At Pet Behavior Help (PBH), we want to give you every opportunity to enjoy time with your dog and practice what you’re learning in class, so we offer a very flexible practice policy. Students currently enrolled in an agility class or private agility lessons who are working at the Pre-Competition Teams level or higher can purchase access to the practice field on a monthly basis instead of by the hour.
Practice Field Rules
In order to maintain our open practice policy, there are important rules we require you to follow as a practice pass holder.
Please review all of the following rules. They will be strictly enforced, and breaking them will result in loss of practice privileges.
Note: The new field with the wire fence is now the main practice field.
- Practice pass holders may use only the practice agility field during active times at the training center. The covered arena and pastures may be used for tracking and other training-related activities only when there are no other PBH activities scheduled.
- The wooden fenced agility fields may only be used by PBH Staff.
- Field practice is only for dogs and students actively enrolled in PBH classes or weekly private lessons. Field use passes may be purchased by students who have completed at least one session of Pre-Competition Teams or above.
- Special permission must be obtained before anyone other than the enrolled student can handle a dog during field practice.
- Special permission is also required to use the field for dogs not enrolled in classes.
- Practice is closed during private lessons. There may not be people or dogs on the property at these times. If there is a private lesson scheduled, it will appear on the calendar as “busy”. Please allow a 20-minute window before and after these sessions.
- Field users must check the calendar immediately before leaving to practice every time. Practice pass holders who come to practice during times when there is a private lesson on the calendar or when the fields are closed for any reason will lose practice privileges.
- If it is too wet and muddy in your backyard, it is too wet to practice at PBH. Even if the fields are not marked as closed, if you or your dog are damaging the grass or field surface, please stop immediately.
- If the calendar lists “PBH CLOSED”, no one is allowed on the property for any reason or activity without express permission.
- Practice hours are from 8:00 AM to dusk when the field is not in use for other PBH activities. Check the calendar for field availability.
- If you arrive and someone else is already using the field, they have 20 minutes to finish before turning the field over to you. Sharing the field is done by mutual consent only. Never enter the field without permission when someone else is using it.
- Practice Field Use Rules:
- Park in the non-gravel parking area off the lower part of the traffic circle.
- Agility Field Practice Pass must be displayed in car window at all times.
- Contacts may not be moved except by PBH staff.
- All equipment should be stored neatly in groups at the edge of the field at all times when not in use.
- Jump bars must be secured to the fence, not left on the ground.
- Do not tie dogs to the fence.
- Broken equipment happens. Please report it immediately so it can be repaired or replaced. You will not be charged for damage due to normal wear and tear.
- There will be a large tub or baby pool collecting rain water that you can use for cooling off your dogs, but you should always plan to bring your own water, as there is no hose at this field.
- PBH students who need more than 30 minutes to practice may reserve one agility field for 60 minutes for a cost of $20. Reservations must be scheduled directly with Val at least two days in advance so that they can be added to the calendar.