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55-498: Their fur is darker than other spaniels and they have no undercoat like most of the other field type spaniels . The Field Spaniel was originally developed for the show ring by competitors who were attempting to develop an all-black Spaniel. Some of the breeding methods of those early developers were criticised; one of the first breeders of the Field Spaniel, Thomas Jacobs, said of the origin; "Much has been written and said on

110-776: A Cocker Spaniel but requires grooming in order to prevent mats from appearing in the fur. Docking of tails has been banned in a number of countries, including the UK; however, an exemption is made for working animals. The Field Spaniel is an active and inquisitive breed, and makes a good companion. However, if left alone and unoccupied for long periods of time, they may become bored and destructive. They are suitable for dog agility exercises and hunting. They are patient with children and like to stay close to their family. When socialised, they are good with other dogs. They are generally docile and independent, and are not as excitable as Cocker Spaniels. Stanley Coren 's The Intelligence of Dogs lists

165-485: A Sussex Spaniel father and a Field Spaniel mother. Obo's son Ch. Obo II is considered to be the father of the modern American Cocker Spaniel , being described as only 10 inches high with quite a long body. By 1909, the average weight of a Field Spaniel was 35–45 pounds (16–20 kg). Further mixing of the breed occurred with elements of the Basset Hound introduced. Various genetic health issues arose and action

220-401: A bar in a jump, but also time faults , which are the number of seconds over the calculated standard course time , which in turn is determined based on the competition level, the complexity of the course, and other factors. The regulations of different organizations specify somewhat different rules and dimensions for the construction of obstacles. However, the basic form of most obstacles is

275-570: A day of competition, requiring multiple course builds, walk-throughs, and briefings. Awards are usually given for placements and for qualifying scores. Such awards are often flat ribbons , rosettes , commemorative plaques , trophies , medals , or pins . Some clubs award high-in-trial awards, calculated in various ways, or other special awards for the trial. Dogs who complete their final qualifying scores to become agility champions are often presented with special awards. Many Kennel Clubs also award titles to those who manage to qualify enough times in

330-642: A demonstration at the Crufts dog show in the late 1970s in the United Kingdom. Dogs were run around a course designed similar to horse jumping courses during intermission as a way to entertain the audience. It has since spread around the world, with major competitions held worldwide. Globally, dog agility competitions are regulated and run by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and its member organisations and

385-690: A hand in the dog's collar and guiding the dog through while leading with an incentive. It also includes teaching the dog to run full speed between two poles and gradually increasing the angle of approach and number of poles. Agility may be trained independently (for instance at home) or with an instructor or club that offers classes. Seasoned handlers and competitors, in particular, may choose to train independently, as structured classes are commonly geared towards novices. Seasoned handlers often instead look to seminars and workshops that teach advanced handling techniques, and then practice on their own. Common reasons for joining an agility class include: In addition to

440-612: A health survey conducted by the Kennel Club (UK), the primary cause of death in Field Spaniels was cancer , with the second most frequent cause being old age . Grayson, Peggy (1984) The History and management of the Field Spaniel , Scan Books, ISBN   0-906360-10-2 Down hair Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

495-404: A new dog to the agility obstacles varies in response. Each individual dog learns at its own pace; confident dogs may charge over equipment with little encouragement, while more timid dogs may take weeks to overcome their hesitations with much encouragement. Both scenarios present their own challenges, as dogs may be overconfident and sloppy to the point where they have a serious accident and teaching

550-650: A number of national kennel clubs and sport federations. Rules of each organisation, titles and selection process of national teams that represent the country at prestigious international events vary slightly. One reason alternatives to FCI organisations started to emerge is that FCI is an international pure-bred dogs federation and most of its members have restrictions for dogs without pedigrees. Such organisation as USDAA, UKI and IFCS and their members have opposed that and created their own international competitions that do not restrict participation for dogs without pedigrees. Dogs can begin training for agility at any age, but care

