Agility Training
Agility training for dogs of a minimum of 12 calendar months of age.
Training is offered with the aim of the handler and dog reaching competition standard. European turns and gridwork form part of the instructed techniques.
Tuesday evenings
Current to Spring 2025
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6:45pm-7:35pm Session 1
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7:40pm-8:30pm Session 2
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8:35pm-9:25pm Session 3
For further details talk to an instructor.
Experienced dogs currently competing or ready to compete
Please fill in the form linked below to be considered for an assessment. Places are dependent on space available in classes.
Please tell us about your dog's current Agility level including experience on equipment including weaves. Be aware that we run two classes concurrently per session - the arena is divided by a plastic mesh fence.
Dogs and handlers will be assessed by Instructors and placed in the appropriate class for their level.
To enquire about Agility training for an experienced dog fill in the Enquiry Form for an Experienced Agility Dog
Future Agility Beginners' Courses
The beginners' class is currently closed to enquiries. We offer an email alert service that will inform you when we are open for applications again.
When the application period re-opens, you can apply for a place by filling in online form with some details about you and your dog. When the application period closes the instructors consider to whom to offer a place for an assessment session before the beginners' course.
Future beginners' courses will be announced via the Alert Service and on our website.
Block payments over specified time periods, which work out cheaper than paying weekly but no refund available if you miss a week due to illness/dog injury etc. Payment per class by prior arrangement only.
plus £15.00 Annual Membership (£7.50 under 18s)
50% reduction if joining after 1st September
Contact us for more details.
Agility training takes place on Tuesday evenings at Shuttleworth College Equine Centre, Old Warden, Bedfordshire.
Directions to Venue

Agility FAQs
Venue
- Parking is in the yard in front of the arena and stables.
- The arena is accessed from the yard through the door of the building to the left, below the sign for the Viewing Gallery.
- We train at an indoor venue (although it isn't heated, so wrap up warm in winter!).
- The surface is compacted waxed sand. Suitable footwear includes trainers (ensure the sole has sufficient grip), trailrunners and hockey shoes with an astroturf sole.
- Please do not let your dog run off lead on the paths and in the woodland around the centre; rat poison is in use in the area. Keep your dog on a lead at all times except when you are working it.
- Pick up after your dog at all times.
- Toilets are located to the right after entering through the narrow door between the white building and the metal shutters from outside. From the smaller arena, go straight on through the stables until you come to the back wall of the building at the far end. The toilets are through the door at the bottom of a ramp with rails. Please either wash your hands in the sinks outside of the toilets or use hand sanitiser prior to entering the toilets.
- If your dog has a long coat, you can use dog grooming spray or a horse product: Canter® Mane and Tail Conditioner to prevent the surface sticking to the dog's coat. These products are available from pet shops and equestrian supply shops and are pictured below:
Dog Grooming Spray is available from most pet shops.
Canter® Mane and Tail Conditioner is available from online stores and from G&M Growers, near Biggleswade
Training
- We need help setting up the equipment before the start of the first session and putting it away after the last session. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes. If you train in the first session, could you arrive as close to 6.15pm as possible.
- Allow handlers and dogs training in the previous session to leave the arena before you enter it.
- Only work your dog on the equipment when directed to do so by an Instructor.
- Ensure any toys used are non-squeaky.
- Two classes are run in each session: the arena is divided by a plastic mesh fence.
- Keep your dog on a lead at all times except when you are working it. Keep your dog under control at all times when around other dogs; not all of them like other dogs.
- Give space to a dog being worked - particularly at the start and finish. If you are training at the Agility end of the arena (the far end), please give space to the dogs training in the Jumping end when you leave the arena.
- We would appreciate it (as would our neighbours!) if you could keep your dog's barking to a minimum when it isn't being worked. Please be considerate to the other class training at the same time.
- If you have not trained for 3 weeks and have not let us know why not, your place may be given to someone else. If you can't come to training, either temporarily or permanently, please let us know. You can do this using the Contact us form, our Facebook page or our Whatsapp training group.
- Training is offered with the aim of reaching a standard for competition. European turns and gridwork form part of the instructed techniques.
Equipment
- Our equipment is supplied by JDA Agility Equipment who also supply Agility Shows. It is of Kennel Club competition standard.
- The weave poles use the standard spacings and we have channel weaves for the less experienced dogs. The weave poles are plastic.
- All of the contact equipment has rubberised surfaces: the A-frame, seesaw and dogwalk are aluminium. We also have a lower height wooden dogwalk and a lower height seesaw.
- Tunnels are secured using canvas panniers weighted with sand.
- We have a saloon door style tyre.