For new handlers
Agility, without the secret handshake
Agility is a team sport. Your dog runs the obstacles. You are the navigator. The clock is running, and the two of you are trying to stay on the numbers.
A numbered course, against the clock
You and your dog run a course the judge has set. Obstacles are numbered. The dog takes them in order while you tell them where to go. You may talk, cheer, and use your hands. You may not touch the dog or the obstacles.
What is on the course
Jumps, tunnels, and weave poles show up almost everywhere. Standard also uses contacts: the A-frame, the dog walk, and the seesaw. The dog has to hit the contact zone, not just fly off the top.
The classes at a PACU trial
Standard uses the full set of obstacles. Jumpers With Weaves skips the contacts and asks for speed and handling. FAST mixes a send with a point course. Time 2 Beat is a speed class. Premier is a harder course for dogs already at the top level. The premium says which of those are offered each day.
Levels
Novice is the start. Then Open, Excellent, and Master. Courses get longer and the handling gets less obvious. A beginner dog is not thrown in with the Master dogs. You run your own level. Preferred is the same ladder at a lower jump height, with a bit more time.
A qualifying run
In the Novice classes the run does not have to be perfect. A score of 85 or better, under the judge’s standard course time, can still qualify, so a few faults are allowed. Novice Standard can include a refusal or one wrong course and still be a Q. A knocked bar or a missed contact is not one of those allowed faults. Master is the class that has to be clean. Novice, Open, and Excellent titles take three qualifying scores. The first Master titles take ten. You do not have to be a PACU member to enter.
Before your first PACU run
Read the premium, enter before it closes, and get measured if your dog does not have a height card yet. Walk the course. The walk is when you make the plan. Questions at the trial go to the gate steward or the score table — people remember being new.
October trialWhat those letters mean
Titles are initials after the dog’s name, except the big championships, which go in front. MX is Master Agility Excellent. OA is Open Agility. NAJ is Novice Agility Jumper. A number on the end, like MACH2 or T2B3, means they earned it again.
This is the AKC list, which is what a PACU trial uses. Preferred titles are the same work at a lower height. Premier bronze starts at PDB2 and PJB2 — there is no PDB1. If this page and the AKC regulations ever disagree, the regulations win.
- ACT1Agility Course Test 1
Course test
- ACT2Agility Course Test 2
Course test
- ACT1JAgility Course Test 1 Jumpers
Course test
- ACT2JAgility Course Test 2 Jumpers
Course test
- NANovice Agility
Standard
Preferred: NAP — Novice Agility Preferred
- OAOpen Agility
Standard
Preferred: OAP — Open Agility Preferred
- AXAgility Excellent
Standard
Preferred: AXP — Excellent Agility Preferred
- MXMaster Agility Excellent
Standard
Preferred: MXP — Master Agility Excellent Preferred
- MXBMaster Bronze Agility
Standard
Preferred: MXPB — Master Bronze Agility Preferred
- MXSMaster Silver Agility
Standard
Preferred: MXPS — Master Silver Agility Preferred
- MXGMaster Gold Agility
Standard
Preferred: MXPG — Master Gold Agility Preferred
- MXCMaster Century Agility
Standard
Preferred: MXPC — Master Century Agility Preferred
- NAJNovice Agility Jumper
Jumpers
Preferred: NJP — Novice Agility Jumper Preferred
- OAJOpen Agility Jumper
Jumpers
Preferred: OJP — Open Agility Jumper Preferred
- AXJExcellent Agility Jumper
Jumpers
Preferred: AJP — Excellent Agility Jumper Preferred
- MXJMaster Excellent Jumper
Jumpers
Preferred: MJP — Master Excellent Jumper Preferred
- MJBMaster Bronze Jumpers
Jumpers
Preferred: MJPB — Master Bronze Jumpers Preferred
- MJSMaster Silver Jumpers
Jumpers
Preferred: MJPS — Master Silver Jumpers Preferred
- MJGMaster Gold Jumpers
Jumpers
Preferred: MJPG — Master Gold Jumpers Preferred
- MJCMaster Century Jumpers
Jumpers
Preferred: MJPC — Master Century Jumpers Preferred
- NFNovice FAST
FAST
Preferred: NFP — Agility FAST Novice Preferred
- OFAgility FAST Open
FAST
Preferred: OFP — Agility FAST Open Preferred
- XFAgility FAST Excellent
FAST
Preferred: XFP — Agility FAST Excellent Preferred
- MXFAgility Master FAST Excellent
FAST
Preferred: MFP — Agility Master FAST Excellent Preferred
- MFBMaster Bronze FAST
FAST
Preferred: MFPB — Master Bronze FAST Preferred
- MFSMaster Silver FAST
FAST
Preferred: MFPS — Master Silver FAST Preferred
- MFGMaster Gold FAST
FAST
Preferred: MFPG — Master Gold FAST Preferred
- MFCMaster Century FAST
FAST
Preferred: MFPC — Master Century FAST Preferred
- T2BTime 2 Beat
Time 2 Beat
Preferred: T2BP — Time 2 Beat Preferred
- PADPremier Agility Dog
Premier
Preferred: PADP — Premier Agility Dog Preferred
- PDBPremier Agility Dog Bronze
Premier
Preferred: PDBP — Premier Agility Dog Bronze Preferred
- PDSPremier Agility Dog Silver
Premier
Preferred: PDSP — Premier Agility Dog Silver Preferred
- PDGPremier Agility Dog Gold
Premier
Preferred: PDGP — Premier Agility Dog Gold Preferred
- PDCPremier Agility Dog Century
Premier
Preferred: PDCP — Premier Agility Dog Century Preferred
- PJDPremier Jumpers Dog
Premier
Preferred: PJDP — Premier Jumpers Dog Preferred
- PJBPremier Jumpers Dog Bronze
Premier
Preferred: PJBP — Premier Jumpers Dog Bronze Preferred
- PJSPremier Jumpers Dog Silver
Premier
Preferred: PJSP — Premier Jumpers Dog Silver Preferred
- PJGPremier Jumpers Dog Gold
Premier
Preferred: PJGP — Premier Jumpers Dog Gold Preferred
- PJCPremier Jumpers Dog Century
Premier
Preferred: PJCP — Premier Jumpers Dog Century Preferred
- TQXTriple Q Excellent
Championships
Preferred: TQXP — Triple Q Excellent Preferred
- PAXPreferred Agility Excellent
Championships
- MACHMaster Agility Champion
Championships
Preferred: PACH — Preferred Agility Champion
- NACNational Agility Champion
Championships
Preferred: PNAC — Preferred National Agility Champion
- AGCHAgility Grand Champion
Championships