605-495: A particular level. Most clubs require three qualifying scores in any level to get the corresponding title, however, other clubs may require more or less. In the United States in most sanctioning organizations, there are a variety of titles that a dog and handler can earn by accruing sufficient qualifying runs—also called legs—that is, runs that have no more than a certain number of faults (typically none) and are faster than

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660-530: Is reported to vary by country, with Australia reporting the highest percentage of injuries and the United States reporting the lowest percentage of injuries. Injuries were most commonly perceived as being caused by interactions with bar jumps (contact), A-frames and dog walk obstacles (contact and/or fall). There were no relationship between the use of warm-up and cool-down exercises and injuries. As in many sports, dog agility has its own World Championships. Only pure-bred dogs are able to compete in those. One of

715-402: Is taken when training dogs under a year old so as to not harm their developing joints. Dogs generally start training on simplified, smaller, or lowered (in height) agility equipment and training aids (such as ladders and wobbling boards to train careful footing), but puppies who learn quickly must be finished growing before training on equipment at standard height to prevent injury. Introducing

770-452: Is the time under which dogs must complete the course to avoid time faults. For example, if the course is 150 yards (or meters) long, and the rules state that dogs must run the course at a rate of at least 3 yards (or meters) per second, the standard course time would be 50 seconds. Other organizations, though, leave the decision on course time to the judge's discretion The judge often holds a briefing for competitors before each class, to review

825-580: Is then taken to the score table for recording. At the score table, scorekeepers compile the results in a variety of ways. Some organizations require or encourage computerized scorekeeping, while others require certain types of manual score sheets to be filled out. When all the dogs in a given height group, level, and class have run, the score table compares run times, faults, and any other requirements to determine placements (and, for classes that provide qualifying points towards titles, which dogs earned qualifying scores). Each ring might run several classes during

880-419: Is uncommon to find real estate inexpensive enough to devote entirely to agility, so sites are usually rented for the weekend. Even in more rural areas, agility-only sites are uncommon. Popular locations include large parks , covered horse-riding arenas, and in cold-winter areas, large, empty warehouses in which mats or carpet can be laid. Before the trial, each judge designs the courses that they will judge at

935-787: Is usually at least 5,000 square feet (I.e 465 square meters); however, exact dimensions vary according to the organizations. Competitions can have anywhere from one to a dozen rings. The ground must be non-slip and level, usually being either packed dirt, grass, carpeting, or padded matting. Competitors additionally need space to set up quarters for their dogs and gear. When space permits, competitors often bring pop up canopies or screen room awning tents for shade. Dogs, when not competing, are usually left to rest in exercise pens, crates , or dog tents familiar and enclosed environments in which they can relax and recover between runs. Handlers also bring reflective cloths to protect their dogs from sun exposure and to calm them down (by covering their crates with

990-477: The English Cocker Spaniel with 22,211 registrations in 2009 alone. In order to promote the breed, it has been registered as a Vulnerable Native Breed by The Kennel Club. The standard size for a Field Spaniel is approximately 46 centimetres (18 in) tall at the withers , and a weight of between 18–25 kilograms (40–55 lb). This places it roughly between the English Cocker Spaniel and

1045-476: The English Springer Spaniel in size. Its coat comes in solid colours of black and liver, or in roan. Tan points, white markings on the throat and the chest can be ticked or the same colour as the rest of the body. They have a moderately long single coat with no undercoat. Feathering of the fur appears on the chest, belly, ears and on the back of the legs. The coat is not as heavy as that of

1100-534: The Field Spaniel with the Sussex Spaniel and the English Water Spaniel . In the 1870s, Burdett was very successful in the show ring with his variety of Field Spaniel; however, it resulted in a dog that was almost exactly like a Sussex Spaniel with the exception of the head itself. The dog considered to be the common ancestor of the modern English Cocker Spaniel is Ch. Obo, born in 1879 to

