AGILITY: CLASSES, PRACTICE, & MORE

Agility is not just for competition it’s about fun too! Here at Family Dog Club we find that Agility is a great way to learn to communicate with your dog, build confidence, and burn off some of that pent up energy. Our classes are fun, fast paced. We have several levels from Basic through Advanced. We also have low impact instruction which is great for starting  puppies, young dogs, and old dogs, from the smallest Chihuahua to the biggest Great Dane all friendly dogs are welcome. We use positive reinforcement methods to introduce your dog to new obstacles, tailoring our methods to fit your individual dog’s personality. Whether you are interested in training your dog to become the next AKC or NADAC champion or just looking for a way to spend time and bond with your dog                                Family Dog Club is the place to be.

The Family Dog Club Offers:
3+ acres of fenced property 
3 Rings filled With Regulation Agility Equipment 
(300’ x 100’) 
UKC, AKC, USDAA, NADAC & CPE 
Train for competition or just for fun!

   

Agility Classes are 5 weeks sessions and begin the week following our Agility Open House. You do not have to come out to Open House to sign up for classes but you must call or email (familydogclub@hotmail.com) to reserve a spot for you and your dog. 

Agility Open House is Still On Hold......   But.... Agility Classes are a GO!!!!

 

    Classes Starting back March 1st  &  2nd   2021 

we are complying with the COVID 19 regulations. Masks or face shields [shields work awesome, and makes it easier to run with your dog] must be worn during class and while on the property when others are around . Please bring a spray bottle with disinfectant [peroxide works great and is inexpensive, does the job, & easy to use]. Please keep 6' apart, and do your best to not touch the agility equipment. Please spray anything you touch gates, chairs, equipment, port-a-potty door handles etc.         

For this first session back We will be limiting class size to 10 handlers per class, to see how it goes.                                                                          This is pending Covid rules and may change at any given time                                               

 

2021 Agility Class Schedule 

This schedule may change at any time depending on participation and instructor availability especially through the winter months. Please keep an eye on the web site or give Rita a call at 757-204-4411 [land line]  or  757-718-8800 [cell]

Monday... 

Evening Classes    

   Rita will be your instructor this 5 week session

5:30-6:30 p.m. Intermediate 1  [pending student availability]

7:00 - 8:00p.m. Basic  [pending student availability]

8:30 - 9:30 p.m. Intermediate 2 [pending student availability]

 

Tuesday...  

Evening Classes 

 Rita will be your instructor this 5 week session
 6:00 - 7:30 pm Advanced  [pending students  availability]

7:30 - 8:30p.m.  Basic   [pending student  availability]

 7:30-8:30 p.m.  Intermediate 1.5   Need to ask Rita if this is the right class for you before attending  Intermediate 1.5    [Brandy & Emily will be your instructor for this class]

 

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday                                                                                                                                                        Private and group classes available on request. 

                                                               Rings are open for Practice... and  Free to all current students and club members...                                                                            Everyone must call ahead to be sure rings are not being used by other clubs, seminars, or private lessons 

 

We do allow Non-Members to use our equipment. Just  $10.00 per dog. You can stay as long as you need... 
                          You & Your dog must have agility experience to use rings... You may be asked to demonstrate your abilities before entering rings...                                      Calling ahead to reserve agility ring time is required! 757-718-8800

 

Meet Our Instructors

Rita Phoenix, coaches all levels of agility Using new and innovative training techniques, 
she has been coaching agility and competing  since 1996 

                                         Brandy  has been teaching and competing in agility  since 2000          &      Emily has been training and competing since  2006                                                                                                                                                                                                     


 

 

 If you're interested in earning FREE or reduced Agility Classes, Boarding, or Daycare we can always use help around the property. Things like: Weed Eating, Moving Equipment, Loading and Unloading equipment for Trials & Demos, Poop Patrol, Fence Repairs, Grounds Maintenance , Fence Painting,  Kennel Cleaning.

If you are interested give us a call 757-718-8800

 

So you're thinking about Competition Agility?

Most Folks always say I just want to have fun with my dog when they are first starting out. I cannot tell you how many of my students get bit by the agility bug and after a few class sessions and lots of practice time they are ready to jump into their first agility trial. So for those of you who are dreaming about the thrill of their first blue ribbon and title here is a bit more info on competition agility.

Essentially, dog agility is a team sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race. Scoring for the event is based upon both course completion time and accuracy. Dogs must run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives. The handler directs the dog's movements through voice, movement, and various body signals.  In its simplest form, an agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles, laid out by an agility judge in a design of his own choosing on a roughly 100 x 100 foot area, with numbers indicating the order in which the dog must complete the obstacles. 

Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. [pretty sure the boarder collies would argue that fact] In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed of course completion being equally important. Many strategies exist to compensate for the inherent difference in human and dog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dog and handlers. 

Dogs earn ribbons and tittles for their accuracy. As the dog earns titles they move up with each level gaining harder technical challenges.

Please check out our calendar page for all our agility trials for 2021. Spectators are always welcome!

AGILITY CLASSES:

AGILITY EQUIPMENT RULES

Rules for Using Our Agility Equipment 

  • Everyone must call (757-718-8800) before coming out to practice, there is a gate at the front of the property that must remain closed.  Always close the gate behind you when entering and exiting. Give us a call when you leave so we will know it is you that's leaving
  • While working in the agility ring do not move equipment or take equipment out of the ring. 
  • If you raise the jump bars please be sure they are back at the 4" or 8" height before leaving 
  • Bait Bags [the type that hangs on your belt that closes with a drawl string, or snap] have been banned from the agility ring... they tend to allow treats to spill out all over. 
  • Please treat your dog’s often but keep mindful of the treats falling all over the ground, if this happens please pick them up, do not throw treats into tunnels 
  • If you bring more than 1 dog to practice, please do not allow the extra dogs to run around the rings without supervision, dogs not being worked must be contained until it is their turn to work. Attaching them to the wire fence is not allowed, Please find a stake or bring your own crates 
  • Please clean up after your dog, trash cans and poop scoops are available in ring 1, watering cans with bleach water are also around for urine clean up. 

If you notice something broken or out of sorts while working your dog please take it out of action, place it on the sidelines by the fence, if it's to large to move please place a cone on it so no one gets hurt, then give me a quick call to let me know