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[agilityk9trainer]

I'm currently working on my Masters titles with my lab cross and starters/advanced titles with my other dogs in AAC. As far as comparing it to the other organizations I would have to say that it is most like USDAA, only a tad easier. It has a variety of games (snooker, pairs, gamblers, and jumpers as well as steeplechase) and has some nice challenging courses that forces you to work with your dog as a team while still having some nice flow to it. I've found that AAC starters courses are about on par with NADAC Open or Elite courses depending on the judges of course.

The AAC titling system is set up so that it's you against the course and not against the other dogs. As long as you reach the requirements on the course to qualify like being clean and under course time for standard and jumpers you get the q, even if you don't place in the top four you can still q. So sometimes a course or one of the games can have tons of q's for each jump height or just a couple it all depends on the courses and the judges as well as how the handlers handle the course.

Titles in AAc also depend on the lever you are competing at. All 3 levels require you to get 3 standard q's but the number of q's needed in the games changes with each level. For example to get my ATCH which is the highest title you can get other then the lifetime awards I need to get 3 q's in each event at the masters level.

Thanks for the info! It sounds like a fun organization, and you're obviously doing very well in it. Where do you practice in the winter months? I'm assuming you have snow in the winter being in Canada. I'm in Oklahoma, so we can train outdoors all year long, although it can get cold in the winter and awfully hot in the summer.

Grayhoundgrl, what level and what organizations to you show in?

[GreyhoundGirl]

Hilltop

[Crikit]

Thanks for the info! It sounds like a fun organization, and you're obviously doing very well in it. Where do you practice in the winter months? I'm assuming you have snow in the winter being in Canada. I'm in Oklahoma, so we can train outdoors all year long, although it can get cold in the winter and awfully hot in the summer.

Grayhoundgrl, what level and what organizations to you show in?

During the winter we train and compete in riding arenas with occasional trips to training centres like the one I work at, it's big enough for practices but just a tad to small for competitions. We're usually in barns until mid june or so due to the fact that the weather here can be rather unpredictable at times. Heck I've been to outdoor trials in the late summer were we have had snow on the ground.

[agilityk9trainer]

During the winter we train and compete in riding arenas with occasional trips to training centres like the one I work at, it's big enough for practices but just a tad to small for competitions. We're usually in barns until mid june or so due to the fact that the weather here can be rather unpredictable at times. Heck I've been to outdoor trials in the late summer were we have had snow on the ground.

Interesting. So you teach agility? I own my own agility school. It's a great way to make a living!

Here we don't have outdoor trials at all. Where I live is horse country, so there are many arenas to rent at good prices. There are also many climate controlled (heat and ac) arenas where the trials are now held. We've gotten spoiled. On the coasts, they still have many outdoor shows. We never have to worry about the weather, except for driving purposes.

However, most agility schools here teach outdoors, as we can go year-round. I've always felt bad for the folks up north. I can train in my back yard all year long, and you guys are limited to when your training facilities are open in the winter months.

[Crikit]

Interesting. So you teach agility? I own my own agility school. It's a great way to make a living!

Here we don't have outdoor trials at all. Where I live is horse country, so there are many arenas to rent at good prices. There are also many climate controlled (heat and ac) arenas where the trials are now held. We've gotten spoiled. On the coasts, they still have many outdoor shows. We never have to worry about the weather, except for driving purposes.

However, most agility schools here teach outdoors, as we can go year-round. I've always felt bad for the folks up north. I can train in my back yard all year long, and you guys are limited to when your training facilities are open in the winter months.

I'm actually an assitant in the agility classes as well as some other behaviour classes at the training centre that I work at. I'm the one that does the running around to move the equipment or grabbing target plates, and I make sure that all the dogs are safe when we are first learning the contact equipment, weaves and when they are waiting their turn in line. I also answer some of the general questions that people might have when the head instructor is busy helping someone else. Eventually I might want to become a head instructor but for now I'm happy being assitant because the person that I help has to be one of the top handlers in Canada and also one of the best instructors as well.

Outdoor trials are a blast because it adds that extra bit of challenge to the courses and keeping the dogs with you. For example where I live the weather can change from nice and sunny to overcast and pouring rain in a matter of minutes, plus there is always the joy of your dog spotting a bird or gopher and deciding that it would be more fun to chase that then to listen to you, but that's all stuff that just adds to the fun of the outdoor trial.

Our schools go year round as well, we just find it easier to run the classes in doors all year so we don't have to worry about the weather. We do however have outdoor fun matches and seminars as soon as the weather permits it.

[Riptide]

Whoohoo another agility Sheltie person!! Welcome to PT

I'm Kristen, 14, and show my two girls, Pixie and Kayla, in agility. Pixie is a 5 year old mix and Kayla is a two year old Sheltie who has been with us since September. Pixie has her TG1 title (Teacup Games 1) and we are working towards our TBAD (Teacup Beginners Agility Dog). At the moment we have only shown in TDAA but hopefully will start to show in NADAC and USDAA soon. Kayla doesn't have any titles yet, but she has 1/3 legs to both her TG1 and TBAD titles ^^ We will continue with TDAA as well as hopefully start in USDAA, NADAC, and AKC

I havn't trialed much lately, but we've got a few shows in Jan/Feb we're going to.

Anyways, can't wait to hear more about your 3 and see pictures

[wolfsoul]

Welcome to PT! I do agility as well. We trained all last year and fun trialled, and Visa is going to start competing this year. Meanwhile, Solo will be in training!

[ramanth]

Welcome! I find agility facinating. I enrolled Kia in a class and while she liked the obstacles she never did the course in a timely fashion.

I'm hoping to get Chipper involved since he's a bundle of energy. He starts basic obedience tonight though.