By Chase and Jan Tomlinson
My very favorite dog activity is running agility, whether just for practice or competing in a show. If you haven’t ever tried it, you might want to consider it and see how much fun it is!
First, you have to learn all of the agility obstacles. There are jumps, hoops, a tire, a dog-walk, an A-frame, tunnels, a table, and weave poles. Now, most dogs don’t have these things just laying around the house, so you have to find a trainer who has all of this equipment. Since my mom is a trainer, I HAVE to learn all of this stuff! It’s a good thing that I really LOVE agility!
Let’s start with the jumps. Most dogs know how to jump, so that’s easy. But there are different kinds of jumps; single bar, double bar, triple bar, and jumps with wings (not the kind that you fly with!).
Next comes the hoops. If you know how to do the Hula Hoop, then these are a clinch. You don’t even have to put the hoop around your hips. You only have to run through it.
The only tire I ever saw were the ones on my car. Remember, when I was learning to drive for my mom? This one hangs on a frame and isn’t even made of rubber. It’s plastic and comes apart if you hit it. Who even heard of such a thing!
I suppose the dog-walk is named that because only dogs get to walk on it. No CATS or Humans. Some people call it plank, but I have never seen any water at the end of it. That’s good, because I HATE water. It’s a long, narrow board up high that you have to walk across. I am glad that I am not afraid of heights, and that I have small feet.
The A-frame is like climbing a mountain. I always put on my climbing shoes for this one. The view from the top is great, and it always drives your trainer nuts if you stop there and look around! It’s nice and wide, so the big dogs like it better than the dog-walk.
Tunnels are really fun, and when it is hot outside you could stop and take a rest in it where it’s nice and cool. My mom would really be upset if I did that, so I have to shoot through it as fast as I can!
Now, why would anyone put a table on an agility course?! It’s just a small, yellow, square table you get on for five seconds to show that you are under control while running the course. A good way to practice this at home is to hop up on the kitchen or dining room table. Be careful to do it when no one is looking.
Weave poles take a lot of rhythm to learn. Your front end has to go one way and your back end has to go the other way. All at the same time! I just tell Alexa to play some funky music when my mom is gone and then dance away! I move my little body in weird ways. I think it’s called, “Shake your (bleep).” Or, “Put your front end in and your back end out and shake it all about.” You have to be old to remember that one!
I haven’t gone to any shows lately because there haven’t been any for the past year. And my mom seems to be running in slow motion these days. It’s like watching an old-time movie! I am trying to find a way to speed her up, so I don’t have to keep waiting for her to catch up. Maybe some vitamins or a cattle prod?!
Since she is so slow now, I am getting really good at distance work. That way, she can just stand in one spot and tell me where to go.
I do have a secret GPS, but don’t tell her. If she gives me the wrong cue, then I just stop and tell her off! Once I get her straightened out, then we continue on having fun. It’s a great way to have fun and spend time with your human.
~Sir Chase
