Salt Lake City Dog Agility and Sport Options

Salt Lake City and surrounding areas are a mecca for building an enduring relationship with your dog. Various organizations provide opportunities for dogs and their owners to exercise, entertain, and enjoy each other. From puppies to adults, jumpers to swimmers, and rescue mutts to pedigreed canines, your dog will gladly work hard to learn obedience, confidence, and fitness with you by their side. Everything a dog could want for sporting, tracking and bonding with you can be found by connecting with these outfits we’ve sniffed out for you.

Agility

Dog agility is a sport where you direct your dog through a pre-set obstacle course within a specific time limit. Courses typically have between 14-20 obstacles, which can include tunnels, weave poles, tire jumps, seesaws, and pause tables where the dog must stop for a set amount of time. At each trial, you and your dog will race around the unique courses designed for that day.  All of this is done with your dog relying solely on the cues and body language you use to direct them on course.

Dogs love agility training. They’re naturally full of energy, curiosity, and talent. Whether you and your dog would enjoy regular doggie dates having a blast on the courses, or you’re serious about forging a champion, the best way to start is by building a solid foundation. Puppies who start with obedience training quickly bond with their handlers, creating a comfortable mutual respect and fondness. Agility courses provide dozens of challenging obstacles, including tunnels, poles, tires, and seesaws, as your dog races around while following your cues and signals.

 It is recommended that puppies younger than 18 months don’t do competitive jumping or weaving around poles due to their developing bone structure. After 18 months, they can hit it hard and sign up for competitions, where they’ll enjoy showing off their speed and skills.

Dog Parks with Agility Equipment

Taking your dog to a local dog park with agility equipment is a free and practical way to get your feet wet with agility. Thankfully there are several parks in and around Salt Lake with basic equipment to test out.

Before, during, and following basic agility skills training, you can take your dog to one of the following dog parks:

• Fairmont Park in Sugarhouse

• Dayland Dog Park in Draper

• Galena Hills Dog Park in Draper

• Willow Creek Dog Park in Park City

If you want your dog to be able to focus in a more private space, you can also consider a basic home agility setup that can easily be transported to wherever you need to train!

Outward Hound Zip & Zoom Indoor Dog Agility Training Kit for Dogs

Buy on Amazon

CHEERING PET Dog Agility Training Equipment, 4 Piece Dog Obstacle Course Includes Dog Jump, Tire Jump, Pause Box and Weave Poles with Carrying Case, Indoor Our Outdoor Dog Agilty Equipment

Buy on Amazon

Salt Lake City Dog Agility Classes

If your dog seems interested in the mental and physical challenge of agility, consider getting them into some formal training. Several local trainers offer agility courses for a variety of levels:

• Side by Side Dog Training (Salt Lake City)- Side by Side offers 6 classes in their Agility Foundations for an incredibly reasonable $165. Dogs attending this class must be at least 10 months old and have basic obedience skills. Attendees are required to either have attended classes at Side by Side before or have instructor approval.

• Live Oak Dog Obedience (Bluffdale)– Live Oak offers a comprehensive array classes including puppy, beginner, and advanced agility. 8-session packs are $300 and are good for any classes, including scent, agility, and rally. Single classes, virtual lessons, and private ½ hour sessions can be booked for $50 each.

• Dog Works Utah (Lehi)– Their approach is membership-based which gives your dog access to Dog Works’ multi-faceted fitness center. Dog Works is well-suited for someone committed more long term training! In addition to facility access, Dog Works also offers classes like basic agility for an additional fee. Whether to foster peace at home, acquire special working dog skills, explore dock diving, or practice agility, they’ve got your dog covered.

• Versa Dog Sports (Layton)– At Versa, you’ll find a state-of-the-art training facility with two indoor rings for classes, practice, and events. The covered outdoor arena is used for training, playschool, and daycare and is an excellent place for your dog to have fun during cold weather. They host learning opportunities from obedience to sheep herding, and antler shed hunting, in addition to agility and expert jumping. You can even rent an indoor ring for just $15 for 30 minutes to practice agility after formal training.

Agility Competition

If you and your dog are thriving with going to parks and taking introductory agility classes, consider getting involved in competition. Most competitions are sanctioned by the American Kennel Club (AKC) Events. This club allows all breeds, including mixed breeds, large and small dogs, with youth and adult handlers to compete.

The most common events are the all-breed agility trials, for competitions of over 150 varieties of dogs. There are also events for specific breeds and varieties that enter the specialty trials, and group trials for working, herding, and service dogs. The AKC welcomes the public to agility competitions to see the trials firsthand. If you’re curious but unsure whether you and your dog are right for agility, seeing other dogs and their owners in action can help you decide.

Once you’ve decided that AKC competitions are right for you, sign up for the Agility Course Test (ACT) to get started!

 Salty Dogz Agility Club

Salty Dogz Agility Club of Utah is a great place to start learning new skills with your dog and meet other handlers who are working on agility. They’re set up to hold four AKC agility trials each year and can help you prepare to compete well.

