Championship Program

The Championship Program is designed to demonstrate a competitor's training and competitive handling skills coupled with an exhibition of a dog's natural agility pursuant to standards of competition congruous with international standards for competition.

Tournament Classes

These classes include a  tournament event series that features competitive spirit and excellence through head-to-head competition.  Tournament classes are open to all competitors, regardless of eligibility or prerequisites within the titling classes.

Tournament Class Types

  • Grand Prix of Dog Agility® 
  • Dog Agility Steeplechase®
  • Dog Agility Masters® Three Dog Team
  • Masters Challenge Biathlon℠

Titling Classes

These classes allow competitors to earn title certificates by competing in classes that measure performance of the handler and dog throughout their career as measured against a pre-defined set of standards.

The Championship Program is divided into three basic class types that are offered at three different divisions based upon performance milestones attained in competition. These are described below.

Titling Class Types

"Standard" classes are the classical form of dog agility, wherein a competitor must direct their dog through an obstacle course that requires performance of each of the required obstacles in the sport in a course sequence designed by a judge.

  • Standard Agility - designed to demonstrate proficiency in the refined elements of competition measured against the highest standards for the sport.  The competitor works in a synchronized teamwork with the dog, while each may work a separate path through the course to complete the course as fast and accurately as possible.

"Nonstandard" classes encourage and demonstrate more depth of training and the exercise of more competitive skills within the sport and are offered in four basic classes:

  • Gamblers - to demonstrate proficiency in distance control and competitive strategy.
  • Jumpers - to demonstrate a dog's jumping ability and fluid working habit.
  • Relay - to demonstrate cooperative team effort and team sportsmanship.
  • Snooker Agility - to demonstrate versatility in competitive strategy.

Each of these classes offers different strategies that challenge the competitor, bringing together key elements of the sport, with an exhibition of a dog's natural agility and working habit, thus demonstrating a competitor's training and competitive skills.

Competitive Levels

Standard and Nonstandard classes are offered at three competitive "levels" for certification ("titling") purposes, based upon the degree of training and competitive skills exhibited in competition - Starters, Advanced and Masters.

  • Starters (introductory level):  A handler is charged with demonstrating their skill in training their dog for basic obstacle performance and employing fundamental handling techniques in competition on an abbreviated course.
  • Advanced (second level):  Courses are longer and contain sequences that require competitors to demonstrate a higher degree of training expertise and a wider range of competitive handling techniques under a more difficult time standard. This is the level at which competitors make the transition from the basics to the more proficient and technical aspects of training and competition as seen in the Masters level.
  • Masters (third and top level):  Course designs offer a variety of handling challenges and tests integrated throughout the course. Time standards are further tightened, requiring competitors to demonstrate the highest degree of proficiency in training and competitive performance handling expertise consistent with that of international standards and competition. Highlighted at this level is a heightened degree of confidence in performance overall, with handler and dog working in a highly synchronized fashion, exhibiting quick and reliable responsiveness to the demands of the course.

In measuring the accomplishments of a competitor, a certificate of achievement or "title" is awarded at each level within each of the five "titling" classes. Each of these titles and rules for eligibility are included in the USDAA Rulebook.