A

Absolute directional – A directional command that directs the dog which way to move based on the dog’s position, regardless of the handler’s position; for example, Left and Right, which tell the dog to turn to his left or right, respectively.

AD - The abbreviation for Agility Dog - this is the 'Novice' level of ANKC trialling and is called the Novice title. It takes 3 clear runs or qualifying runs/passes to gain this title under at least 2 different judges. The AD class in a trial is only open to dogs who are at least 18 months old and have gained no titles. Once they have gained their 3rd pass they must then move up into the Excellent Class.

ADX - The abbreviation for Agility Dog Excellent - this is the 'middle' level of ANKC trialling and is called the Excellent title. It takes 5 clear runs or qualifying runs/passes to gain this title under at least 2 different judges. The ADX class in a trial is only open to dogs who have their AD title. Once they have gained their 5th pass they must then move up into the Masters Class.

ADM -

A Frame - Known also as the Scramble this is a contact obstacle that consists of two (2) planks connected at the top in an “A” form.
The length of each plank is to be 2400 mm and the minimum width is to be 900 mm. Existing 2500 mm planks are acceptable providing the angle at the apex is the same as a 2400 mm plank. All Scrambles made after 1st January 2006 are to be made in accordance with the 2400 mm standard. The length of the obstacle along the ground to form the base of the “A” is to be 3850 mm for planks of 2500 mm and 3700 mm for planks of 2400 mm length. The planks are to have a non-slip surface. From the grounded end of the planks, there will be a contact area of 1100 mm painted a different colour to the remainder of the obstacle. This contact area is to be painted on all visible sides. The planks are to have five (5) half round cleats that have a height of 6 mm and a width of 15 mm set
approximately 200 mm apart starting from the apex.

Airplane/'EVIL' arm signal – See Off-arm signal.

ANKC - Australian National Kennel Council

Ascending oxer – A double bar jump where the front bar is set lower than the back bar.

B

Backchaining – Training method in which the last portion of an obstacle or obstacle sequence is taught first.

Back cross – See Rear cross.

Backjumping – Going over a jump or through the tyre in the wrong direction.

Back to back – 1. A handling maneuver in which the dog performs an obstacle (such as the tyre) first one way, then the other in succession. 2. A a maneuver where the dog performs two obstacles (tunnel then tyre, for example), the first away from the handler and the second toward the handler.

Backweaving – Going through the weave poles in the wrong direction. Usually performing three poles in the wrong direction constitutes an off-course.

Banking – When a dog pushes off (banks) the top of a solid, wall jump or the inside of the tyre with his back feet. Not faulted in the performance of the tyre; faulted in the performance of the wall, or solid jump.

Bar – The horizontal pole or rail on a jump that the dog must go over.

Baseline method – A method of constructing courses in which a vertical line is drawn down the middle of the ring on the course diagram. This is called the base centerline, BCL, or baseline. Once the baseline has been drawn, the position of each obstacle is measured by the obstacle’s relative distance from that line-the obstacle’s horizontal distance from the baseline as well as where the obstacle lies along the BCL.

Belgian cross – See Front cross.

Bent poles – See Leaning poles.

Blind cross – 1. Any change of sides that takes place while the dog is in a tunnel (dog is “blind” to handler’s position); 2. A front cross that the handler executes with his back to the dog (handler is “blind” to the dog).

Blocking – A handling maneuver in which the handler attempts to prevent a dog from taking the wrong obstacle by standing in front of or “blocking” the dog’s approach to the incorrect obstacle.

Body magnet – The presumption that the handler is an irresistible attraction to the dog so that the dog will naturally pull toward the handler in an obstacle discrimination problem.

Bolton's Circle of Death – See English Torture Wheel.

Briefing – See Judge’s briefing.

C

C/T – Click and Treat

Call off – A maneuver where the handler calls the dog away from an incorrect obstacle, which in the course design has been placed directly in the dog’s natural path. This is a planned challenge by the judge, differentiating it from a call-off that may be necessitated by a handler misdirecting the dog.

Change of side – A handling maneuver where a handler moves from one side of the dog to the other without stopping forward motion.

Channeling – A training method in which the weave poles are spread apart and linked with wire or string, creating a channel.

Clean approach – An approach to a contact obstacle or jump from straight on or nearly straight in front of the obstacle.

Clean entrance – An approach to the weave poles from straight on or from the right side of the poles that does not require the dog to go around the first pole to enter correctly.

Come – A relative directional indicating that the dog should come toward the handler.

Contact – Any obstacle that requires the dog to touch a safety or contact zone.

