About Our Dog Agility Program
Dog agility is the most popular dog sport in the United States. It’s a timed event where dogs run, jump, climb, and weave through a variety of obstacles in a set order. Each course is different, so the challenges never end!
Crossbones has agility classes for all dogs, from total beginner through experienced competitor, taught by Katherine Ostiguy, a USDAA Regional Champion with 15 years experience in the sport. Whether you’re brand new to the sport or have competed for years, we have a class for you!
About Our Dog Agility Program
Dog agility is the most popular dog sport in the United States. It’s a timed event where dogs run, jump, climb, and weave through a variety of obstacles in a set order. Each course is different, so the challenges never end!
Crossbones has agility classes for all dogs, from total beginner through experienced competitor, taught by Katherine Ostiguy, a USDAA Regional Champion with 15 years experience in the sport. Whether you’re brand new to the sport or have competed for years, we have a class for you!
Get Started
Are you brand new to agility? Read our blog post, Getting Started in Our Agility Classes.
If you have attended Intro to Agility already, the next class is Performance Fundamentals. Use your Flex Pass to sign up for that class.
Have you done agility before? Depending on your dog’s experience level, you’ll either go into Performance Fundamentals, Agility Skill Building, and/or Competition Prep. Email us and tell us about your dog’s training history (the more detail, the better) and we’ll recommend a class for you.
Private agility lessons are also available. This is a great option if the classes don’t fit into your schedule, you have a reactive dog, or you have taken classes elsewhere and aren’t sure where you fit into our programs.
Agility Classes
Intro to Agility
Learn the basics of the most popular dog sport in the country: agility! Exercises include going through tunnels, over jumps, across narrow planks, navigating wobbly objects, & warm-up tricks. This class is appropriate for puppies! Jumps are low & kept to a minimum.
Prerequisite Classes: 6 Core Manners classes & at least 2 classes in the past 2 months
Performance Fundamentals
Your dog or puppy will learn foundation skills necessary for a variety of dog sports, including agility, obedience, and rally! Topics include toy drive & personal play, body awareness, heeling, foot targeting, jumping, wraps, confidence on moving equipment, tunnels, warm-up tricks, stretching, and conditioning.
Prerequisite Class: Intro to Agility 6-week class, or permission from Katherine.
Agility Competition Prep
In this class, you will improve your handling on Masters level courses. Courses are split into shorter sequences for less experienced teams. In addition, you will learn to teach your dog new verbal cues to create clarity for them on course.
Prerequisite Dog Skills: Dog’s performance on each obstacle must be fluent. Contact Katherine with any questions.
Agility Skill Building: Contacts & Tables
In this class, your dog will learn a contact end position (such as 2-on 2-off or running) and correct performance of the A-frame, seesaw, and dogwalk. Your dog will also learn a solid table behavior.
Prerequisite Dog Skills: Completion of the Performance Fundamentals checklist
Agility Skill Building: Jumps & Weaves
In this class, your dog will learn correct jumping form. Next, you’ll develop your dog’s confidence with various jumps (double, triple, tire, broad jump). You and your dog will also learn verbal cues associated with different types of jumping efforts. Weave poles are also taught from start to finish.
Prerequisite Dog Skills: Completion of the Performance Fundamentals checklist