Walk into any agility venue and you'll see a colorful collection of obstacles spread across the ring. Each one tests a different skill — speed, accuracy, teamwork, or all three at once. Understanding what each obstacle is and what it asks of your dog is the first step toward navigating a course with confidence.
Let's go through every obstacle you're likely to encounter.
Jumps
Jumps are the most common obstacles on any agility course. A typical course might have 12 to 16 jumps out of 18 to 22 total obstacles. They test your dog's ability to jump cleanly at speed while maintaining their line.
Bar Jump (Single Jump)
The standard agility jump: two uprights with a horizontal bar resting on cups. The bar is set at your dog's competition height. If the dog knocks the bar off, it's a fault. Bar jumps are the building blocks of every course.
Panel Jump
Instead of a single bar, the panel jump has a solid face made of boards. Dogs can't see through it, which changes how they judge their takeoff. It tests a dog's ability to jump confidently when they can't see the landing side clearly.
Double Jump (Spread)
Two bars set at the same height but spaced apart, creating a wider jump. The dog has to cover more distance in the air. Doubles test jumping power and the handler's ability to give the dog enough room to take off properly.
Triple Jump (Extended Spread)
Three bars set at ascending heights, creating an even wider spread. Triples require the most jumping effort and are usually placed where the dog has a straight approach. Not all organizations use triples.
Tire Jump
A circular opening (shaped like a tire) suspended in a frame. The dog must jump through the center of the opening, not over or under it. Tire jumps test accuracy — the dog needs to aim for the hole, not just leap in the general direction.
Some organizations have moved to breakaway tire designs for safety, where the tire separates if a dog hits it rather than trapping them.
Broad Jump (Long Jump)
A series of low, angled boards laid out on the ground in a row. The dog must clear the entire length without stepping on any board. It tests the dog's ability to jump for distance rather than height. The total length depends on the dog's jump height category.
Contact Obstacles
Contact obstacles are the big, colorful pieces of equipment that dogs must climb up and over (or across). They're called “contacts” because each one has painted yellow “contact zones” at the bottom of the up and down ramps. The dog must touch these zones — missing them is a fault.
A-Frame
Two large ramps leaning against each other to form an A shape. The dog runs up one side and down the other. The A-frame is typically the tallest obstacle on course, with the apex around 5 to 6 feet high depending on the organization. It tests confidence, speed control, and the ability to hit the contact zones at the bottom of each ramp.
Dog Walk
A narrow plank elevated about 4 feet off the ground, with ramps going up and down. Think of it as a balance beam for dogs. The dog walk is roughly 12 feet long in total. It tests balance, steadiness, and contact zone performance. Many dogs find the dog walk harder than the A-frame because the plank is narrower.
Seesaw (Teeter-Totter)
A plank balanced on a central fulcrum, like a playground seesaw. The dog walks up the high end, and their weight tips the plank until the other end touches the ground. The dog must ride the plank down and touch the contact zone before exiting.
The seesaw is often the most challenging contact obstacle for dogs. It moves, makes noise, and requires the dog to shift their weight and wait for the board to tip. Many training programs spend extra time building seesaw confidence.
Tunnels
Agility uses open tunnels — flexible, barrel-shaped tubes that the dog runs through. Tunnels can be set in a straight line or curved into various shapes (C-curves, S-curves, or U-turns).
Dogs generally love tunnels. They're fast, fun, and most dogs take to them naturally. The challenge for the handler is positioning: tunnels have two openings, and the dog needs to enter the correct one. Sending a dog to the wrong end of a tunnel is one of the most common handling mistakes on course.
Older rule sets also included a collapsed tunnel (chute) with a fabric section the dog pushes through, but most organizations have phased these out for safety reasons.
Weave Poles
A line of 12 upright poles spaced about 24 inches apart. The dog must weave through them, entering with the first pole at their left shoulder and alternating sides all the way through without skipping any pole.
Weave poles are widely considered the hardest obstacle in agility to train. They require a specific physical motion, precise footwork, and intense concentration from the dog. A missed entry, skipped pole, or popped-out pole is a fault. We cover weave poles in much more detail in our dedicated guide.
Pause Table
A low platform (usually about 8 to 16 inches high, depending on jump height) where the dog must jump on and hold a position — either a sit or a down — for a count of five seconds. The judge counts out loud.
The table tests impulse control. After running full speed through a course, the dog has to stop, get on the table, assume a position, and hold it while the handler stands nearby. For high-drive dogs, this can be surprisingly difficult. Some organizations have removed the table from certain class types, but it remains a staple in many programs.
Which Obstacles Appear in Which Classes
Not every class uses every obstacle. Here's a general breakdown:
- Standard / Agility classes: All obstacles — jumps, contacts, tunnels, weave poles, and usually a pause table. This is the “everything” class.
- Jumping / JWW classes: Jumps, tunnels, and weave poles only. No contacts and no table. These courses tend to be faster and more flowing.
- Speedstakes / Time-only classes: Usually jumps and tunnels. Simple courses designed for speed.
- Games classes (Gamblers, Snooker, etc.): Varies by game. May use any combination of obstacles depending on the rules of that particular game.
Getting to Know the Equipment
If you're new to agility, don't worry about memorizing all of this at once. Your training classes will introduce each obstacle one at a time. Most dogs take naturally to jumps and tunnels. Contacts and weave poles take more time and patience.
The most important thing is to let your dog build positive associations with each piece of equipment. A confident dog who enjoys the obstacles will always perform better than one who was rushed through training.
Barkloop handles the scoring for every class type and every obstacle — so whether your dog is flying over bar jumps or navigating the seesaw, results are tracked accurately from the first run to the last. Focus on the course, and let us handle the rest.