Blind Agility- Is It Possible?

No dog can sucessfully complete an Agility course without prior training. Not even the most clever, sighted dog. I can't imagine a blind dog being able to traverse a full-size dogwalk or the teeter without someone holding onto it to guide it. It just would not be safe. A blind dog being able to locate jumps & gauge jump stride to run an agility course would be pretty much impossible. The courses are different everytime, the spacing between jumps varies. The jumps themselves vary & the dog is running. I think a dog could get a rhythm to weave, but how would they find the weave entry? Maybe you could teach them to work on a fixed course. But a regular agility course, with the handler not touching the dog, I don't think so, esp. not safely.

I have seen two dogs with one eye run agility. Both were Agility dogs before losing their eyes. They learned to adapt. Some things are still very hard for them. And I have seen experienced Agility dogs with limited vision d/t CEA or losing their vision d/t PRA or cataracts running Agility. It's not pretty. They can not find the obstacles, crash jumps dangerously & usually end up refusing to do the DogWalk & Teeter because they can't see well enough to judge safely anymore. They can't find the weaves to weave unless if their handler literally knee bumps them into the weave entrance. I rechecked all the rulebooks for the different Agility venues & all but one specifically address blind dogs not being eligible to compete (AKC, USDAA, NADAC, ASCA, UKC & CPE) DOCNA has provisions for "physically challenged" dogs. They specify canine amputees & visually & hearing "compromised" dogs. It looks like the provision is a jump height break, nothing else & it doesn't address dogs that are totally blind. You would need to inquire further with them. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by your "local competitive courses". But I feel assured that anyplace training Agility or offering Run-Thrus or Drills or Fun Matches would place the dog's safety as top priority. In some of these situations you might be able to play a little bit of Agility with her & safely help her to navigate a course. In that case, if she thinks it's fun, why not? Kudos to you for taking this girly on as a foster & training project. I hope she finds a lovely forever home where she fits in & is loved. Keep it safe. Have Fun.

Source(s):

Agility Trainer/Competitor 10 yrs

I have a 10 year old min pin who is loosing his sight. He started having trouble judging when he needed to take off for jumps. I lowered his jump height and he is now doing pretty well. However, he has only limited vision and has been running agility for 6 years. I have noticed him being much more cautious on the contacts. I don't think it would be safe for a totally blind dog to do contacts especially. My dog will have to retire completely from agility as his sight worsens. I think it would really be unsafe to compete in agility with a totally blind dog. I would stick to safer set things at home, verses the constant changes at a trial. And as someone stated, most venues would not allow a blind dog to compete. It sounds like you are doing a great job with this dog. Good luck

I think absolutely, yes, as long as you are able to recreate an agility course to train him on that is exactly the same set up as the one he will be competing on.Dont tell them of the disability. I saw a show on tv about a deaf Dane who won first place ribbon in agility and afterward one of the judges approached the owner and remarked about how well the dog did, and about fell over when the owner told the judge the pup was 100% deaf, she remarked, "I had NO idea"

Yes, she should be able to compete. In fact, if you can properly desensitize her to loud noises and crowds I think it would be a great idea. It sounds to me like you have a stellar dog there that would make an EXCELLENT animal ambassador. I mean, think about the impact someone could make with a blind dog running agility. She could really help kids with disabilities realize you don't have to let a physical limitation be your downfall, that it can be just a part of you that makes you special.

It may be difficult, especially since it will be long, unfamiliar, and strange. The show atmosphere may frighten her as well, since there are so many sounds and scents she cannot see, and it may be hard for her to focus on learning the course quickly and accurately.

However, nothing is impossible. If she really trusts you, and is patient yet grasps things quickly, you should defientely attempt bringing her to a local course she is unfamiliar with and pretend it is a show.

If you can find an organization that will allow her to compete then I don't see why not. Your biggest problem will likely be getting her to focus on you with all the noise of the crowd since she will have to depend on verbal cues and not have the added benefit of visual cues. I would recommend working on getting her to focus on you and your commands regardless of the background noise before you try entering her. Perhaps enlist friends and family to act as spectators and engage in all sorts of distracting behavior that you may get from a crowd.

Thank you for a lovely question and best of luck.

IMHO you have been accomplishing enough (even withoug agility course)

Best of luck in everything to all of you!!!!!

go check with the vet in case the dog is not blind

and it amazing a untrained blind dog fly test.

it could be possible because of gene, or maybe a Special ability

you never know if you dont try. However PLEASE don't try to have her do the A-frame or dog walk. Any of the other obstacles I don't see why she couldn't give it a try