Contact zone – The areas on a contact obstacle that are painted yellow to designate that they are safety zones. Missing a down contact zone is faulted under all agility rules; some agility organizations to not judge all of the up or ascent contact zones.

Containment line – See Handler line.

Counter-arm signal – See Off-arm signal.

Counter-rotation – Turning toward the dog rather than turning with the dog.

Course Builder – A ring worker, responsible for following the direction of the Master Course Builder in setting courses.

Course faults – Any fault incurred while running a course. Errors such as refusals, displaced poles, missed contacts, and off-courses are course faults.

Course nesting – A technique used when designing a group of courses to help minimize course-building time at the event. The basic structure of each course is based on the previous course, and there are certain key obstacles that are the same for all the courses. The only items that physically move are jumps and tunnels. The rest of the obstacles remain stationary. Each new course is created by a combination of minor obstacle movement, as well as a blend of new and existing paths through the obstacles.

Cross – See Change of side.

Cross-behind – See Rear cross.

Cross in front – See Front cross.

Crossing pattern – Element of a course where the dog and handler will cross through a congested portion of the ring with obstacles on either side of the dog and handler.

Course walk-through – See Walk-through.

D

DAM Tournament – USDAA Dog Agility Masters Tournament. A three-dog team tournament held over five events—Standard, Jumpers, Snooker, Gamblers, and Team Relay. Each event is scored and the 15 scores totaled. Highest team score wins.

Directional – Any command given to the dog to turn the dog in a desired direction.

Directional discrimination problem – When obstacles are placed in close proximity and the handler is compelled to communicate flow to the dog by use of directional commands. This is especially true when obstacles of a similar nature (such as two jumps or two tunnels) are placed in close proximity. For example, when the dog is approaching a jumping box, he could go left, right, or straight. The next jump that the dog takes will depend on how well the handler communicates to the dog which way to go.

Dirty approach – A difficult or off-center approach to a jump or contact.

Dirty entrance – An approach to the weave poles from left of the first pole, requiring the dog to go around the number one pole to enter correctly.

Distance restriction – When obstacles are placed in such a way that the handler’s choice of path is limited and he is forced to work the dog at a greater distance than he would normally choose.

Double – The common term for a spread jump with a front and back bar. A double can be ascending or parallel.

Double pump – A complex joker in which the handler must send the dog away from him over an obstacle, call him back, and then send him away again to perform another obstacle.

Down – A position on the table specified by the judge in which the dog must have his butt down and front elbows down.

Dropped Bar – A bar on a jump that is knocked down by the dog. This performance is faulted.

Dynamic change of side – When the handler changes sides to the dog while the dog is in motion and in full view.

Dummy jump – A jump that is not part of the numbered course, but that has been intentionally placed by the judge in the path of the dog to create a potential off-course.

E

E – The abbreviation for Elimination. Used mostly in America or Europe.

English Torture Wheel – An octagon pattern (8) of evenly spaced jumps, preferably winged, from which you can do a variety of jumping exercises.

Exiting – Refers to the direction in which the dog will come out of the weave poles—even number of poles, the dog comes out to the left; odd number, to the right.

Excusal – A course infraction for which the judge immediately excuses the dog and handler from the ring.

Extended spread – A spread jump with a span of 20" or more.

F

Familiarization – Time set aside at the beginning of a day's competition where the dog and handler can get on the equipment prior to competition (limited to Starters/Novice Dogs).

Faults over time – Method of scoring agility runs. In this method, a dog that runs under the standard course time (SCT) will place ahead of another dog that is faster but has course faults.

Flatten out – A jumping problem where the dog takes off too soon (resulting in a flat, rather than curved arc over the jump) and knocks down the bar.

Flow – The smoothness with which a dog and handler can move from one obstacle to the next without interruption. Generally speaking, the straighter the lines, the smoother the run, and hence, the better the flow.

Flow break – When the flow of the course changes and appears to be choppy or broken.

Food tube – A training device usually made of clear vinyl tubing in which treats are placed. The tube has either a slit in the side or end caps that come off, which allows only the handler to get out treats for the dog. It is used as a target or can be thrown to aid in training the food-motivated dog.

Flyoff – The act of a dog leaving the teeter in an uncontrolled manner when the down side of the teeter is not close to the ground.

Framing – Focusing the dog on the succeeding obstacle during performance of the preceding obstacle.

Front cross – Any maneuver where the handler changes sides in front of the dog’s direction of motion. It is now generally accepted that in performing a front cross the handler always faces the dog (a blind cross is a front cross where the handler briefly has his back to the dog). Also known as a Belgian cross or Axford Axel.