Skyline Agility Club

Skyline Agility Club offers a structured progression of agility classes, typically running in 5- or 6-week sessions. The class levels include Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2, Competition, and Distance.

The Beginner class introduces dogs to all agility equipment, fundamental dog and handler skills, and short, simple sequences, with an emphasis on obedience skills as needed. Advanced Beginner focuses on developing equipment fluency, handling, and teamwork skills for longer sequences, requiring dogs to be comfortable with most equipment and have a reliable off-leash recall. Intermediate 1 is a pre-competition level class for dogs fluent on all equipment, able to work off-leash, and with a reliable recall, building basic handling and course strategy. Intermediate 2 is for dogs competing in Novice/Level 3-4 courses with no major equipment issues. The Competition class is designed for dogs competing in Excellent/Elite/Masters/Level 5-C courses. The Distance class focuses on increasing distance for sends, preparing dogs for upper-level distance challenges and improving speed in regular classes.

Pricing Summary

Class fees vary based on membership status. For members, a single dog costs $23 per class session, while two or more dogs with the same handler are $21 per class session for the second and subsequent dogs.

For associate and non-members, a single dog costs $27 per class session, and two or more dogs with the same handler are $25 per class session for the second and subsequent dogs. Additional fees apply if paying with PayPal. On-site RV parking is $15 per night for non-members and $10 per night for members, with tent camping also available for $15 per night.

Policies

The club has specific policies regarding class attendance, trial conduct, and on-site behavior. For classes, specific dates for no-class sessions and make-up classes are provided. For trials, exhibitors are responsible for their dog’s and children’s behavior, and disruptive or unsafe conduct may lead to being asked to leave. All dog waste must be cleaned up and disposed of properly, with failure to do so potentially resulting in expulsion from the trial.

For those staying at motels, handlers are expected to confirm reservations, pick up after their dogs, cover motel bedding, and never leave dogs unattended. On-site RV camping has rules including no hookups, specific arrival and departure times, mandatory generator exhaust venting, proper garbage disposal, and dogs not being left outside overnight. Cars are not permitted to block RV access.

Skyline Agility Club is an indoor dog training facility located on the Goshen/Middletown border in New York, operating at the Ramapo Search and Rescue Foundation. They specialize in agility training, offering daytime and evening classes throughout the year, taught by experienced, award-winning instructors. The facility features a groomed dirt/rubber surface designed to provide excellent footing for both dogs and handlers.

The club hosts indoor agility trials sanctioned by AKC, CPE, and NADAC, and emphasizes the safety of dogs as a primary concern. They also offer membership options that provide reduced class prices, preference for seminar sign-ups, and the ability to rent the building for practice.

Skyline Agility Club aims to make agility fun, as highlighted by their motto “WHERE AGILITY MEANS FUN!”. They provide a supportive environment for dog owners to train their dogs for competition or simply for enjoyment and teamwork.

Accomplishments

Skyline Agility Club boasts a team of highly accomplished instructors. Linda Husson has been involved in dog training since 1986, with her dogs earning top obedience titles, including AKC Obedience Trial Champion and Utility Dog titles in the US and Canada. She has co-taught agility since 1995, worked with world-renowned trainers, and her dogs have collectively earned over 200 titles in USDAA Agility, plus numerous AKC Agility & Obedience, and NAFA Flyball titles. Seven of her dogs have earned USDAA Agility Trial Champion titles, and five have achieved Lifetime Achievement Awards, including one LAA-Gold. Her dogs have also competed internationally for Team Australia.

Diane Lange has 20 years of competition experience and over 15 years of instructing in Obedience and Agility. She has competed nationally, consistently placing in the top ten at events like the AKC Obedience Invitational. She has been invited to the AKC Agility Invitational as one of the top 5 in the country and has earned 5 Master Agility Championship (MACH) titles, with two more in progress. She has also achieved USDAA Master, NADAC Elite, and UKC AGII titles, and received the Golden Retriever Club of America Agility Dog Hall Of Fame Award.

Lavonda Herring has titled dogs in various disciplines including conformation, obedience, agility, flyball, Schutzhund, barn hunt, and lure coursing. She has been an AKC Agility judge for over 21 years and served as one of the two Agility Masters judges at Westminster in 2020. Barbara Siegel began her dog career in 1974, managing a breed kennel and showing in conformation. She has trained and shown in obedience and agility, and her dog, Ivan, earned AKC Masters Preferred Bronze and Masters Jumpers Preferred titles. She has also completed apprenticeships with notable trainers in manners and agility.

How to Get Started!

To register for classes, prospective clients should click on the “Class Registration” button provided on the website. For those interested in becoming members, prerequisites include paying annual dues, submitting a membership application, and working at one of Skyline’s trials or sponsored events within a 12-month period. To maintain full membership status, members are required to work at every Skyline trial they attend, volunteer for one other club activity, attend one general meeting annually, pay dues, and contribute whenever possible.