1155-474: The UK. In 2009, a total of 51 dogs were registered with The Kennel Club and it has been in steady decline since 2000. Out of all the Spaniel breeds registered with The Kennel Club, the Field Spaniel has the lowest number registered year on year, with only the Sussex Spaniel coming a close second with 60 registrations in 2009. This may be compared with the English Springer Spaniel with 12,700 registrations and

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1210-615: The breed as being above average in working intelligence. A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.1 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds . There are a few ocular conditions to which the Field Spaniel has a predisposition. These include cataracts , retinal atrophy and retinal dysplasia . Hip dysplasia has appeared in British lines of Field Spaniels. The Kennel Club and British Veterinary Association highly recommend eye testing and hip scoring be carried out by Field Spaniel breeders. In

1265-495: The cloths). There also needs to be space for many handlers with dogs on leashes to move freely around the rings without crowding, and space for warming up, exercising, and pottying dogs. Adjacent to the site, parking must be available for all competitors. At weekend or weeklong shows that offer camping, space needs to be provided both for competitors' caravans and tents, and for the small fenced enclosures or gardens that they set up around them. In heavily populated areas, therefore, it

1320-422: The competition. The sanctioning organization usually reviews and approves the courses to ensure that they meet the organization's guidelines. Guidelines include such issues as how far apart obstacles must be, how many turns are allowed (or required) on a course, which obstacles and how many of each must appear on the course, and so on. The rules vary by level of competition and by organization. Before each class, or

1375-483: The course. The handler typically runs near the dog, directing the dog with spoken commands and with body language (the position of arms, shoulders, and feet). Because speed counts as much as accuracy, especially at higher levels of competition, this all takes place at a full-out run on the dog's part and, in places, on the handler's part as well. Scoring of runs is based on how many faults are incurred. Penalties can include not only course faults , such as knocking down

1430-501: The dark colours of the breed did not show up in hunting conditions, and the elongated and short shape of the early breed was not very practical for moving easily through cover. The low-slung variety of Field Spaniel were developed by Phineas Bullock from dogs previously owned by Sir Francis Burdett , the secretary of the Birmingham Dog Show. Burdett was said to have owned a variety of black Cocker Spaniels . Bullock crossed

1485-405: The details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 253865654 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:40:20 GMT Dog agility Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives, and

1540-437: The dog and handler must be able to clearly discriminate which to take, and can be arranged so that the handler must work with obstacles between themself and the dog, called layering, or at a great distance from the dog. Printed maps of the agility course, called course maps , are occasionally made available to the handlers before they run, to help the handlers plan their course strategy. The course map contains icons indicating

1595-401: The dog is always safe and has a good training experience for agility so that it does not fear the obstacles, and instead performs them willingly and with enthusiasm. The teeter-totter (or see-saw) and the weave poles are typically the most challenging obstacles to teach to a dog. Many dogs are wary of the see-saw's movement, and the weave poles involve behavior that does not occur naturally to

1650-427: The dog self-control becomes one of the goals for the trainer. Timid dogs need extra support to boost their confidence. Given the right encouragement, a timid dog can gain confidence through learning the sport. The size of the dog can also have an effect on training obstacles, particularly with the chute, in which smaller dogs are prone to get trapped and tangled inside. A trainer will take great effort to ensure that

1705-434: The dog. Contact obstacles in general are challenging to train in a manner that ensures that the dog touches the contact zone without sacrificing speed. Whether for competition or recreation, the most important skill for an agility team to learn is how to work together quickly, efficiently, and safely. Dogs vary greatly in their speed and accuracy of completing a course, as well as in their preferences for obstacles; therefore,

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1760-412: The evening before the first class, course builders use course maps provided by the judges to place equipment on the course. The chief course builder is usually an experienced competitor who understands what equipment is legal, how it must be configured, how each must be aligned compared to other obstacles, and can direct several course-building volunteers to efficiently move the equipment into place. To make

