# CKC agility



## damita (Jun 4, 2009)

Hi All,

I am after that coveted Versatility Certificate and have decided since we have a Championship and Rally title that we would venture into agility next (tracking was my other idea, or birds). Question is everything! Where do we start - we are 2 weeks into an intro agility class but I don't think our instructor has ever trialed before and I think most of my classmates are just in it for fun. There are 5 trials coming up within driving distance in August (only 4 hour drive) but don't know if I should even expect to be ready by then? What are your biggests do's and don'ts? I am aiming for AGN which as I understand does not include the weaves? I know things are different between Canada and US rules but anything is appreciated!

Rebecca and Georgia (CH Damita's Georgia on My Mind RN CGN)


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

can't help you, I'm here in the states!! maybe some of our canadian folks can jump in here!


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

You won't be ready to trial in 6 weeks - even if your instructors were experienced agility competitors - or even if you were a seasoned competitor. Don't rush the training. The best advice I can give you is to go to the trial - as a tourist - and volunteer to work - ring crew and timer are jobs you can do without any experience. The host club will be glad to have the help and you'll probably get a lunch voucher and a raffle ticket - you'll also learn A LOT and you'll be able to make some connections with people who are trialing....

Erica


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Honestly I would recommend stopping until you find an instructor who is successful in competition. Your current instructor could be doing fine, but it's more likely that she's doing more harm than good by training to just-for-fun standards rather than competition standards. Once you're working with a good instructor, it'll probably take close to a year to start competing depending on the dog (maybe less if you really just want the AGN, but then if you decide to continue on you'll have to undo the bad habits caused by competing too early).

I'm not familiar with CKC rules but I think they pretty closely mirror AKC's, which means that if there are weave poles in Novice there will only be six and incorrect entries, popping out early, etc will not be faulted. It's possible that they don't have them at all though, I'm not really sure.


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## damita (Jun 4, 2009)

No other instructors within a 4 hour (each way) drive from me - should I just drop it and try a different venue? Any suggestions on books or being self taught? I have worked by myself for both obedience and rally and while I may not have any HITs we have completed titles.

This is from the CKC agility handbook:
*14.1 Novice Standard Class Obstacles*
14.1.1 A total of 13 – 15 obstacles are required in the
Novice class.The 9 mandatory obstacles are:
a) the A-Frame;
b) the Closed Tunnel;
c) the Dog Walk;
d) the Double-Bar Jump;
e) the Open Tunnel;
f) the Panel Jump;
g) the Pause Table;
h) the Teeter;
i) the Tire/Circle Jump.
14.1.2 4 – 6 additional jumps or Open Tunnels shall be
added to this list, which are to be selected by the
judge. Jumps (excluding the Double Bar Jump) or
open tunnels may be used more than once.
14.1.3 The Weave Poles,Triple Bar Jump, Ascending Spread
Jump or One Bar Jump may not be used in the
Novice Level.
14.1.4 Novice level courses are designed to test the dog’s
ability to negotiate the obstacles on the course and
therefore should be relatively straight in approach
with only minor challenges and side changes. Minimal
handling is expected.
*14.2 Novice Standard Class Challenges*
14.2.1 A total of 3 – 4 challenges are to be chosen from the
following:
a) side-switches without call-off;
b) minor call-off;
c) minor option.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Cool, no weave poles then. I guess you'll have to stay with that instructor (since that's a lot easier than trying to make your own equipment and work on your own). Just try to make sure you're training competition-quality performances with the dog working at a nice speed, not requiring you to do any obnoxious body-blocking to hit the contacts or anything like that. And if tracking or birds are significantly easier to do in your area, that might be a better choice if you just want the versatility certificate and don't really care how you get it. You can still do agility, it just might take a while with a less-than-ideal instructor.


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