My dog is small. Can it do agility?
Yes. Dogs compete in height categories and the jumps are set to match. Small dogs are often extremely quick and very technical.
Agility and obstacles
Agility
The best-known dog sport in the world. Your dog runs a timed obstacle course and you can't touch the dog or the equipment. All you've got to steer with is your body and your voice.
About the discipline
What Agility is
Agility started in the 1970s as a bit of entertainment at a dog show. Today it's the most widely practised dog sport on the planet.
The judge designs the course and it changes at every trial. You get a few minutes to walk it without your dog and work out a plan, then the two of you have to run it clean and fast.
The handler runs alongside but can't touch the dog or the obstacles. What you have is your voice, your shoulders and where you're looking. The dog reads all of that at speed, so if your shoulder turns a split second late, it takes the wrong tunnel. Hence the saying that in agility it's nearly always the human who gets it wrong.
How it works in practice
What obstacles appear on course
- single, double and triple jumps
- the flexible tunnel
- weave poles, usually twelve
- dog walk and see-saw as contact obstacles
- a pause table, under some rulebooks
- the tyre jump
- contact zones, which the dog has to hit with a paw
You pick up faults for knocking a bar, missing a contact, refusals and going off course. The team with the fewest faults wins, and the faster time breaks a tie.
Which dogs it suits
- dogs with sound joints, from small to large
- energetic dogs that love to run
- teams where the handler can run alongside
- dogs that are happy working at a distance from you
No full-height jumping for dogs under a year old that are still growing. Until then, stick to tunnels, targets and flatwork.
What you need
- approved obstacles, at a club or training field
- good running shoes for the handler
- tasty food or your dog's favourite toy
- a proper warm-up before every run
From the FCI regulations
Size categories and who can compete
The FCI Agility Regulations (approved May 2025, effective 1 July 2025, amended February 2026) divide dogs into four categories by height at the withers: S under 35 cm, M 35-43 cm, I (Intermediate) 43-48 cm and L from 48 cm. A dog competes in one category only.
FCI international competitions are open to dogs over 24 months with an FCI-recognised pedigree; national competitions to dogs over 18 months, with or without pedigree. All dogs must be identifiable by microchip or tattoo and the owner must belong to an A.Ch.R.-affiliated club. Bitches in heat may compete; pregnant bitches may not.
Classes, levels and the course
- two official classes: Agility (with contact obstacles: dog-walk, see-saw, A-frame) and Jumping (without them);
- three levels: 1 for beginners, 2 and 3 according to national promotion criteria (for example three placings with a clear round);
- the course is 100 to 220 m long, with 15-22 obstacles of which at least 7 are jumps; the weave poles are compulsory, the tunnel may appear at most 5 times, the spread hurdle is not used at level 1;
- the ring is at least 20 × 40 m; the standard course time (SCT) is calculated from the course length and a speed chosen by the judge or, at international competitions, from the time of the fastest dog with the fewest faults plus 15%.
Obstacle dimensions per category
| Obstacle | S (< 35 cm) | M (35-43 cm) | I (43-48 cm) | L (≥ 48 cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height of single/spread hurdles and wall | 25-30 cm | 35-40 cm | 45-50 cm | 55-60 cm |
| Tyre: centre of the aperture above ground | 55 cm | 55 cm | 70 cm | 80 cm |
| Long jump | 40-50 cm (2 units) | 70-90 cm (3) | 90-110 cm (3-4) | 120-150 cm (4) |
Source: FCI Agility Regulations 2025, chapter 5 "Obstacles". The category is set by the height at the withers; a dog competes in one category only. The dog-walk is 120-130 cm high and the see-saw 60 cm at the pivot, for all categories.
Faults, refusals and elimination
Every fault is worth 5 points: a knocked pole, a refusal (stopping, running by, backing out of a tunnel), a missed contact zone, the handler touching the dog or an obstacle. Exceeding the standard course time adds one point per second. Refusals must be corrected, otherwise the dog is eliminated.
Elimination follows three refusals, exceeding the maximum course time, taking an obstacle out of sequence or in the wrong direction, the handler jumping over or going under an obstacle or holding something in the hand, a dog wearing a collar in the ring, fouling the ring or harsh handling. Ranking is by total faults (course + time), ties broken by time.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Agility
At what age can we start?
Foundations (tunnels, targets, focus, flatwork) can start early. Jumps at regulation height come only after the growth plates have closed, generally after 12 to 18 months depending on size.
Do I have to run fast?
It helps, but you don't have to. There are distance handling techniques, and plenty of handlers make up for a lack of speed by positioning themselves well and cueing early.
The rule figures on this page come from FCI - Agility Regulations. Rules change and federations differ - always check the rulebook of the competition you are entering.
From the same category
Related sports
Hoopers
A course of hoops, tunnels and gates, with no high jumps.
Dog Parkour
Teaching your dog to tackle obstacles in town or out in nature, slowly and under control.
Canine Ninja
Mixed obstacle courses that test the dog's balance, strength and coordination.
Canicross with obstacles
Running with your dog on a course full of obstacles you cross together.
We do not run Agility
This page is informational. We work in mantrailing, search and rescue and preparation for the TSAC and BH exams - but if you want an honest opinion on what would suit your dog, write to us anytime.