Running agility is an excellent way to deepen the bond with your dog while keeping them fit and allowing them a chance to use their natural drive and athleticism. After all, you are blessed to have this special time with them.

Key show site/trial notes

We EXPECT good sportsmanship!! Any person who is not respectful WILL be excused from running immediately upon notice for the length of that show!! That goes for fellow exhibitors or any rough handling of dogs. Any judge or show superintendent or committee member has the authority to dismiss the handler if poor sportsmanship is witnessed.

 Agility Rules

Any agility trained healthy dog 10 months or older on the date of the trial may compete.
Dogs 10 months to 15 months will run with jump bars on the ground, no weaves & significantly lowered A-frame of 3 to 4 ft at the apex.

Dogs that are aggressive may not compete.

A dog may compete under a judge who is a member of the same household.

Bitches in season MUST be declared and run after all others have run. Failure to do so will result in dismissal for the whole trial.

All dogs entered in a trial must be registered with IHDA prior to the show closing date if you want to have IHDA titles.

A dog may only be entered in one jump height category for each trial. Example if switching to Veterans you cannot run regular height one day of a trial & Veteran the next. You have to change in-between trials.

Any dog eliminating on course will result in a disqualification (NQ).

We will be allowing FEO (For exhibition only) runs with a few set rules…..The dog can be run on a leash but NO DRAGGING of dogs over equipment or harsh leash corrections will be allowed! Judges discretion on this is FINAL! If attempting an obstacle and the dog refuses to move you must skip that obstacle and move on. No placement or Qualifying ribbons will be awarded for FEO runs. This is simply there to allow new dogs a chance to get exposure to agility trial runs and equipment. You may enter a class after your FEO run but you may not run for titles over the same course.

The dog will be subject to a Maximum Course Time (MCT). This is typically 1.5 times Standard Course Time (SCT).

Beginner 

Agility obstacles used, Performance & Specifications

 All obstacles must be constructed with the dog's safety in mind. All sizes of dogs must be able to perform all obstacles without injury. All equipment must be maintained on a regular basis. If an obstacle planned to be used is deemed unsafe by the judge they can replace it with another that fits the distance best between obstacles. ALL decisions are FINAL!

• Contact Obstacles - ALL contact obstacles MUST have an adequate surface covering to give safe grip. If using sand it must be applied HEAVILY and EVENLY. Rubber contacts are preferred but not required. We prefer contact obstacles to have contrasting colors such as blue and yellow. Slats are optional on the A-frame and Boardwalk. Slats are placed across the width of the boards spaced apart 12" intervals. Allowable slat size is 1/4" to 1/2" in height and 1" to 1.5" in width. Adequate support must be provided for the A-frame and Boardwalk so there is minimal to no movement when the dog is ascending or descending. The Teeter base should be wide enough to support large dogs safely. The Teeter should have an extension from the base on each side of the plank to alert the dog to the pivot point.

• A-frame – Dog MUST touch the descending contact with at least 1 paw. Failure to hit the descending contact will result in a failure to perform fault. If the dog leaves the obstacle before decent they will receive a failure to perform faults. 

• Dog Walk – Same as listed above for A-frame.

 • Teeter – Dog must touch both contacts, ascending and descending with at least 1 paw. Failure to hit both contacts will result in a failure to perform fault. If the dog leaves the obstacle before pivot point or after without plank landing on the descending side before departing will result in a failure to perform fault. Plank MUST hit the ground on the descent before dogs leaves, fly off's result in failure to perform fault.

• Open Tunnel – Dog must perform the tunnel as directed by the judge in the correct direction or an off course will be faulted. 1 paw touching is considered starting the obstacle. If the dog backs out it will be faulted as a failure to perform.

Tunnel diameter maximum of 24" with an allowance of 2". The length can be 10' to 20' long when extended. The tunnel must be able to be secured safely to minimize a dogs motion from moving the tunnel. The allowed pitch is 4" or 6". 

• Pause Table – If the table is used in a numbered course any position during a count of 5 seconds is acceptable. They can stand, sit or down. Bouncing on the table then immediately off or leaving before the 5-second count is a failure to perform fault. If any paw touches but the dog does not get on all the way it is a failure to perform fault. If the table is used in Fullhouse games it is at the end of the course and only used to stop time. 1 paw on the table counts to stop the clock. Table heights should be set at 4 inches for 4,8 and 12-inch dogs. The table should be set at 16 inches for all other jump heights.

Will be square measuring 36". The table must be secure and have no sideways movement when the dog jumps on.

• Tire – Dogs must jump through in direction the judge has directed. Taking the jump the wrong direction or jumping between the frame and tire will result in a failure to perform fault.

