Dog Agility Classes
Dog Agility Classes at this time are held through- out the year one night a week for 6 to 8 weeks long.
Classes:
Beginners Class
Advanced Classes
Open Classes -for dogs and owners that had some training
Contact for times and prices of Classes: 570-486-3734 Cell
Classes are open to all breeds of dogs you do NOT have to show to do agility classes, just come and have a Great time with your dog!!!! GUARANTEED FUN!
High-drive, high-energy dogs love to learn. In addition to fun tricks, games, and basic obedience commands, they also need a job, be it herding, obedience, Schutzhund, fly ball, jogging ,hiking, swimming, skijoring, dock diving, and of course AGILITY!!!. In the absence of adequate physical and mental exercise, high-drive and high-energy dogs quickly become bored and destructive.
Any safe and fun interactive sport or activity between you and your dog will help burn off pent-up energy and build a strong human-canine relationship. A high-energy dog’ “Send me in Coach!” attitude makes training and showing these dogs a great deal of fun. Regardless of whether you choose to compete or do canine sports just for fun, don’t think that you must limit yourself to your dog’s natural instincts. A truly versatile group, high-octane dogs are capable of competing in multiple venues and canine activities. Some dogs do extremely well in a particular sporting event or activity because of their breed, while others excel because of their individual personality and temperament. You may have to try a few different activities, but chances are there is canine sport-or two!-with your dog’s name written all over it.
Agility is one of the fastest-growing sports for dogs and one of the most exciting, fast-paced canine sports for spectators. Similar to equestrian Grand Prix courses, canine agility courses include assorted jumps and hurdles. Dogs demonstrate their agile nature and versatility by maneuvering through a timed obstacle course of jumps, tunnels, A-frames, weave poles, ramps, a teeter-totter, and a pause box.
As an agility handler, the goal is to navigate your dog through successive obstacles while trying to regulate his speed and precision and of course, trying to stay the heck out of the way of a fast-moving dog. A perfect score in any class is 100, and competitors are faulted if they go over the allotted course time or receive a penalty, such as taking an obstacle out of sequence, missing a contact zone, touching the dog, and so forth.
All breed agility trails are the most common type of trail, and they are open to all AKC Breeds and varieties of dogs. Specialty trails are restricted to dogs of a specific breed or varieties of one breed. Because dogs compete in height divisions, nearly any dog can excel, from Papillons to Giant Schnauzers. However, some breeds are seen more often in the ring, with Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Belgian Tervurens, and Belgian Malinois being some of the more popular medium-to large-sized breeds. Don’t discount the small breeds, as Papillons, Pomeranians, and most terriers are popular in the 8-inch height division. My personal opinion is Any Canine that has a passion and the love to run can do very well in AGILITY.
AKC trails offer two types of titles classes: Standard and Jumpers with Weaves. The Standard class has a pause box and contact obstacles – those yellow contact zones at each end of the obstacle. The dog must place at least one paw in the contact zone – otherwise, he receives a fault. The goal is to encourage safety in training and in running the course. The Jumpers with Weaves class also has a variety of obstacles but does not have contact obstacles or a pause box that slows the competitor’s forward momentum. Within each agility class there are different levels of competition;
NOVICE; for the dog who is just starting in agility. There are 13 to 15 obstacles on the course, and the focus is on completing each obstacle with a minimum of handling skill required.
OPEN; for the dog who has completed the Novice level. There are 16 to 18 obstacles on the course, and the degree of difficulty increases. The Open class also requires significantly more handling skills that the Novice class.
EXCELLENT; for the dog who has completed the Open level. There are 18 to 20 obstacles, the degree of difficulty increases significantly, and the focus is to provide competitors with the opportunity to demonstrate their superior training, communication, and handling skills.
For the diehard agility competitor, the Master Agility Champion Title (MACH) is the pinnacle of agility competition. It’s challenging but not impossible for the high-octane dog and owner team. Agility is a great sport for many High- Drive dogs because it is physically and mentally challenging.
Testimonials
"My dog and I have enjoyed both spring and fall agility training classes with Marsha. My dog loves the obstacles and enjoys the sessions. It's so much fun to observe her growth in confidence, strength and agility. She comes home tired and happy! Agility training, for me, is great fun and an excellent way to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors. We appreciate Marsha's expertise, guidance, and her great facility for agility training--and, did I mention how much FUN we have!?"
-Kim Enck and "Scout"
_________________________________________________
Marsha is a knowledgeable and caring dog trainer. My Rottweiler, Brutus, attended numerous obedience and agility classes under Marsha's guidance. Brutus tends to be a handful and Marsha had no problem handling and guiding him. He loves her and enjoys going to class. She's very patient with the dogs and you can tell how much she enjoys teaching them. I recommend both obedience and the Agility classes.
- Lisa Swatsky
100% SATISFIED TO LEARN AGILITY AND TO HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!!