1815-594: The ground. The seesaw, sometimes called the teeter-totter, is a seesaw , that the dogs walks the length of, the seesaw varies between 8 and 12 feet (2.4 and 3.7 m) in length and the apex between 16 and 27 inches (41 and 69 cm) in height. The tunnel obstacles involve tunnels of different designs that the dogs run or crawl through. Although each organization has its own rules, all divide dogs into smaller groups that are close to each other in size and experience for purposes of calculating winners and qualifying scores. The history of dog agility can be traced to

1870-429: The handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. The handler's controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal and coordination of the handler. An agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles laid out by a judge in a design of their own choosing in an area of a specified size. The surface may be of grass, dirt, rubber, or special matting. Depending on

1925-403: The handler must adjust their handling style to suit and support the dog. Training techniques for each piece of equipment varies. The techniques for training the weave poles include using offset poles that gradually move more in line with each other, poles that tilt outward from the base and gradually become upright, wires or gates around the poles forcing the dog into the desired path, and putting

1980-428: The inherent difference in human and dog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dogs and handlers. As each course is different, handlers are allowed a short walk-through (typically 8 minutes) before the competition starts. During this time, all handlers competing in a particular class can walk around the course without their dogs, determining how they can best position themselves and guide their dogs to get

2035-399: The job easier, courses are often marked in some way to correspond to a grid: for example, if course maps are printed on a grid of 10-foot-by-10-foot squares, the posts that hold the ring ropes marking the course's four sides are often set 10 feet apart. When the course builders finish, the judge walks through the course and double-checks that the obstacles are legal, that they are placed where

2090-422: The judge intended, and that there are no unintended hazards on the course (such as potholes, uneven ground, or mud puddles) around which the course must be adjusted. For many classes, the judge then measures the path through the course to determine the optimal running distance of a typical dog. The judge uses that measurement with a speed requirement determined by the rules to calculate the standard course time, which

2145-482: The maximum standard course time (SCT). For example, under USDAA rules, a dog can earn novice-level titles in Standard, Jumpers, Gamblers, Snooker, and Pairs Relay classes by earning three qualifying runs in each of the classes. The dog can also earn intermediate-level titles and masters-level titles in the same classes. After earning all of the masters-level titles—five qualifying runs in each, with some that must be in

2200-460: The middle forming an A shape, the ramps vary between 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and 9 feet (2.7 m) in length, and between 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m) and 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) in height at the apex. The dog walk is an elevated plank with ascending and descending ramps at each end, the ramps vary between 8 and 12 feet (2.4 and 3.7 m) in length and 36 and 50 inches (91 and 127 cm) in height above

2255-467: The most accurate and rapid path around the numbered obstacles. The handler tends to run a path much different from the dog's path, so the handler can sometimes spend quite a bit of time planning for what is usually a quick run. The walk-through is critical for success because the course's path takes various turns, even U-turns or 270° turns, can cross back on itself, can use the same obstacle more than once, can have two obstacles so close to each other that

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2310-484: The most notable year is 2015 - for the first time in the history, there was a double victory by the same handler. Pavol Vakonič from Slovakia held his nerves and brought two faultless runs with Ikea and Fiona (both border-collies ) through to the last jump. He earned silver and gold medal. Unfortunately, 2020 and 2021 were canceled due to pandemic . AWC 2022 was originally slated to be held in Moscow, Russia, but

2365-460: The myriad tasks involved in putting on a trial. For example, if electronic timing is not being used, each class needs a timer, who ensures that the dog's running time is recorded, a scribe, who records the judge's calls as a dog runs the class, and pole setters (or ring stewards ), who ensure that jump bars are reset when they are knocked off and change jump heights for dogs of different sizes. Agility competitions require considerable space. Each ring

2420-431: The position and orientation of all the obstacles, and numbers indicating the order in which the obstacles are to be taken. Course maps were originally drawn by hand, but nowadays courses are created using various computer programs. Each dog and handler team gets one opportunity together to attempt to complete the course successfully. The dog begins behind a starting line and, when instructed by their handler, proceeds around

