Judging
During a trial, an AAC approved judge oversees events on courses they have previously designed and submitted and have been approved by the AAC. No two coures are ever the same. Dogs incur faults by not completing obstacles properly, taking obstacles in the wrong order, or exceeding the standard course time.
Faults on course that may be imposed include the following:
- Displacing a jump bar - 5 faults
- Refusal - running past an obstacle or any backward motion in front of an obstacle - 5 faults
- Missed Contact (yellow area) - 5 faults
- Off course - taking an obstacle out of sequence - 20 faults
- Fly Off the teeter - 10 faults
- Non Completion of an obstacle - 20 faults
- Elimination - wrong course (Master's level) or 3 refusals (Advanced or Master's level)
- Dismissal - dog fouls in the ring
Course Designs:
- Standard - a course of up to 20 obstacles incorporating all the major types of agility equipment.
- Jumpers - includes only jumps, tunnels and occasionally weaves.
- Gamblers tests the ability of the dog and handler to work at a distnce from each other. In the opening sequence of 40 seconds, the handler directs the dog through whatever obstacles they choose with each piece of equipment being given a point value. Dogs may complete each obstacles twice for points. There is also one or two sequences of not more than 3 obstacles (mini gambles) where the point values doubles if successful with the handler working from behind a line marked on the ground.
- After 40 seconds, the whistle blows and the team has 20 seconds to complete the main gamble which is another sequence of 3-5 obstacles. Dogs can double their points by successfully completing this gamble in the allowed time with the handler working from behind a line up to 22' away.
- Snooker is loosely based on the billiard game. Points are accumulated by alternately completing a red jump followed by another obstacle or group of obstacles in the opening period and then completing a closing sequence of 6 obstacles in the alotted time. Dogs are immediately eliminated for incorrect sequence in the opening.
- Team - a standard course that is split into two sequences each run in order by a different dog. A "Q" is achieved only if both dogs have a clean run.
