If you haven’t done USDAA lately, you might watch to catch up. There have been lots of positive rules changes have happened in the last couple of years making this version of the sport even better for brand new handler/dog teams as well as the more experienced exhibitors who love the range of classes designed to develop and test one’s teamwork.

Upcoming USDAA Agility Trials:

When: Dec 13-14, 2025

Where: Indoors on artificial turf at Oriole Dog Training Club, Halethorpe, MD

Judge: Meagan Skelton

Trivia: This trial marks the 83rd USDAA trial put on by Artful Dodgers Agility (our first trial was in 1991).

When: Jan 31-Feb 1, 2026

Where: Indoors on artificial turf at Oriole Dog Training Club, Halethorpe, MD

Judge: Karen Gloor

Trivia: This trial marks the 84th USDAA trial put on by Artful Dodgers Agility (our first trial was in 1991).

When: Apr 18-19, 2026

Where: Indoors on artificial turf at Oriole Dog Training Club, Halethorpe, MD

Judge: Jelinda Pepper

Trivia: This trial marks the 85th USDAA trial put on by Artful Dodgers Agility (our first trial was in 1991).

Future USDAA Agility Trials

Three Year Look-Ahead:

2025	Feb 1-2 Judge: Scot Bartley (Lynn Sigman designing)	Apr 19-20 Judge: Randy Holford	May 17-18 Judge: Scott Lovelis
	Jul 12-13 Judge: Leslie Bickel	Oct 4-5 Judge: Paul Stolzenburg	Dec 13-14 Judge: Meagan Skelton
2026	Jan 31-Feb 1 Judge: Karen Gloor	Apr 18-19 Judge: Jelinda Pepper	May 16-17 Judge: Kellie Verrelli
	Jul 11-12 Judge: Rita Browning	Oct 3-4 Judge: Stephen Routh	Dec 12-13 Judge: Rebecca Hill
2027	Feb 6-7 Judge: TBA	Apr 18-19 Judge: TBA	May 15-16 Judge: TBA
	Jul 17-18 Judge: TBA	Oct 2-3 Judge: TBA	Dec 18-19 Judge: TBA

*** These dates may change to avoid conflicts with other USDAA clubs

When planning your 2025 USDAA trial weekends, don’t forget to block in these dates for geographically close USDAA clubs.

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USDAA Rule Updates since Jan 1 2023:

Thank you to Roger Ly and Helen McNenly for this summary of what changed in the USDAA rules since October 2022:

Summary of rule changes, courtesy of Roger Ly:

• New jump heights! USDAA has settled into jump heights that align more with other venues like AKC and UKI. Note that there is no longer a 10″, 14″ or 22″ height, and a 4″ Performance height has been added. So, you are looking at Championship heights of 8, 12, 16, 20, 24. Performance heights are 4″ shorter: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20. Cut-offs are similar to that of AKC with the exception of the two smallest heights which have cut offs of 15″ and 12″.
• If you have a recorded measurement in USDAA, it SHOULD get updated in the system to reflect your new jump height
• If you don’t have a USDAA measurement, but you have a kennel club measurement, you CAN use that one. So, you can use your AKC measurement if you’d like. Note this ONLY applies to your national kennel club measurements, not all other organizations.
• You CAN jump higher in your Championship height. You CANNOT jump higher than your Performance height.
• Spreads will only be available for C16″ or higher dogs. That means if you jump lower than 16″ or you are in Performance, you will not see a spread.
• Long jump distances are now simply double the height the dog is jumping: 24″ jumping dogs get a 48″ long jump span, for example
• There is an 8″ table for 8″ and smaller jumping dogs.
• Minimum age for competition has been changed to 15 months.
• Dogs can start at any level. If you think you are ready for Masters, you can enter Masters without going through Starters/Advanced. Whether you SHOULD do that is a decision you’ll need to make for yourself.
• In the original announcement for Cynosport 2023 rules, it was indicated that the winner of GP at a “super” Regional Final would automatically get a bye into Cynosport GP Finals. That has been updated to say that the winner of GP at ANY Regional will get a bye into GP Finals at Cynosport.

Summary of Measurement Procedures, courtesy of Helen McNenly:

• Coming from AKC? We accept the AKC permanent height card AND you can slide right into Masters if you don’t want to work your way up from Starters 🙂  
• Have a permanent USDAA height card that shows a higher height than your AKC Permanent height card:? Use THIS FORM and get one CMJ measurement
• Have a permanent USDAA height card and now you want to challenge the measurement? Use THIS FORM and get one CMJ measurement

Previous USDAA Agility Trials

Results and courses from previous trials can be viewed on the Artful Dodgers USDAA blog.