Agility

Agility is a wonderful game for dogs to learn and provides a great outlet for their mental and physical energy. It builds fantastic teamwork as you learn a variety of  skills together to enable your dog to negotiate a course of jumps, contacts and weaves at speed.

Wendy has competed all her dogs and uses the handling system of one of the world’s most successful international handlers and trainers, Greg Derrett. Whether you wish to compete or simply have fun with your dog you will be very welcome.

Wendy trains with Jo Tristram who has the unique achievement of winning consecutive Gold, Bronze and Silver medals at the World Open Agility championships. She is a great trainer as well as competitor and holds regular clinics for all levels at our venue.

Our classes are run to ensure dogs can relax and concentrate on training, so aggressive dogs and lunging barking collies are not part of the picture. Naturally for those wishing to compete getting dogs comfortable with high levels of activity and distraction is essential but our classes provide a stress-free environment for all dogs, and Wendy uses her extensive experience as a behaviour specialist to provide clients with assistance if their potential competition dogs have reactivity or social skill issues.

All dogs must naturally be fit and correct body weight to meet the physical demands of the sport.

All dogs must be comfortable working off lead around other dogs and people.

Training facilities include three acres of individually dog proof fields and a purpose-built indoor building with a professional waxed sand surface to ensure secure, safe footing. Both full size and training size equipment is available and all contact equipment is rubber skinned aluminium build as used in competition – please see the facilities page for photos and more details.

You and Your Dog New to Agility
All new clients start with a private Introduction to Agility / Assessment session depending on previous experience. For new dog and handler teams detailed notes are provided.

Prep School Classes

This group is for young dogs from 6 months old or those new to the sport who need to learn core skills including ; Value for and drive to Reward Zone, work ahead and away from the handler, body awareness, crate/mat games for impulse control and drive, It’s Your Choice skills around toys and food so these can be used correctly in training, age appropriate initial jump work including grids and handling skills like Front Crosses. It is a rolling 6 week course which can be repeated until dogs and handlers are happy and confident and are ready to transfer the skills to full equipment. NB Dogs must have a basic level of general training and be able to work in an off lead situation around others.

Foundation Agility Classes
The Foundation classes are for dogs who have graduated from Prep School. Sessions progress essential ground work, expand body awareness and introduce conditioning exercises, develop jump work, verbal directional cues and all core handling skills. Contacts and weaves are taught as soon as dogs are old enough. Groups of 3 to 5 are developed as a closed unit so everyone is at the same skill level.

Novice Agility Classes
Novice Agility Classes are for dog and handler teams who know all the basic handling skills and are starting to do longer sequences. Weaves and contacts are included in courses.  Teams progress to more technical sequences with proofing of weaves and contacts and some obstacle discrimination work.

Senior Agility Classes
These Classes further develop core skills, course analysis and handling decision making. Courses are G4 plus

 Agility for Serious Competition Dogs and Handlers
More experienced teams work one to one to optimise training time and this is often used from day one when diary constraints mean clients can’t make class times. Special clinics covering specific handling skills are scheduled as needed.

Training Fees;

The Intro session and all private lessons are £25 per hour. ( Family members and handlers with multiple dogs can share an hours lesson at no additional cost.)

Semi private lessons shared between two none family members are £15 per dog.

Classes with just 4 dogs in an hour’s lesson are £9 per dog.

Please see the home page for details of our reopening schedule and Covid 19 working terms and conditions.

Please scroll right to bottom for all class dates and times.

Clinics with Jo Tristram have been cancelled for the rest of the year.