Agility!
I can say, this is one of the most fun and most popular canine sports. Agility is a sport were a handler directs a dog through a obstacle course. It's aimed for time and accuracy. But the trick is, the dog runs off leash, the handler can not touch the dog nor the obstacles or use treats/toys as a incentive. The handler directs the dog with voice and movement.
The obstacles: A-Frame, it's to long borders, usually about 3 feet wide, 8 to 9 feet long and hinged together at the top to form a upside down V, or A with no line in the middle. The bottom 36 to 42 inches are painted in a bright color, usually red or yellow. That is the contact zone, the dog must start running up the A-Frame from this point and not getting off till touching the last contact zone.
Dog Walk, three 8 to 12 feet planks, 9 to 12 inches wide connected at the end. The center plank is 4 feet above the ground so that the two end planks form ramps leading up and down the center plank. The Dog Walk also has a contact point at the ends like the A-Frame.
Teeter-Totter, is a 10 to 12 foot plank pivoting on a fulcrum, much like a child's seesaw. It is constructed slightly off balance so the same end always returns to the ground. This has contact zones.
Crossover, is a 4 foot high, 3 by 3 foot square platform, with ramps similar to a Dog Walk descending from the center of 3 or 4 sides. The dog must ascend the correct ramp and descend the ramp indicated by the handler, possible changing directions to do so. This obstacle had largely been discontinued due to it's cumbersome size and danger of dogs falling off. No major agility organization in the United States allows the crossover.
Tunnel, it is a vinyl tube, 10 to 20 feet long and 2 feet in diameter, through which the dog runs. The tunnel is constructed of vinyl and wire, so that it can be configured in a strait line or curved.
Collapsed Tunnel, it is a barrel like cylinder with a tube of fabric attached to one end. The fabric extends about 8 to 12 feet and lies closed until the dog runs through the open end of the chute and pushes his way out through the fabric tube.
