AM I READY TO GO TO A TRIAL?

Before you are ready for a trial-

1. You must practice-if you are not practicing at all on your own, I would say it would be very difficult to get to trialing level just by going to agility class.

2. Try a fun match! Most of the local clubs sponsor these occasionally. Check out SMART's website for local ones, and the main California calendar for more. Heart Dog Agility in Ben Lomond, Workin Paws in Hollister and Java Dog Training in Fremont do a lot of really good fun matches. You can run with toys and treats and mess up and no pressure at a fun match. Start out doing just jumpers.

3. Take your dog to some trials to just hang out and be there, and get used to sitting in a crate. You will be happy you did this. While you are there, work at the trial! Setting bars is a great way to hang out at the ring and watch many, many runs. Watch the handlers in the master's ring. Watch beginners. Pick up tips. Also learn to do other trial jobs.

4. Register your dog with your preferred venue. You will need registration numbers from USDAA, CPE, AKC or ASCA. AKC now allows mixed breed dogs to register and participate in agility, after many years of now allowing in their new separate but equal program. You will only see us at USDAA trials though.

WHERE ARE THESE SO CALLED DOG SHOWS?

In agility, they're called trials. Here are the most current ones coming up, within reasonable driving distance from Santa Cruz, CA-2ish hours or one tank of gas. $50 man, in gas now for one tank. So these are only USDAA, my preferred venue. Sometimes I go to CPE as well, but probably not any this year. There are LOTS more trials that you can find out about on the Southwest Agility Calendar.

I really like USDAA. I have tried CPE, but it wasn't really for me. Same with ASCA. I haven't ever tried AKC since my dogs were banned from it until this year. UKI agility is being brought here by Greg and Laura Derrett, and will probably start holding some trials this year, and I will definitely be trying those out if they're within my driving range!

Wonder where we spend our weekends? Just keep scrolling. See how we did on the blog.

24, 25 APRIL 2010
USDAA Test - Prunedale, California
Salinas-Monterey Racing Team (SMART)
Manzanita Park (Castroville Blvd.)
http://www.smartagility.com/index.html

1,2 MAY 2010
USDAA Test - Prunedale, California
The Bay Team
Manzanita Park (Castroville Blvd.)
http://www.bayteam.org/

5,6 JUNE 2010
USDAA Test - Turlock, California
Nunes Agility Field (1318 South 1st Street)
DAM Team on Sunday
http://www.nunesagilityfield.com/

3-4 JULY 2010
USDAA Test - Prunedale, California
The Bay Team
Manzanita Park (Castroville Blvd.)
Website: http://bayteam.org/

17,18 JULY 2010
USDAA Test - Carmel Valley, California
Quail Lodge
http://www.smartagility.com/index.html

28,29 AUGUST 2010
USDAA Test - Prunedale, California
Salinas-Monterey Racing Team (SMART)
Manzanita Park (Castroville Blvd.)
http://www.smartagility.com/index.html

3,4,5.6 SEPTEMBER 2010
USDAA SOUTHWEST REGIONALS- Prunedale, California
Big Fat Southwest Regional Event
The Bay Team
http://www.bayteam.org/

18,19 SEPTEMBER 2010
USDAA Test, Woodland, California
TRACS
http://www.agiltracs.org/

12-15 OCTOBER 2010
USDAA Cynosport World Games - Louisville, Kentucky
USDAA
http://www.usdaa.com

13,14 NOVEMBER 2010
USDAA Test - Turlock, California
Nunes Agility Field (1318 South 1st Street)
DAM Team on Sunday
http://www.nunesagilityfield.com/

BAY AREA/CENTRAL COAST FUN MATCHES

March
March 28-Workin Paws
April
Sunday, April 11-Heart Dog Agility
May
Saturday, May 8-Heart Dog Agility
May 15-Workin Paws
June
June 12-Workin Paws
Sunday, June 13-Heart Dog Agility
July
Saturday, July10-Heart Dog Agility
August
Sunday, August 8-Heart Dog Agility
August 21-Workin Paws
September
Saturday, September 25-Heart Dog Agility
October
Sunday, October 17-Heart Dog Agility
November
Saturday, November 20-Heart Dog Agility