If you're getting started in AKC agility, you'll quickly learn that two classes form the backbone of the program: Standard and Jumpers With Weaves (JWW). Most trials offer both, and most handlers enter both. But they're very different experiences on course.
Understanding those differences will help you train smarter, walk courses better, and set realistic goals for you and your dog.
What's in a Standard Course?
Standard agility includes the full range of obstacles. On any given Standard course, you'll encounter:
- Jumps — Bar jumps, panel jumps, tire jumps, and spread jumps.
- Tunnels — Open tunnels that your dog runs through.
- Weave poles — A set of 6 or 12 poles your dog must weave through.
- Contact obstacles — The A-frame, dog walk, and seesaw. Your dog must touch the yellow “contact zone” at the bottom of each.
- The table — Your dog must jump on the table and hold a sit or down for a count of five seconds.
Standard courses test your dog's ability to handle a wide variety of obstacles and transitions. The contact obstacles in particular require training and control, because missing a contact zone is a fault.
What's in a JWW Course?
Jumpers With Weaves strips the course down to the fast stuff:
- Jumps — Lots of them.
- Tunnels — Usually a few.
- Weave poles — One or two sets.
That's it. No contacts, no table. JWW courses tend to be faster and more flowing, with an emphasis on jumping accuracy, speed, and tight handling. Because there are no contact obstacles to slow things down, JWW rewards dogs that can run at full speed while staying responsive to their handler's cues.
Title Tracks Are Separate
Standard and JWW have completely separate title progressions in AKC:
- Standard titles → NA (Novice Agility) → OA (Open Agility) → AX (Agility Excellent) → MX (Master Agility Excellent)
- JWW titles → NAJ (Novice Agility Jumper) → OAJ (Open Agility Jumper) → AXJ (Excellent Agility Jumper) → MXJ (Master Excellent Jumper)
You earn titles independently in each class. It's common for dogs to be at different levels in Standard and JWW. For example, a fast dog with shaky contacts might be in Excellent JWW but still working through Open Standard.
Strategy Differences
Walking a Standard Course
When you walk a Standard course, pay close attention to the approach angles for contact obstacles. How your dog approaches the A-frame or dog walk affects whether they'll hit the contact zone cleanly. Also plan your table strategy — where will you stand while your dog holds position?
Standard courses tend to have more natural pausing points (contacts, table), so you can sometimes recover from a handling mistake. Use those moments to regroup.
Walking a JWW Course
JWW is all about flow. When you walk the course, look for the smoothest path through the jumps. Identify where you need to be to keep your dog on line, and plan your crosses early. Once the run starts, there's no table or contact to give you a breather — it's go time from start to finish.
Because JWW moves fast, off-courses (taking the wrong obstacle) are more common. Spend extra time during your walk identifying traps where your dog might take a wrong jump.
Which One Should You Focus On?
Both. Seriously. Most handlers enter both Standard and JWW at every trial, and the skills complement each other. Standard teaches your dog precision and control. JWW teaches speed and responsiveness. Together, they make a well-rounded agility team.
If you're training a young dog, you might find JWW easier to start with since there are fewer obstacle types to proof. But don't neglect Standard training — contact performance takes time to build, and you don't want to be stuck in Novice Standard while your dog flies through Excellent JWW.
Running both Standard and JWW means double the scoring to track. Barkloop makes it easy for trial secretaries to manage results across all AKC classes — so you can focus on your handling, not your paperwork.