Aframe, Dog Walk, Teeter-Totter, Tunnel, Shute, Weave Poles, Tire Jump, Pause Table – a year ago these words were not part of my or my dog Marcello’s vocabulary. They are the names of obstacles in agility training. I was new to dog ownership, having adopted my first dog ever in the winter of 2004. I had seen from time to time the competitions of pedigree dogs on TV and laughed out loud at the movie “Best in Show” that spoofed those competitions. I knew that because my dog was a designer mutt – a mini golden doodle – we were not eligible to compete even if I wanted to.

But Marcello was smart. He was athletic. He was gregarious. He liked to have fun. One day my friend Pat Meyer, who volunteers with the Australian Shepherd Rescue and Placement Help Line and owns Aussies herself, told me about a basic agility training class beginning in Beltsville that she and her new Aussie were joining. “I like agility,” she said. “The bonding between you and your dog is different from just about anything else. You work as a team. Your dog has to work both with you and away from you. You learn how a small movement of your body can get your dog to master a difficult set of jumps or equipment.” I was intrigued. I gave it a try.

I found out dog agility is a sport in which a handler is given a set amount of time to direct a dog off-leash through an obstacle course. Inspired by equestrian events, it originated in Great Britain in the 1970s and has become the most rapidly growing dog sport in England, Western Europe and North America.

Several national organizations for agility sanction tests or trials held by local dog training clubs. Obstacles are designed to be safe, challenging and fun for both the dog and owner. For example, jumps have easily displaceable bars so that a dog will not get injured should it hit a jump bar. Obstacles such as the Aframe, teeter-totter and dog walk have contact points the dogs must touch before ascending or descending the equipment to ensure a dog is under control. Jumps are placed at a height according to your dog’s height at the withers (the height of your dog from the floor to the top of its shoulders).

Without agility skills most of us couldn’t get through a day. Agility is need to get in and out of our car, negotiate uneven sidewalks, ride a bike, walk up stairs and to reach a top shelf. For dogs – who get most of their enjoyment in life running, jumping, wrestling with other dogs, catching balls and stretching – agility may be even more important. “All dogs are capable of doing agility,” says Jacqui Polakoff, my first teacher at Canine Training Association in Beltsville. “It teaches them to focus and creates a bond where you learn to trust each other. You realize your dog can accomplish things.” Jacqui, who has been teaching agility at CTA for 2 ½ years, first got introduced to the sport when she went to a dog camp with her newly adopted Ridgeback, Kira. “She was the most frightened little dog ever. It was incredible what it did for her confidence. The physical activity and mental stimulation was good for her and us as well,” says Jacqui.

Jacqui was previously the kind of person who always owned backyard dogs. “I never realized there was this big world of dog activities. It’s amazing,” she says. Jacqui never expected to compete with Kira because Kira had issues with some of the equipment. “She was afraid of the loud noise of the teeter-totter. But we continued to have fun. I bought one for home, fed her on it, worked with her for months, and eventually she lost her fear,” Jacqui recalls.

Kira and Jacqui now compete. “I love it when she wins, but it doesn’t bother me when she doesn’t. As long as we’re having a good time, that’s what’s important. I credit agility for giving her confidence. She’s a completely different dog than the one I adopted,” says Jacqui.

Wortley Ganoe, one of Marcello’s favorite teachers, has been teaching obedience classes at CTA for 35 years. She first started agility with her dogs (she owns seven now) 23 years ago in Frederick, Md. When CTA started teaching agility 4 ½ years ago, Wortley became part of the staff. “It doesn’t matter what breed or size your dog is,” she explains. “The hardest thing for a smaller dog is to teach them how to make the teeter-totter go down. The important thing is that you and your dog are having fun.”

She says requirements for participation are minimal. Dogs must be at least a year old in order to ensure their bones are fully developed. CTA conducts an evaluation of you and your dog to make sure he/she isn't aggressive. “Your dog doesn’t need to have had obedience training. But the owner has to have control with his/her voice. Your dog should know how to sit and stay, which is required both at the beginning of a course and on the Pause Table,” says Wortley.

Agility classes at CTA range from Basic to Open Excellent. No pressure is placed on either you or your dog to compete or to move into another class. This summer Marcello and I are in our third class. I’ve seen tremendous progress from last year and feel a wondrous communication between us I never knew could exist with a dog.

I don’t know if Marcello and I will ever try a competition. For now, he loves the challenge, and I love having fun with him.

Classes at CTA start Aug. 7. For more information, e-mail Wortley Ganoe  wortleysdogs@comcast.com, or visit www.caninetrainingassociation.org. For books on agility training, visit www.jjdog.com.

Pattie Cinelli is a personal fitness trainer for humans who has recently extended her services to include agility training of her dog. You may see her with Marcello, practicing their weaving techniques using the tombstones at Congressional Cemetery or working on their “sit and stays” at Lincoln Park. Please e-mail any questions/comments to fitness@pattiecinelli.com.