Curlies and Agility	More on Agility
Dog agility is a sport in which a handler is given a set amount of time in which to direct a dog off-leash through an obstacle course. Originally loosely modeled on equestrian stadium jumpers competitions, the sport has evolved its own additional obstacles, scoring systems and performance ideals. Agility made its debut as an entertainment for spectators at the Crufts Dog Show in 1979; it has since become the most rapidly growing dog sport in England, Western Europe and North America. Spectators continue today to get caught up watching the dog and handler's enthusiasm in their athletic race against the clock. In competition, the obstacles are arranged in various course configurations, always unique from trial to trial, that offer levels of challenges appropriate to the class and experience level of the dogs competing. The handler must direct their dog around the course in the sequence that has been predetermined by the judge. At the entry levels of competitions, courses contain few complications and are more of a test to prove the dog can competently perform the equipment within a reasonable amount of time. As the dog and handler earn their way into successively higher levels, the courses increase in complexity and begin to require split second timing and coordination between the handler and dog in order to accomplish the course within the 'Standard Course Time' (SCT) established by the judge.
SR, U-CH, UAG1, CH Soft Maple Kyrabean Queen, CD, U-CD, OAJ, OA, NA, NAJ, NAP, NJP, OAP, RN, JH, WCX, WC (WCI, WC), TT, TDI, CGC, ROM, HOF	U-AG2 Softmaple Frolic In The Wind RN, NAJ, NF, OJC, TN-O, NCC, NAC, TG-N
The obstacles used in agility have been designed with both safety and spectator appeal in mind. All jumps have easily displaceable bars so that the dog should not experience injury should he misjudge and take down a jump bar. All obstacles that the dog must physically scale have 'contact' zones painted on the equipment; the contact zones enforce safe training techniques since handlers know that dogs will be faulted unless one or more feet are in the contact zones when ascending/descending these contact obstacles. All contact equipment surfaces are roughened for good traction in both dry and wet weather. Although agility training is best started with a young adult dog, some agility training can be appropriate for young puppies; this includes tunnel work, jumps lower than elbow height, and basic control training. Contact equipment work (i.e. A-frames, Dog Walks, and See-saws) should be delayed and/or kept very low until the puppy has developed the necessary physical coordination to negotiate a plank suspended above the ground. Serious jumping and weaving work should be put off entirely until the puppy is much older. Puppy agility NEVER physically stresses little puppy bones. Puppies are so eager to learn and so happy to please. They really pick things up quickly. But the key to a successful training session is to keep the lessons SHORT and POSITIVE   Some SoftMaple owned or bred obedience and agility titled dogs: SR, U-CH, UAG1, CH Soft Maple Kyrabean Queen, CD, U-CD, OAJ, OA, NA, NAJ, NAP, NJP, OAP, RN, JH, WCX, WC (WCI, WC), TT, TDI, CGC, HOF, ROM Soft Maple Darcy CGC TDI CD CH SoftMaple's Comin' To America CGC CD CHIC Soft Maple Wind on Water ADC, VAADC, VMGDC, CGN Timmy was the top Curly Coated Retriever in Canada in the AAC for 2003 and 2004. Timmy qualified for AAC (Agility Association of Canada) Nationals at the BC/Yukon AAC Regionals. CH SoftMaple's O'Dark Thirty JH, SH, MH WCQ CD CGC, TT HOF CHIC (1 leg to his CDX) Ch Fairway's Softmaple Finnheir CD, RE, AX, OAJ, NAP, NJP, NF Am/Can CH Karakul Blazing Autumn CDX, AX, CGC, ST, USDAA AD, Can CDX (First AKC and USDAA Agility titled Curly) Ch Avanti's Best Bet CGC CD ROM ROMX U-CH, UAG1, CH Ptarmigan Huron's Soft Echo CGC SoftMaple's American Dreamer CGC, CD, TDI SR Gunflint's Highland Hunter CGC, WC, WCX, CD U-AG2 Softmaple Frolic In The Wind RN, NAJ, NF, OJC, TN-O, NCC, NAC, TG-N, TD, TDX Softcast Sweet Rosemarie ADC, SGDC, AADC SR, U-CH, UAG1, CH Soft Maple Kyrabean Queen, CD, U-CD, OAJ, OA, NA, NAJ, NAP, NJP, OAP, RN, JH, WCX, WC (WCI, WC), TT, TDI, CGC , ROM, HOF Soft Maple Darcy CGC TDI CD CH Softmaple Boot Scoot'N Dese CGC CH SoftMaple's Comin' To America CGC CD CHIC CH SoftMaple's O'Dark Thirty JH, SH, MH WCQ CD CGC, TT HOF CHIC (Leg to his CDX, two RN legs) Ch Fairway's Softmaple Finnheir, CGC, CD, NA, NAJ, RN, RA GCH CH SoftMaple's Dark Star WC, WCX, JH, CGC, CD, CDX CH. Softmaple's Stand and Be Liver at Flyway NAP POHJ & FI & NO MVA SE MVA(N) TK2 Softmaple Cimramin Jorneyman SHR CH SoftMaple's Gunflint Skywatcher CD JH WC, WCX Am/Can CH Karakul Blazing Autumn CDX, AX, CGC, ST, USDAA AD, Can CDX SoftMaple's MoonShadow CGC CH SoftMaple's Pheasant Dreams CGC WC RN RA CH Softmaple Paramount All That CGC CH SoftMaple Fairway Explorer CGC U- CH CH Ptarmigan Huron's Soft Echo CGC CH SoftMaple Dese's Int'l D'Lite CGC CH Soft Maple Water Works CGC CHIC CH SoftMaple N HunterBay NY Wknd CGC TT CHIC CH SoftMaple International Fling CGC CHIC Ch Avanti's Best Bet CGC CD ROM ROMX CH Avanti SM Fair Trade CGC TDI U-CH, UAG1, CH Ptarmigan Huron's Soft Echo CGC SoftMaple's American Dreamer CGC, CD, TDI CH SoftMaple Gunflint's Beauty CGC, CHIC SR Gunflint's Highland Hunter CGC, WC, WCX, CD CH SHR SoftMaple's Ma Belle Bouclee CGC, WC, WCX, JH, SH Soft Maple's Beachcomber CGC Soft Maple Wind on Water ADC, VAADC, VMGDC, CGN GCH CH SoftMaple's Dark Star WC, WCX, JH, CGC, CD, CDX Soft Maple's Jasper CGC CH Softmaple TransAtlantic Affair CGC
SR U-CH CH Soft Maple Kyrabean Queen, CD, U-CD, OAJ, OA, NA, NAJ, NAP, NJP, JH, WCX, WC (WCI, WC), TT, TDI, CGC, RN, ROM, HOF	Soft Maple Wind on Water ADC, VAADC, VMGDC, CGN Timmy was the top Curly Coated Retriever in Canada in the AAC for 2003 and 2004

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