Dock Diving

If your dog loves the water and can’t get enough running, jumping, and fetching, combine these passions and get into dock diving. Competitions involve distance jumping, high jumping, and speed toy retrieval.  Luckily there are two places around Salt Lake City with beautiful pools for dock diving training.

• Dog Mode – This family-owned facility sports a sanctioned North America Diving Dogs pool that can be used for playtime, water therapy, and dock-diving. The trainers have been competing in dock jumping since 2009 and have taken multiple dogs to national championships. Try a 5-week beginner class for $200 for or practice on your own during open or reserved swim!

• Sea Dogz Aquatic and Training Center– New to the area in 2022, Sea Dogz in Ogden brings the first dog pool to the northern metro area. Their 17×40 ft pool can be rented for diving, recreational swimming, or rehab opportunities. They are still finalizing class offerings but expect social hours, training, and other opportunities for your dog.

• Dog Works Utah – Co-owned by two trainers with dozens of years of experience training dogs of all breeds in K9 units, obedience, home protection, and dog sports, they offer dock diving, aqua therapy, and conditioning for dogs of all sizes in their Dock Dogs sanctioned pool. Dog Works offers membership based access to their facility with additional training and dock diving classes available for a fee.

• Willow Creek Dog Pond – This fully-fenced, 1-acre swimming pond in Park City boasts a dock during summer months. While there will be plenty of other pups around, it’s a great place to practice some more informal dock diving training.

Scent Work

Because dogs have an incredible sense of smell, nothing is more enjoyable and fulfilling for them than to put their natural instincts to good use for treats, hugs, or their favorite toy. Scent work is a fun sport for them that builds focus, endurance, and drive. It’s a powerful way to develop teamwork and connection at the next level of observation and timing during a passionate game of hide-and-go-seek. The following places around Salt Lake can help get your dog started in scent work:

• Side by Side Dog Training

• Utah K9 Training

• Live Oak Dog Obedience

• Quibells N Bits

Barn Hunt

Whether you live in the city or the country, you probably know that cats catch mice. Many people have cats solely to keep them at bay. Did you know dogs are equal to the challenge? Dogs rid many farms of destructive animals of all types, often by barking, chasing, and defending the property. With the thrill of using their noses comes their outstanding devotion to their masters to locating vermin.

Hunting and teamwork are the basis of the sport of Barn Hunt. Dogs and their handlers work together to track down, and “mark” rats hidden among tunnels and crevices created by arranging and stacking straw and hay bales. Small breeds are stunning in their ability to squeeze through small spaces, and any size dog only needs to be able to fit through an 18-inch area as tall as a bale of hay to qualify for the Barn Hunt. This exciting sport involves (of course) a dog’s nose, speed, agility, and surefootedness. A couple options for getting involved in Barn Hunt:

• Active K9 Training Center– Although many places offer scent work, Active K9 in Park City offers dedicated Barn Hunt learning sessions. They encourage participation by all dog breeds and all ages of handlers. Events include all levels of difficulty, and titles and championships can be earned. Even though dogs will instinctively locate vermin, the handler component is essential in creating a champion partnership. Teamwork is the name of the game. Of course, the rats are safely enclosed in aerated tubes hidden within the  straw and hay maze. No blood and gore; the rats are beloved pets, too!

• Desert Rats Barn Hunt Club– This active Facebook group with just under 700 members hosts events that get rave reviews! Handlers and dogs photographed and videoed during last October’s event starred very happy-looking dogs and exuberant owners, despite the cold weather. You can join the group to ask questions, learn more about upcoming events, and interact with Barn Hunt enthusiasts. They’ll ask you about your interest in the sport and a little about your dog(s). Right away, you’re part of the family.

Flyball

This fast and furious sport pits teams of 4 dogs against each other on a relay race back and forth over a row of hurdles, to boxes sprouting tennis ball when the dog presses a spring-loaded pad. The dogs catch the ball and hustle it back to their handlers. This intense sport was invented in California in the 1970s to provide entertainment for dogs and burn off energy. For all ages and breeds, this event allows purebred canines and rescue mutts to compete alongside each other and bond with their handlers.

Thunder Paws Flyball

The team at Thunder Paws Flyball exists for dogs to have fun with their humans. It’s also competitive, with tournaments at various southern Salt Lake County locations to keep everyone involved year-round. Thunder Paws’ philosophy is, “a tired dog is a good dog.” They welcome the public to attend practices any scheduled time to see if you and your dog would be a match for the team. They offer a training guide on their website to start at home. With the annual dues of $75, practices are free.

Looking for other great things to do with your dog? Check out our Resources page!

---

This post contains affiliate links which result in Dog Friendly SLC making a small commission. By shopping products we recommend, you ensure that we can keep finding dog friendly places in Salt Lake City and Utah. We appreciate your support!