All paws on deck as Dog Agility World Games come to Tucson

Hundreds of dogs from across the country and around the world are in Tucson this week to run, jump and weave through a series of obstacle courses at the annual Cynosport Dog Agility World Games .

The U.S. Dog Agility Association's championship tournament runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 10, at the north stadium at Kino Sports Complex, 2817 E. Ajo Way.

Admission is free for the event.

Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome. In addition to the tournament, there will be dog agility classes and rally, dock diving and disc dog events. Check out cynosport.com for a schedule of non-tournament events.

Dog agility tournaments have been around in the U.S. for over 40 years, at about the same time the U.S. Dog Agility Association was founded in 1986.

But, what exactly is dog agility?

"Dog agility is a competitive sport in which a handler directs a dog over an obstacle course, using voice and hand signals," the USDAA said in a news release. "Dogs maneuver through a timed course designed to test agility as they jump over hurdles, race through tunnels, traverse ramps of different shapes and sizes, tip a seesaw, and weave through a line of poles. It is the handler's challenge to give the necessary guidance and encouragement to direct the dog without using a leash."

Despite being a national event that brings people together from all over, this year's Cynosport Dog Agility World Games in Tucson is home to a few competitors, including Kirsten Lake and her 5-year-old dog Ren.

Lake, a member of the Tucson-based Saguaro Scramblers Agility Club, has competed in dog agility events since 2011. But before participating in dog agility events, she worked with horses and even helped train dogs for Broadway musicals in New York City.

She adopted Ren, a half-border collie, half-Australian cattle dog, when he was just 6 months old.

"When I got Ren, I was pretty passionate about agility," Lake said. "I was specifically looking for a more intense dog that would love a sport and a rescue reached out and called me and said, 'We have a dog that's being returned because it's too high energy and we think it might be a good match for you.' And that's how I found him."

Soon after getting Ren, she began working closely with him and training him for dog agility events.

"He's extremely affectionate and just wants to help be petted," she said. "But at the same time, he can become very intense when he's running an agility course. Or, he can be goofy. He likes to chase birds. But, he takes this as a serious job. So, he's a really fun dog."

At this year's event, you can expect to see dogs going over jumps, running over ramps, flying through a tire, weaving through a set of 12 upright poles and running up a teeter-totter, according to Lake.

However, handlers and their dogs won't know exactly what to expect from the obstacle course until they arrive at the event. From there, they only have a few minutes to walk the course with their dog and create a plan for the best course of action.

If the dog doesn't execute the course correctly during the competition and makes a mistake such as turning back on an obstacle or displacing poles from hurdles, they will receive a "fault" which deducts points from their overall score. The competitor with the least amount of penalties is the winner.

Although the games are extremely competitive, Lake is focused on having a good time and meeting other competitors.

"I am looking forward to watching all the people that I admire. This is a chance where I get to sit down in front of a ring and see really good teams compete," she said. "That's what I'm going for. Other people who will be here, obviously, they're excited, they want to win or they want to challenge themselves on difficult courses. For me, personally, I just love to see multiple teams that I normally don't get to see compete."

Lake encourages people of all ages to check out the event this weekend for fierce competition and overall fun.

"This is an actual sport with strategy, with unique challenges," Lake said. "And so if people are interested in sports, it's a new sport that they can check out. And especially if they're dog lovers and sports lovers, this is a unique opportunity where you get to see dogs (participating) with their owners. It's just such a unique thing."

Contact Elvia Verdugo, the Star's community sports editor, at . A journalism and history graduate from the University of Arizona, she hopes to share stories that show what makes Tucson and its community special.

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Community Sports Editor