The Instructors

Agility Training Levels

Starters Agility

This eight week course introduces the dogs to all the equipment, building up their confidence and learning the commands. The handler starts to learn the moves, techniques and control needed to guide their dog around a course.  Work is started on directional commands and starting to link pieces of equipment together.

Intermediate Agility

Dogs who have already learned how to negotiate the equipment and have an adequate standard of obedience training have the opportunity to practice and extend the skills already introduced.

Although the course will consist primarily of agility skills, there will be some emphasis on control training as well, as this is essential to agility. 

We also run an 'in-house' graded agility certificate scheme which handlers can work towards.

Agility Club

Agility club operates on a Wednesday and Thursday evening from Easter until the end of September. This is available to anyone who has already learned how to negotiate all the different types of agility equipment and can complete a full agility round.

A wide variety of handlers and dogs attend agility club and we will endeavour to fit you into a class which suits your dog's level of experience and the handler's interests. Some people enjoy a more social evening whilst others are training their dogs to compete at agility shows around the country.

As well as regular training sessions we hold in-house agility competitions for club members throughout the summer.

Contact Linda or Hilary via Barnlake for details.

Agility Introduction

We have a very strong Agility section, both with people who compete around the country, and those who do it just for fun. Dogs need a good grounding in obedience before they can do this – most of our Agility handlers came through from the obedience courses before joining the Agility Club.

Agility is a popular type of dog activity, where the animal's fitness and the handler's ability to train and direct the dog over and through certain obstacles are tested. Dogs wishing to participate in agility classes will need to have a certain level of basic obedience and be able to mix freely with other dogs in close proximity before starting. Agility can be done by nearly all breeds of dog from the age of 12 months onwards.

Most dogs who begin agility training have already attended two courses in the companion dog section at Barnlake.   However, people who move into the area with dogs that have previously been trained for agility are welcome to contact us with a view to joining our classes.