Around the dog agility blog-o-sphere!

Recently the AKC announced the new 2009 Agility Advisory Committee. The link below includes part one of the rules recommendations the AAC announced last night that they will be presenting to the AKC Board of Directors for their review. The AAC is still working out details on others. Those additional recommendations will be posted to the website sometime in October.

Remember, these are the AAC recommendations and are not new regulations until they have been reviewed and approved by the AKC Board . Any feedback should be directed to AgilityADV@akc.org no later than September 18, 2009.

AKC Agility Advisory Committee Recommendations – Part 1

Some of the highlights include:

• Exclusion of multipliers
• The addition of Silver, Gold, Platinum and Century titles
• Lowered Aframe (to 5') for 4" & 8"; 5'6" for 26" class
• Spacing between weave poles must be 24" measured center to center with a +/- 1/2" tolerance. Weave pole bases must be metal. Springs are no longer allowed.
• Position-less table – count/time starts once all four paws have touched the table (and the dog remains on the table top). Neither a sit nor a down position is required.
• A Preferred National Agility Championship title shall be awarded annually to the overall winning dog of each Preferred jump height class at the AKC National Agility Championship.
• Lowered tire by one jump height
• No solid sides on doubles and triples
• 180 degree turn from a tunnel exit to the ascent of the A-frame shall no longer be allowed in any classes
• and more...

The Agility Premium for the USDAA Cynosports Games is up on the website under the Event Calendar. The closing date is September 24th. Judges will be Scott Chamberlain, Martin Gadsby, Peggy Hammond and Tammi McClung.

The tentative schedule includes:

Wednesday, November 11
Check-in
European Standard Class - Championship & Performance/Veterans
Dinner & Awards Under the Stars

Thursday, November 12
Steeplechase Quarterfinals
Performance Grand Prix Quarterfinals
Team / Versatility Pairs / Vets AA Snooker & Jumpers

Friday, November 13
Grand Prix Quarterfinals
Performance Grand Prix Semifinals
Steeplechase & Speed Jumping Semifinals
Team / PVP / VAA Standard Performance Grand Prix Finals (evening)

Saturday, November 14
Grand Prix Semifinals
Team / PVP / VAA Gamblers
Junior Handler Program classes
Steeplechase/PSJ FINALS (evening)

Sunday, November 15
European Jumpers Class - Championship & Performance/Veterans
Team and Performance Versatility Relay
Junior Handler Program classes
Veterans Showcase & Junior Handler Showcase
Grand Prix Finals

Clean Run and Agility Vision just finished negotiating rights to web stream FCI World Agility Championships, September 18-20. More details to come.

The running order for individual (large, medium, small) and team (large, medium, small). are up for WC 2009, as well as the training schedule. We've also heard from our friends in Brazil that the results will be shared on the WC 2009 website throughout the event, and that the FCI in conjunction with Media Studio will release a set of dvds of the event shortly after the event occurs.

Entry stats from WC2009: The roster is dominated by BC's and Shelties. In the large dog category there are 128 BC's taking 82.1% of the roster. Medium category has 58 Shelties at 51% of the roster and 12 Pyres at 10.6% of the entries. In the small category, 54 Shelties at 47.4% followed by 14 Poodles taking 12.3% of the roster.

OK, maybe not agility, but just had to share. My new favorite YouTube Channel, critter cams from the Museum of Animal Perspectives. Armadillo, alligator, mole, cow and here's the gray wolf sniffing for squirrels:


This one brought back a lot of memories of our early days. It's Honey, the Great Dane at her first agility class. This is one accommodating and agile pup!


Tricks are always a fun thing. I'mm thinking that the next trick I need to learn since I can get up on the counter now, is turning on the kitchen faucets!!! Until then, BOL!!!, enjoy more tricks from KiKoPup!