2475-464: The purity of the breed; deprecating the means I have adopted to produce them as calculated to alter a presumed type, and frequent missiles have been hurled at me and my dogs from behind the hedge. But where is the pure bred black spaniel we hear so much about? Proof of the existence of the pure bred one (if there ever was one!) has not been forthcoming. Like most sporting dogs, they are the result of different crosses." They were unpopular with sportsmen as

2530-414: The ring in the running order previously determined by the trial secretary and manages changes to the running order for handlers who might have conflicts with other rings of competition. As each dog and handler team runs the course, the dog is timed either by a person with a stopwatch or with an electronic timer, and the scribe writes the judge's calls and the dog's final time on a scribe sheet or ticket, which

2585-413: The rules and explain specific requirements for a particular course. For Standard courses for experienced competitors, the judge's briefing is often minimal or dispensed with altogether. For novice handlers in classes with complex rules, the briefings can be much longer. The competitors then walk the course (as described earlier). When the walk-through ends, the gate steward or caller ensures that dogs enter

2640-415: The same wherever they are used. Obstacles include the following: Contact obstacles are obstacles made of planks and ramps, they require dogs to ascend and descend the obstacle and to place a paw on a "contact zone", an area that is painted a different colour. The height, width and angle of the planks and ramps varies by the organisation running the competition. The A-frame comprises two ramps that meet in

2695-437: The sanctioning organization and applies to the organization for permission to hold a trial on a specific date or weekend; most trials are two-day weekend events. The club designates a member to be the chairperson or show manager, who is responsible for ensuring that the trial takes place, and another member to be the secretary, who is responsible for providing competitors with the show premium or schedule—a document that describes

2750-446: The specific competition, summarizes the rules, describes the trial site, and includes an entry form—receiving completed entry forms, sending out running orders, producing running-order lists for the day of competition, and compiling the results from the trial to send to the sanctioning organization. The designated chief ring steward or ring manager is responsible for finding and assigning workers, almost always volunteers, to perform

2805-488: The sport on par with mobile handlers. Research has also demonstrated health benefits to handlers engaged in dog agility. Competitions (also called trials or matches or shows ) are usually hosted by a specific local club. The club might be devoted solely to dog agility, or it might be primarily a breed club that wants to promote the working abilities of its breed, or it might be a club that hosts many types of dog sports . The club contracts with judges who are licensed by

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2860-434: The technical and educational training, physical training must also be done. The dog must be fit enough to run and jump without causing stress or injury to its body. The handler can also benefit from being physically fit, but with some handling styles it is not necessary to keep up with the dog (nor is it possible with very fast dogs). Being able to handle a dog from a distance allows mobility-impaired handlers to participate in

2915-1065: The top 15% of dogs competing at each trial—the dog earns its Championship. Other organizations have similar schemes; in AKC, to earn the Championship, the dog's qualifying runs must be earned two at a time on the same day. In NADAC, the quantity of qualifying runs is much larger; and so on. Most champion titles have "CH" in the title: NATCH (NADAC Agility Trial Champion), ADCH (Agility Dog Champion for USDAA), CATCH (CPE Agility Trial Champion), MACH (Master Agility Champion for AKC), TACH (Teacup Agility Champion), ATCH (ASCA Agility Trial Champion) and so on. Surveys of handlers indicates that between 32% and 41.7% of dogs incur injuries from agility related activities. The most common types of injuries were (in order) strains, sprains and contusions. Locations most commonly injured were shoulders, iliopsoas muscle, digits and lumbar spine/lumbosacral area. Border Collies are more likely to be injured than other breeds. Injury rate

2970-428: The type of competition, the obstacles may be marked with numbers indicating the order in which they must be completed. Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed equally important. Many strategies exist to compensate for

3025-400: Was taken in order to correct the problems within the breed. English Springer Spaniels were used to introduce healthier elements into the breed and resulted in the longer legged spaniel known today. Most of the modern breed can be traced to four dogs from the 1950s; Colombina of Teffont, Elmbury Morwena of Rhiwlas, Gormac Teal, and Ronayne Regal. The Field Spaniel remains a rare breed, even in

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