In the school of cynology they usually have them, if you want to train a dog at home, you will need to do them yourself. At the same time it is necessary to take into account the size of the dog and its capabilities, and, most importantly, the safety of the shells for her.

Agility Trails and Shells

The competition area for dogs is called the ring. For agility, the ring is equipped with a size of at least 20x40 m, with clearly defined boundaries, with an entrance to it in the starting area and an exit near the finish.

The course for agility competitions consists of special projectiles (obstacles) arranged in a sequence and quantity, depending on the rules of the competition established in this cynological club and the complexity of the program for which this route is intended.
Agility Championship Final Ring The obstacles to agility competitions are divided into several types, depending on how you interact with them.

Jumping

What is jumping?

Jumping is one of the disciplines in which agility competitions are often held. Unlike the Agility course, there are no obstacles with a touch zone and a table on the jumping track. This gives a completely different character to the passage of the track - jumping is very dynamic.

The most common at Russian (and European) competitions is the practice of summing up the overall standings and awarding prizes according to the total result, shown by the athletes on two routes - the agility route and the jumping route.

Is agility popular?

The popularity of agility is growing rapidly around the world from the USA to Japan. This sport is most popular in Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, Norway. In France, about 500 official competitions of various ranks are held annually. The dynamics of Agility in the USA is impressive. In 1993, 0, and in 1998, 4000. The first world agility championship was held in Switzerland in 1996, and in the following, 1997, the world championship was held in Denmark. At the third world championship (Slovenia, 1998) 24 national teams played. According to some experts, there are prerequisites for the inclusion of agility in the program of the Olympic Games after two years.

The undoubted advantage of agility as a sport is its entertainment. According to the general opinion, among modern “dog” agility competitions it is most interesting not only for athletes, but also for spectators. It is not by chance that the devoted fans come from their countries in large groups to major competitions in Europe in order to support their favorites in the same way as in basketball or hockey. These competitions are shown on television, covered in periodicals. Even in small Finland, a newspaper is published on six pages dedicated to agility.

Unfortunately, Russia is still far behind European countries in this sport. There are only a few dozen clubs in the country. Тем не менее, проводятся официальные соревнования, включая Кубок России и Чемпионат России, национальная сборная принимала участие во всех чемпионатах мира. Развитие аджилити в России сдерживается как отсутствием информации, так и финансовыми трудностями.However, agility is not the most “expensive” sport, because for training and competitions only a green lawn is needed (in winter, a basketball-sized indoor hall), and a set of shells worth about $ 3000.

You can make an unequivocal conclusion that agility in a country where tens of millions of dog owners live is simply doomed to popularity. Agility elements are applied in the “Dog Show” program, the first reports about competitions appear on the central television. As a rule, all the largest dog shows are accompanied by demonstrative or agility rating competitions. Finally, agility has come to the attention of the State Sports Committee of Russia. But the main thing is the rapid growth of those who want to do this young and exciting sport.

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