A Fun New CKC Sanctioned Agility Program

As an agility competitor, have you ever wish that you could write the rules for a sanctioned competitive agility event? Well, last year I was lucky enough to be presented with that opportunity and boy was I thrilled!

For the past few years I have been working with the Continental Kennel Club in a consulting capacity, specifically with the CKC Canine Care and Training Program that the CKC has launched in the school systems with the help of the FFA (Future Farmers of America). The Canine Care and Training program gives students the chance to learn about dogs…..their development, behavior, basic care, and training methodologies. At the end of the program, the students get a certificate which they can present to potential employers within the canine care industry as proof of eduction and experience relevant to the jobs they seek. 

In getting to know Mike Roy, President of the CKC, and the CKC Staff, I have found them all to be genuine, warm, down to earth, and compassionate folks who strive to promote education within the canine professions and to pet owning Americans as well. Mike and his staff attend seminars, workshops, and conferences regularly as part of their own continuing educations in canine husbandry, behavior, and training. CKC promotes a primarily positive approach to training while welcoming all with a respectful and non-judgemental attitude. CKC most closely follows the models of training and canine behavior theory whose greatest proponents are Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor, and Jean Donaldson. 

In November of 2008, Georgia Dog Gym hosted its first CKC Sanctioned Obedience and Agility Trial. While several students of Georgia Dog Gym participated and earned CKC obedience titles, the feedback that we recieved about the current CKC Agility Program was that the students had hoped that the CKC agility events would more closely mirror the type of agility events that they were training to compete in. Mike Roy heard that feedback and responded. I was invited to submit a proposal to the CKC for a new “speed” agility program. With a few parameters and guidelines to work within, I got busy writing and, within just a few months, we had a working program ready to launch. 

On March 14, 2009, I will be instructing a workshop on the new CKC Agility Program at the CKC Headquarters near Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Rule books for the program can be requested by e-mailing: ckc@ckcusa.com or calling them at 1(800) 952-3376. The new program’s rules should soon be uploaded on the CKC website at www.ckcusa.com 

Georgia Dog Gym will host the first new CKC Sanctioned Agility Event on May 2 & 3, 2009. We invite all agility competitors to come and join the fun!

Here are some aspects of the CKC Agility program that you might find to be interesting:

1. The program allows for schooling (or training) in the ring. 

2. The Novice Level is broken down into progressive skill sets that dogs and handlers need to be able to negotiate sucessfully in order to move up to full standard courses and games. The skill sets have very relaxed time requirements, and allow novices to get accustomed to, and confident in, the ring environment before dogs have mastered every obstacle and skill necessary to compete at the more advanced levels. 

3. Weave poles are not included in Novice or Intermediate Levels. This allows new dogs to get some good ring experience before they have mastered the weave poles. I find that potential agility competitors lose their motivation to train for trials when they realize the length of time it requires for dogs to be reliably proficient at weaving. I believe that establishing rules which allow new competitors to enter competitions fairly quickly,  helps keep new competitors interested in training for agility trialing.

4. In my 9 years of competitive agility, I have heard the opinions of those who say that agility dogs are untrained and uncontrollable. While I have seen examples of dogs who are ill-behaved at ringside, overall, my opinion is that most agility dogs are highly trained and extremely attentive and responsive to their handlers cues. In an effort to establish a safer ring environment for all, the new CKC agility Program will require that all dogs competing at the Intermediate Level  must have completed the CKC Novice Level 1 Obedience title.  The Novice Level 1 Obedience title requirements are listed on the CKC website, and the opportunity to earn that title shall be given at every CKC Agility Trial. Dogs competing at the Superior Level must first earn a CKC Level 2 Obedience title which is an off-lead obedience test.

5. Provided that the CKC Obedience requirements are met, experienced dogs and competitors can fast track up to Intermediate Competition if they have previously earned a Novice Title in Agility through the CKC or any other agility  sanctioning organization.

6. For the first time in the U.S. there will be a sanctioned agaility event which will separate the Border Collies from other breeds. This separation is made at the Superior Level of CKC Agility. This is an established practice in British competition that did not travel with agility rules to the United States when agility competition first started here. I have heard many competitors comment that they would like to see a U.S. sanctioning body adopt this practice.

7. Games Classes will be offered in CKC Agility. Any agility game published in a book of agility games will be allowed, as well as, games created by individuals and approved by the CKC prior to the trial where they will be offered.  This opens agility up to a whole lot of innovation and creativity!

8. The CKC Agility Program will be flexible over time to respond to changes in the agility community and feedback from competitors and judges. In that way the Program leaves itself room to evolve over time.

I certainly hope that this peaks your interest in this new agility program. Your comments and feedback are welcomed. I hope to see you at CKC Agility and Obedience Event real soon!