"Agility, where a dog demonstrates its versatility in negotiating a variety of obstacles, is simply one of the most enjoyable activities for dogs. It allows them to race as fast as they can, leap through the air with abandon and climb to the highest peak - to exercise many of the activities they love to do - in a competitive atmosphere. Working with its handler, a dog races through an obstacle course designed to showcase these natural attributes. Our fastest-growing sport, Agility is fun and exciting for participants and spectators alike."
~from the AKC website

In the mid 1980's, when we first started working our dogs in Agility, it was in a more "Police Protection" type format. The jumps were 4 feet high, the A-frame was nearly a six-foot wall - straight up and the dog walk was only 9 inches wide with no "contact areas". It was hard on the dogs body... can you imagine repeatedly jump off the top of a six foot high wall? After working with Rascal and Geeske in 1986 at the North American Working Bouvier Association (NAWBA) trials, we stopped participating in agility because our competitors developed bone spurs as they became older from the pounding they incurred coming down off the 6 foot A-Frames. Am Cdn CH. Joy-A-Len's Saucie Sally T.T. injured her spine from falling. It was more of an endurance event, whereas, now it is a timed event designed with the dogs safety in mind.

Since then the canine registries (AKC, CKC, UKC) have created a more 'dog friendly' course for agility. The jumps are lower, the A-frame not as high and they have created 'contact areas' which forces handlers to train the dogs to walk down off an obstacle and not jump from the top. This creates a much lower impact on the dogs body. The SAFETY of the dog is the number one priority.