Dog Agility Grades Explained: Celebrating the Journey from Grade 1 to Grade 7
Dog Agility Grades Explained: Celebrating the Journey from Grade 1 to Grade 7
Dog agility is about much more than completing a course quickly. It is a partnership built through training, patience, trust and countless hours spent learning how to work together.
For many handlers, progressing through the agility grades provides a lasting record of that journey. Each new grade represents a genuine achievement—and often a story involving memorable runs, near misses and plenty of muddy weekends along the way.
How many dog agility grades are there?
Royal Kennel Club agility competitions in the UK have seven grades:
- Grade 1 is the starting level for new partnerships
- Grades 2 to 6 mark continuing progress and experience
- Grade 7 is the highest competitive grade
A dog and handler progress by achieving the results required under the current agility regulations. The precise requirements vary according to the grade and method of progression, so competitors should always consult the latest Royal Kennel Club regulations before entering a show or planning a grade change.
Although the grading system provides a competitive structure, it cannot describe everything involved in reaching a new level. Behind every grade change are training sessions, early starts, journeys to shows and the gradual development of communication between dog and handler.
What does each agility grade represent?
Grade 1: where the competitive journey begins
Grade 1 is the beginning of competitive agility for many dogs and handlers.
Reaching the start line for the first time can be an achievement in itself. The dog must be comfortable working in a show environment while the handler learns to guide it around an unfamiliar course.
The first clear round, rosette or win can become one of the most treasured memories of the entire agility journey.
Grades 2 and 3: developing confidence
As a partnership moves through the early grades, courses and competition begin to test its growing skills.
Handlers become more confident in their course choices and timing, while their dogs gain experience of different equipment, venues and surroundings. The partnership begins to look and feel more established.
Progress is not always immediate. Some teams move through a grade quickly, while others remain there longer. Neither experience makes the achievement any less meaningful.
Grades 4 and 5: experience begins to show
By the middle grades, the countless hours of training are usually evident.
Dog and handler know one another well, communication becomes more precise and increasingly technical courses demand thoughtful handling. Success at this stage reflects not only speed but consistency, accuracy and teamwork.
These grades often produce some of the most memorable moments in a dog’s career.
Grade 6: approaching the highest level
Grade 6 is a significant achievement and places a partnership close to the highest grade.
Competition can be demanding, and progressing requires skill, determination and consistent performances. Every successful run reflects the work invested throughout all the earlier stages.
For many handlers, reaching Grade 6 is a proud milestone in its own right.
Grade 7: the highest agility grade
Grade 7 is the highest grade in the Royal Kennel Club agility system.
Reaching it represents a remarkable journey for both dog and handler. Behind the final result are all the earlier achievements—from learning individual obstacles to competing successfully at an advanced level.
Not every agility partnership will reach Grade 7, nor does it need to. Agility can be enjoyed at every level, and each dog’s journey deserves to be valued on its own terms.
Remembering more than the final grade
Rosettes and certificates are wonderful reminders of individual events, but a progression display brings the whole story together.
Brodswood’s handmade Pawgress Agility Grades Trophy is designed to grow alongside the dog’s career. Personalised plaques can be added as each new grade is achieved, creating a permanent record from the early stages through to Grade 7.
Rather than celebrating only the final destination, it records each step along the way.
Every display is made from real wood, with a choice of dog silhouettes and wood combinations. The natural differences in colour and grain mean that no two pieces are exactly alike.
A personal record of a special partnership
Agility careers pass surprisingly quickly. A display built up over the years becomes more than a list of grades: it recalls particular shows, special runs and the partnership shared with a much-loved dog.
Whether your dog is celebrating its first competitive success, progressing through the middle grades or has just reached Grade 7, every milestone is worth remembering.
View the Brodswood Pawgress Agility Grades Trophies
Agility regulations and progression requirements can change. Please refer to the current Royal Kennel Club agility regulations for official competition informati