There should be four 2" or wider bands of contrasting color on the tire for enhanced visibility. The base should be wide so it does not topple easily if bumped into by the dog. The fram top and sides should be square to the tire. There should be at least 8" clearance between the tire and the frame on both sides. The frame must be high enough to accommodate all jump heights, allowing it to swing freely of the frame, with the tire resting on the ground for 4" jump height. Jump height is measured from the inside bottom of the tire to the ground.

• Broad Jump – Dog must jump the direction the judge has directed. If the dog places a foot on the plank 5 faults will result. Ticking the jump is not faulted. If the dog jumps between the corner marker poles incorrectly or takes obstacle the wrong direction it is an off-course fault.

Consists of 1 to 5 planks, 6" to 8" in width, 4' to 5' in length. Each boards height is graduated and can be slanted. Each board should be 1/2" taller than the previous. It may be used as a one direction upward slant or two directions graduating up and down "hogback". Must be easily visible for the dog with free standing corner marker poles. Poles should be 1" in width and 36" in height.

• Jumps – This includes Single bar, Double, Panel, Wingless, Winged and Spreads – Dog must take obstacle in the direction the judge has directed. The dog must pass between the uprights or wings without displacing the top bar. If a top bar is displaced 5 faults will result. If the dog takes the obstacle in the wrong direction an off-course fault will result. Bars knocked down in a faultable course where the obstacle is to be taken twice it is only faulted once. Additional rules for each level is listed below in Obstacle requirements/Class types per level section.

Bar jumps may consist of one or two bars on the same vertical plane. Jump heights are measured from the top of the bar to the ground. The cups must accomidate all jump heights. The jump bars ideally should be 1" diameter PVC, 4 to 5 ft long and striped with tape of contrasting color for better visibility. Uprights should have a minimum height of 32" and width of 1". 

Panel jump consists of up to 6 planks resembling a solid wall. Planks shall be 4' to 5' in length, 3" to 4" wide and up to 1" thick. Planks must be lightweight enough to be safetly displaced.

Double jump is ascending and consisits of two sets of parallel bars 4' or 5' long and 1" diameter. The bars must be spaced one half the jump height center to center. The second set of bars should an "X" under the highest height bar. For the 4" jump height the "X" will be one bar that rests on the ground as a mini broad jump. 

• Weave Poles – Dog must weave in and out in the direction the judge has directed. The dog must enter the poles with the first pole at its left shoulder and weave between down the line alternating poles on each side. Back weaving is faulted as an off course. Entering poles incorrectly or popping out is considered failure to perform. Additional rules for each level is listed below in Obstacle requirements/Class types per level section. 

The weave pole base shall be no more then 1/2" in height and 2" in width. The poles should flex moderatly at the base when the dog is weaving. Bands of colored tape along the length of the poles are recommended for higher visability. Pole base should attached to the ground if needed to keep them from shifting on different surfaces. Pole width should be 1" PVC. Pole height 36" to 48". Spacing between poles is 24" from center of pole to center of next one. A variance of no more then 1/2" is allowed.

 Obstacle Requirments/Class Types/Faults

General Information

Faultable classes - A qualifying score is earned if the dog's score is within the "Faults Allowed" limits, and does not exceed the faults allowed total for their entered level.

• Level - Beginner and Intermediate cannot exceed 10 faults total.
• Level - Master, Champion and Grand Champion cannot exceed 5 faults total.
• Level - National Champion no faults are allowed, clean runs only.

Point Level classes - A qualifying score is earned if the dog completes the requirements of the respective point game for their entered level and height catagory.

An off course is taking any obstacle out of sequence { 1 paw touching obstacle or over a jump }. Only one off course is called per incident, reguardless of how many obstacles are taken in a row. Each off course is 5 pts.

Time Faults - 1 full second equals 1 fault. Fractions are dropped for scoring.

Scoring for placements - Placements are determined by qualifiers, then number of faults or points, then time. If a team has a No Time { NT } they are not elegable to receive a placement ribbon.

If the weather or surface conditions warrent, up to  seconds can be added to the sceduled course time, for all jump heights. This is for the dog and handers safety. The judge has full authority.

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• Standard - Object is to successfully run a full course of numbered obstacles in order. All obstacles must be performed successfully to qualify unless within the faults allowed for each level.

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•  Jumpers - Object is to successfully complete numbered course within fault limits and course time. All obstacles must be performed successfully to qualify unless within the faults allowed per level. 

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• Fullhouse - 

Rules for fast-tracking in agility with Shade Tree K9 Events: 
You must present a Title Certificate from a recognized agility venue to start at a higher than Beginners. You may only fast-track to the Masters level.