AGILITY CONTROL COURSE Wednesdays when held
An independent ten-week course designed for pet-dogs or agility dogs both new and established. Partnerships have the opportunity to learn or just reinforce basic obedience and agility commands around actual equipment but away from the hype of the agility ring.
This low-stress course is run over flat or very low obstacles and is suitable for all dogs/pups over six months old. A simple assessment is conducted at the conclusion of the course.
BEGINNERS (NON-COMPETITION) GROUP Tuesdays
The Beginners group is recruited exclusively from our Control Course. It teaches absolute beginner handlers and dogs the basic obstacles and offers a 'taster' of the fun and partnership that can be achieved through agility.
To be eligible for this class, dogs and handlers must first pass our Control Course Assessment. Beginners courses are eight-week units which may be repeated until the instructors are assured that both dog and handler are ready to move into the Improvers group.
For those partnerships who wish to move on to showing, the Improvers group offers Grade1 - 2 (Elementary/Starter) handlers the opportunity to improve their ring skills, confidence and handling techniques whilst encouraging them to develop their own handling style and to broaden their working partnership with their dog.
To enter this class, dogs must be confident on all standard obstacles and working competently over training sequences and simple courses.
Suitable Improvers are invited into the Competiton group when space is available.
Occasionally the training for Improvers takes the form of a Fun Run where handlers and dogs get to practice (what we've preached!) in a no-pressure, competition-style ring over a simple, judged course. Certificates are awarded to the four best dogs.
This group contains dogs and handlers who are actively competing and consolidating their ring experience. The training emphasises sequencing, positioning, timing and partnership co-ordination. Established members are encouraged, through mentorship, to acquire basic instructing, ring-party and judging skills. Core members also train their younger dogs in this session.
THE CORE Tuesdays and Thursdays
'The Core' is our main competition group and the hub of the club.
This group trains itself on a co-operative rota basis. Core members also judge the Improvers Fun Runs, an opportunity for both ends of the club to meet and socialise.
All our instructing Core are experienced competitors and most are also ACAI Instructors.