Page 72 - Chow Life - 2016 Fall Issue_Neat
P. 72
Agility Made Easier
The Performance Chow Chow
by Loiuse Wilson, CCCI Performance Chair
When I started in performance events, I started with good for ACT events) and Canine Partner applications
obedience because that was all that was available. Then may be accepted by an ACT judge and submitted with
the AKC offered the Canine Good Citizen Test (CGC) test results. Passing scores are 85. The ACT1 course
which was an introductory title for those interested in must be completed in 60 seconds and the ACT 2 course
performance events. Then they offered Rally. They requirement is 70 seconds. Both passing scores can be
have expanded the CGC to Advanced and Urban under the same judge and presumably on same day.
titles. The CGC titles lead very well to Rally titling The ACT1 course will have 10-12 obstacles while the
and Rally leads to the Obedience titles which begin ACT2 course will have 11-13.
with Beginning Novice and lead to the more difficult Obstacles for ACT 1: are an A-frame (which your
titles, Companion Dog (CD), Companion Dog Excellent chow has to walk up and over the top down the other
(CDX) and UD (Utility Dog). side), Pause Table (your chow has to jump up on a
table and either do a sit or down), Open Tunnel with a
The AKC is offering the same for agility and have maximum of three for the course ( is a curved tunnel
initiated a new set of titling events for agility. They the chow needs to run through), Bar jump, a Panel
appear to be an easier performance events than jump (which is boards put in to a certain height that
regular agility. These new events are called the Agility the chow cannot see through), Tire Jump (which is a
Course Test (ACT). I think this would be a good way suspended tire). Any of these can be on the course and
for chowists to introduce their chows to agility as it some are required. Good idea to train for all of them.
appears to be less strenuous. Obstacles for the ACT 2 course in addition to those
Folks at my Training club have stated that their for the ACT 1 course: Dog Walk (where you chow
understanding is that ACT1 and ACT2 are titles walks up a ramp and across a bridge and then down
that can be earned at the entry level to agility. The a ramp),
requirements are less than regular agility, but some Seesaw
prior training is a good idea. The intention is to bridge (where
the gap between training and entering an actual trial, you chow
where a novice may not be as comfortable competing walks up
for their very first time in the ring. the ramp
Dogs must be 15 months of age and receive two and when
passing scores to earn an ACT title and are required he reaches
to be registered in order to be awarded a title, but a the top
the temporary number given at ACT events (it is only
70
