 Brains or Brawn - What Makes an Agility Dog?
The best agility dogs have four essential qualities that combine brain and brawn: trainability, desire to work, speed and athletic ability. All are equally important if a dog is to reach the pinnacle of this sport. "Brain doesn't do much good in a body that can't carry out the instructions, and athletic ability isn't very useful if the dog isn't trainable or doesn't have the desire to work," says trainer Liz Palika of Oceanside, Calif., who owns Australian Shepherds.
It's no surprise that six of the top 10 agility breeds are herding dogs. These breeds are known for their focus, desire to work and high energy levels. And, besides being capable of learning many commands and signals, herding dogs have a heritage of working on their own, often at great distances from their handlers. With few of these dogs still used for their original purpose, agility is without a doubt the next best way to channel their intelligence and drive.Three of the top agility breeds belong to the Sporting Group, another group that successfully combines brains and brawn. Retrievers and spaniels were bred to work closely with hunters in the field, as well as to retrieve game at a distance. They're easy to train and eager to please, qualities that are important to success in agility trials. That ball of fire, the Jack Russell Terrier, also exemplifies what it takes to make it in agility. It's fast and energetic, with brains and muscle to match. What it might lack in focus and trainability, it makes up for in style. Smart, lively, nimble, fast, willing: Which characteristic is most important in an agility dog? It's impossible to separate one from another. The breeds that do best in agility have all of these qualities in abundance, but to do their best they need one more thing: a patient, flexible trainer.
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