ARFF Current 2024 Practice Schedule

ARFF practices at our home field in Carlisle, Massachusetts from late April until November (weather permitting). Our practices include full courses from USDAA, AKC, CPE and NADAC trials, as well as exercises designed to teach and refine handling skills. Members of the Practice Committee offer insights and assistance during practice for those who would like training help. ​
Wednesday 5:00 Playtime
5:45 Setup
6:00 Practice Time
7:00 Practice ends
Saturday 9:15 Setup
9:30 Practice Starts
11:00 Practice ends
11:00 Playtime
Sunday 3:00 Playtime
3:45 Setup
4:00 Practice Starts
5:00 Practice Ends
5:00 Playtime
Please bring the course/exercise maps to practice. You'll find them by clicking the link at the top of each description.
sign up for practice

Weekly Practice and Field Info

  • Startline Challenges
    Exercises to run with your dog or lead out. You decide. Lots of turning options here. Plan ahead! Exercise 1 for Wed, 6/4, and exercise 3 for Sat, 6/7. Sign up and see who else has signed up at https://bit.ly/ARFF_Practice Please remember to bring your course maps with you to practice.
  • Serpentines in Sequence
    Serpentines are common configurations in agility. Recognizing them and knowing how to manage them will make your runs faster and much smoother. The general rules for dealing with serpentines are 1) first look at where you want to be after the serpentine (that often determines which side of the serpentine you want to handle on—or whether to ... Read More
  • Straight Tunnels that Get in the Way
    Straight tunnels always add the element of speed to a dog’s run; often you can’t outrun a dog in a straight tunnel, so you have to come up with other handling options. These exercises feature a tunnel that “gets in the way” of where you’re going. Having to negotiate wings instead of wingless jumps also ... Read More
  • Table, Tire, Long Jump
    Exercise 1 for May 14: Most people practice the long jump rarely. You may want to practice it separately first before putting it in the sequences. Giving your dog a straight-on approach helps him clear it cleanly. You could set up Exercise 2 for Sat., May 17. The table interrupts flow so it’s a potential ... Read More
  • Tight Turns with Weaves
    Getting a good weave entry and performance in tight, twisty courses takes practice. Exercise 1 offers backksides, tunnel sends, and odd weave entries. Signup and see who else has signed up at https://bit.ly/ARFF_Practice Please remember to bring your course maps with you to practice.

Signup and see who else has signed up at ARFF Practice Signup Sheet