Thirty dogs and their handlers compete in agility in Corse-du-Sud over two weekends

For two weekends, competitors from all over the island and from different regions of France will meet in Afa to complete a very demanding course. The opportunity to distinguish champions and give visibility to agility, a growing discipline

Two weekends in a row, June 25 and 26 and July 2 and 3, around thirty dogs and their masters come from all the island and from different French regions will share the contest poster agility – a kind of jumping intended for our four-legged friends – organized by the Athletidog Kennel Club located in the town from Afa.

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It is up to each team to develop the best strategy to manage an obstacle course, demanding from a technical and physical point of view. Each will focus on the issues of his group A, B or C, in other words small, medium and large dog, all breeds combined. “We also have a disabled category, it is aimed at masters who have locomotor problems“, says Laura Luciani, canine educator and president of the club. All events will be held in the morning between 8 a.m. and noon. The competition adapts to the climatic conditions. Athletes need to be spared. In addition, the moment should not be experienced as a painful constraint either.

The right education

“The pleasure of practicing a sporting activity, other than walking or hiking, with your dog must take precedence. The complicity between the master and the animal will be strengthened. To practice this discipline and especially during competitions, a real osmosis must be created. It is up to the master to ensure that his dog completes the course drawn by judges in the shortest possible time and without accumulating a penalty.“, explains the president of the club. All under the pressure of a healthy emulation.

Through the 2022 edition of the competition, Laura Luciani remains faithful to her commitments. “I’ve been doing agility for seven years now. At the time, this sport was unknown on the island. I had to go to the continent if I wanted to take courses and take part in competitions. This leads to high travel costs. Three years ago, I decided, in my turn, to organize competitions within the club to popularize agility and to make our island known to continental and foreign competitors if necessary”she develops.

His approach is a success. It finds its place in a buoyant context. Agility is growing and attracting an ever-increasing number of practitioners. “Canine clubs in Bastia and Porto-Vecchio offer agility and set up competitions. It’s developing nicely.”she welcomes.

The trend is comparable when it comes to dog training. More and more, one makes sure that his best friend assimilates the good rules of conduct, stops taking himself for the pack leader that he is not and, ultimately, feels good about himself. “I receive many requests for puppies. People want to get off to a good start with their pet, so they don’t run into behavioral issues when they’re older. They want to do things right.“

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The canine educator often also intervenes to instil good manners in adults who are a little too turbulent, who “pull on a leash, who don’t have a reminder, who damage the house because they can’t stay alone, for example”.

Competition beasts

The course will be more or less long depending on the temperament of the dog but also the involvement of the master. “It is up to him, in fact, to accomplish a large part of the work.“she comments.

Laura’s principle is that of positive pedagogy. The important thing is to know how to motivate your students. The happier they are, the more they progress. “We operate with rewards. The dog is given a toy, a little treat. We place the accent on the relational, we try to understand the dog.“

Part of its workforce will extend its training on the agility course. The evolution is logical. “He It is essential to have a good education because on an agility field, the dog must know a certain number of instructions. Do not move at the start, then the abseil. He must follow the master, be very sociable because he will be brought to rub shoulders with his congeners and a lot of people.“

Exercise, when assimilated to a hobby, is within everyone’s reach, even those who, a priori, don’t really have the physique for. Each according to his abilities. The important thing is to participate. “Bulldogs, dachshunds, among others, can very well pass through tunnels or cross bars near the ground.”

The high level, on the other hand, is reserved for the few.

Among the most gifted, border collies, malinois, terriers, Shetland sheepdogs. “Discipline is dominated by sheepdogs. Usually they love it. There are dogs that don’t like discipline. In that case, we stop.” she remarks. All go through the physical preparation stage, like an “athlete”. We will work on cardio, fitness. Sheathing is part of the fitness program. At the same time, the diet is adapted to the effort to be provided. The content of the bowl can vary according to the tastes of the athletes.