Know better, do better, be better
I used to think that agility is great. Just a few years ago, I thought that agility would be a great outlet for active dogs who enjoy doing "stuff," and for their guardians who would like to strengthen their bond with their dogs by doing "stuff" together.
Note that I am using the term "guardian" here, instead of owner or handler or other similar terms, as I now tend to think of us (i.e., the humans) as guardians of the dogs, with a big part of our responsibility being to safeguard our dog(s) and advocate on their behalf.
If you were to ask me a few years ago, "Can I do agility with my dog?" My answer would be, "Yes, sure you can," without additional thought to whether the sports of agility is an appropriate activity to your dog. At the time, my mindset was focused on the "CAN" part of the question. But whether you CAN do something [insert whatever sports or activity you have in mind] with your dog does not mean that you SHOULD. Just because a dog CAN jump 6 ft high does not mean that they SHOULD.
The same applies to any living being.
Just because I, as a reasonably healthy person, CAN physically run a marathon does not mean that I SHOULD. In fact, I CAN probably run a marathon, but I will most likely be sore for the next two weeks at the very least, and I will very likely get injured.
Knowing what I know now about fitness, conditioning, body structure, posture, movement, and gait, the question we should ask is, "Should I do agility with my dog?"
Which should then be followed with a series of question, such as, but not limited to:
What is the overall physical condition of the dog?
Is the dog at appropriate body weight?
Note that overweight dogs are much more likely to get injured, and strenuous activities like agility will put undue stress to their joints.
What kind of structure does the dog have?
Dogs with straight rears are at higher risk of injuries, such as cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injury.
How does the dog hold themselves naturally? Is the dog able to hold a balanced stand? Is there asymmetric rotation in one limb?
If left unchecked, these are all issues that are likely to be exacerbated with agility training.
How does the dog move? Does one leg have more extension than other? Is the dog favoring one side than the other?
These issues may present as problems in agility which sometimes get chalked up to training issues. If left unchecked, these issues will only get worse as the dog learns to compensate better.
I am not saying that dogs do not benefit from agility training. In fact, I think many flatwork exercises that are common in foundation agility training are helpful to improve body awareness, build confidence, and strengthen the bond in each dog/guardian team.
However, as our dogs cannot speak for themselves, it is our responsibility, as their guardians, to look out for them and advocate on their behalf. As trainers and instructors, it is only ethical for us to evaluate each dog as them come to us, and assess whether the sports/activity their guardian has in mind is appropriate and/or beneficial for them (both dog and guardian). As we become more educated, it is our responsibility to utilize that knowledge to do better - for us, our dogs, as well as our students and clients.
So now, if you ask me if any dog can do agility, my answer will be "No, not every dog SHOULD do agility."
Know better, do better, be better.
