See Spot Sit, LLC

03/11/08 - Agility I is full at the moment... please let me know if you are interested and I will alert you if space becomes available.

What is agility training?

Agility is a fun sport for dogs that involves running an "obstacle course" comprised of jumps, tunnels, hoops, weaves, a see-saw, an A-frame, and a "dogwalk" (actually a catwalk, but this is for dogs!). Agility is a wonderful outlet for doggy energy and great for building confidence in tentative dogs. Agility also forces you to develop superior teamwork and communication with your dog. You will be amazed at how quickly and easily he learns and how hard you have to work to keep up with him, both mentally and physically!

See Spot Sit, LLC offers agility classes both for those who wish to have fun with the family dog and those who are interested in serious competition. Three levels of agility classes are offered. Advancement to the next level class is dependent upon skill level, not just attendance.

What are the requirements for enrolling?

Participating in agility training is just about the most fun you will ever have with your dog. However, it's never fun if someone gets hurt. The most common way that dogs get hurt is by being out of control and jumping onto or off of obstacles unsafely. Therefore, dogs who enroll in Agility need to have some basic skills, and handlers must have good control of their dogs. Generally, successful completion of at least Puppy II or Basic obedience will be required (i.e., you attended the majority of the sessions, and your dog by and large met the goals of the class). Most of Agility I is done on lead; however if you wish to progress past the beginner level, it is very important for your dog to have a prompt and reliable recall. After Agility I, most agility work is done off-leash. You will not have much fun in class if you have to spend all of your time trying to retrieve your dog while the rest of us are working the course. Also, since dogs will be working off leash, they must be reliably friendly with other dogs. Furthermore, there will be no Agility classes at all if my neighbors are disturbed by barking! Dogs must be able to quiet on command and must not bark while working or while other dogs are working.

The health check requirements are the same as for all other group classes. Dogs must be physically sound and in good physical condition. Exceptions can be made in some cases, but be sure that you have your vet's approval and that we are aware of your dog's limitations. For example, some dogs should not jump or weave, but can enjoy limited participation with the other obstacles. Dogs under 18 months of age will not be permitted to jump heights above elbow height. You also need to be in good enough physical condition to run with your dog!

Classes offered

Private agility lessons can also be arranged. Course time (no instruction) is available to advanced students and can be shared. Please contact us for details.

Schedule and fees

Agility lessons are held according to the following schedule. Each class level (Agility I, Agility II, Advanced Agility) is held approximately every other week from March through November (except August). Please review the schedule carefully for dates and times.

Class levels are organized by skill set. Beginner students will start in Agility I. When you think you are ready to move up to the next level, you can ask for a skills test. If you pass the skills test, you would then begin coming to the classes for the next level. On average, I expect most students to be able to move up from Agility I to Agility II after about 8 lessons, and from Agility II to Advanced Agility after about 12-16 additional lessons.

To allow greater flexibility, you do not have to come to each class in sequence. Instead, you may purchase a given number of lessons and use them whenever you like. If you will be out of town one week, you can skip that week. Students who finish Basic or Puppy II later in the year can still start Agility when they are ready and thus don't have to wait until the following year. If you use up all of your lessons and want to continue, you can buy more.

IMPORTANT: all lessons have an expiration date!! See table below to determine how long you have to use up your lessons. There are NO REFUNDS for unused lessons, so don't buy more than you will be able to use by the expiration date!

There are 9 lessons available for each level for the 2008 spring/summer schedule. You can purchase any number from one to nine lessons. The more you buy, the cheaper they get - but NOTE how long you have to use them. If you use up all of your lessons and wish to continue, you can buy more according to this same fee schedule. If you are joining in later in the season, count how many classes remain for your level and decide accordingly.

*Classes must be used within the listed number of class meetings (from the time you start), or by Aug. 2008, whichever comes first. "Class meetings" means number of times that your level meets for class.

**If you purchase a single lesson to try out agility, and then decide you would like to sign up for more, you may put the cost of the single lesson toward your lesson purchase. For example, if you try a single lesson and then decide to sign up for 8 lessons, you would owe $147 and have 7 lessons remaining.

Registration

To register for Agility, please fill out and mail in the registration form along with your fee and any necessary health certification. Your registration form and fee must be received in order to hold a place in class.

I will accept up to 12 active registrations for each level class at one time. That means that on any given day, there might be as many as 12 dogs in a class. However, assuming that some percentage of people will be absent on a particular day, there will probably be fewer. My goal is to average about 8 dogs per class. It might take me a while to figure out the optimum number of people to admit to keep the class averages around 8. If you want a lot of individual attention, come on the rainy days!

Cancellations

There are no cancellations and no refunds once you have begun your lessons. Thus you should not purchase more lessons than you think you will use by the expiration date. Classes are held outdoors. Cancellations are extremely rare. Class will not be cancelled except in severe inclement weather: snow on the ground, hurricanes, lightning, or dangerous heat. Cold weather or rain will not result in a cancellation.

Rules and Regulations

• Dogs must be under control at all times.
• Dogs must be leashed when not working.
• Dogs who behave aggressively toward or who repeatedly interfere with other dogs will be excused from class.
• Dogs who bark uncontrollably and cannot be quieted by their handlers will be excused from class.
• Equipment safety rules must be observed at all times. Please report any equipment problems promptly.
• Dogs must be taken outside the fenced area to eliminate. Please pick up after your dog.
• Warm up your dog with a brisk 20 minute walk before coming to class.
• Handlers must wear rubber-soled athletic shoes. No sandals.
• Participants will be required to assist with setting up and/or tearing down the course at each class.

What do I need to bring to class?

• Classes are held outdoors. Please dress appropriately in layered clothing that you don't mind getting dirty and grass stained.
• Rubber-soled athletic shoes with good traction are a must. NO sandals or flip-flops!
• Please bring your dog on a plain buckle collar or Gentle Leader and a 6-foot leash. NO slip collars. NO Flexi-Leads.
• You will also need an 8-10 inch long "tab" lead (example).
• Appropriate food and toy motivators for your dog.
• A small bait target which can be filled with food but which your dog cannot open.
  Examples: A film canister, a small tupperware container with lid, a small zippered bait bag, a plastic coin purse, a "jackpot" toy (example).
• A flat, visible target such as a round tupperware lid or small frisbee.
• Water and a bowl for your dog.
• Water for yourself.
• (Optional) A lawn chair for spectators.

Spectators are welcome and can often assist by acting as "spotters". If children attend as spectators, there must be an additional adult present to supervise them. Children may be permitted to handle the dog in Level I classes where the dog is on-lead, contingent upon their ability to control the dog. An adult must be present to assist at all times.

©2002-2008, See Spot Sit, LLC
rev. 02 Feb. 2008