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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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