Our agility show top tips

At Dig It we run a whole host of different agility competitions to give you and your dog the best introduction to competing in agility. 

Turning up to a competition for the first time can be quite daunting, so to try and make it easier for everyone here are some of our top tips and important things to know when coming to one of our agility competitions;

• Parking – Whether you are coming for the day or camping please follow parking directions. Keep your car well ventilated. Using a crate or tailguard will allow you to leave the car boot and windows fully open. Even on a cloudy day it can still get very humid in a car.

• Warm Up & Down – Give your dog plenty of time before their run to warm up. 20 minutes of free running and then stretches. This is essential to prevent injury and ensure your dog is in tip-top condition to compete.

• Watch your Dog – Please keep a good space between your dog and others, not all dogs want to say hello and agility shows can be quite a high arousing environment and therefore a normally friendly dog can feel uncomfortably with another dog close by to them.When queuing for your run keep a generous space between you and the dog in front of you.

• Wait for the Scribe to Say Go – You’re ready, you’re on the start line, but hold your horses (or dog)! It is the person sat keeping your time and score that will give you the instruction to start your run when you’re ready. Not the judge, not the person who took your ticket. Listen up for the “When you’re ready” or “Okay” and thumbs up. 

• Reward Reward Reward – No matter how your run went, don’t forget to reward your dog and give them a big well done! I’m sure they tried their best, even if they knocked a pole, missed a contact or went the wrong way because you forgot the course. If you’re annoyed at yourself don’t take it out on the dog. At the end of the day it’s only one run and agility is supposed to be fun.

• Ringside Manners – Be sensible about where you stand around the ring, especially if you have your dog with you. Don’t block the entry or finish line as some people may be trying to get past with a nervous dog. Don’t use squeaky toys around the ring, and think twice about whether it’s a good idea to eat that fresh, great smelling burger right next to the ring... dogs should be focused on their owners in the ring but that warm, meaty smell is very tempting (especially to labradors!).  

• 2^nd Run – Don’t forget you have 2 runs in Agility and Jumping in our Can You Dig It Shows! Once you have had your first run go and collect your second ticket and prepare for the second run. If there are lots of dogs to go you may be asked to wait a little while before your take your second ticket, or if there are only a few dogs you will be running again quite soon! Be prepared.

• Read the rules – At Dig It our shows are run slightly differently to Kennel Club competitions and therefore it's important to familiarise yourself with the rules. For example, if your dog is in Beginner or Veteran then you may carry a silent toy in your hand during your competition run, as long as your dog doesn't touch the toy before you have finished. 

• NFC - At Dig It Shows we allow for NFC (Not for competition) runs. This is where you enter the ring in the same class and height as if you were competing but instead have 60 seconds to use your time in the ring as you wish. You can take a toy but must not use food, and to be fair to other competitors you must either use both of your runs for NFC or your 2nd run only.
  NFC is a great way to build your dogs ring confidence. Maybe they keep missing contacts in competitions, or aren't as focused in the show environment, so being able to break the run down to short sequences and reward frequent times can be very valuable.
  Just be sure to write NFC on your ticket so the judge knows not to score you and the timer will let you know when 60 seconds is up. 

• ASK – Don’t be left unsure, ask anyone for help. Dig It Members may be wearing their clearly branded clothing, and ring managers will be in hi-vis blue jackets, but feel free to ask anyone for help. It may be their first show also so don’t worry if they don’t know, try to find someone who does. Try looking for someone at the Show Manager’s caravan.

• Got time to spare? Why not offer some help! – Our shows can’t run without the help of the competitors. Helping can be really fun plus a great way to get to know people and watch some agility. It’s also good to give your dog a chance to rest and sleep in the car without you nearby. Helping can be as easy as standing in the ring picking up any dropped poles once a dog has finished a run, or taking a person’s lead from them when it is their go and placing it at the finish. We reward our helpers with treats, and not just the doggy kind!

Most importantly, have fun!