About Us
Welcome to North London Dog Agility Club
Agility is about learning together, having fun and building a strong partnership with your dog. At North London Dog Agility Club, our enthusiastic, supportive and sociable members make it a great place to share that experience.
Our club is run entirely by volunteers.
We have over 30 training members and a wonderful variety of dogs. In 2021, we moved venue and changed our name from Trent Park Dog Agility Club to North London Dog Agility Club. Our training equipment has been updated, including aluminium contact gear, and the arena’s former rubber flooring has been replaced with a sandy surface.
We are also part of the Agility Club league.
Meet our instructors
Ann Eddington
Hi, I’m Ann. I started agility as a complete novice, so I know what it is like to take those first steps with your dog.
My agility journey began about 18 years ago with my best boy, Ollie Beanz, a working Cocker Spaniel. He was about 12 months old when we started training. We taught each other so much, growing as a partnership and eventually reaching grade 7. Ollie went on to compete in veteran classes and enjoyed a full life until the ripe old age of 13 and a half.
My second agility dog was Naughty Buddy, a lively English Springer Spaniel and my little ‘Steady Eddie’. He was never quick enough to break records, but he still reached grade 6.
At first, agility was simply about having fun and learning new skills together. I did not enter a show until Ollie was about five years old, but once I did, I was hooked and have never looked back.
I began teaching agility around 10 years ago and attended The Agility Club instructor course in 2015. I wanted other pet dog owners to enjoy the same fun and benefits that agility had brought to my dogs and me.
For me, the greatest reward is watching dog and handler learn together and become a stronger team. Agility has its challenges too: even a brilliant run can turn into an elimination in a moment. Learning to take those ups and downs in your stride is all part of the sport.
It takes patience, understanding and perseverance, but there is plenty of fun along the way. You will learn how to communicate with your four-legged friend while enjoying an activity that helps keep you both fitter and healthier.
Brenda Jordan
Hi, I’m Brenda. I have been involved in the wonderful world of agility for over 25 years, competing with my much-loved Border Terriers.
For me, agility is all about the partnership between dog and handler. It is a fabulous team sport that builds trust and confidence, strengthens your bond and develops communication skills for life. One of the most rewarding parts of both competing and teaching is watching those relationships grow as dogs and handlers learn together.
I have spent many years running dog training and puppy development classes. My own dogs — two Border Terriers and an Irish Terrier — love their agility. It really is great fun for all of us!
Our history
North London Dog Agility Club began life as Trent Park Dog Agility Club. In May 1985, ten like-minded dog owners held an inaugural meeting and agreed to submit an application to the Kennel Club. The club was born and became the first ‘agility only’ registered club.
Those early members shared a passion for the fast-growing sport and learnt as they went along. There were a few hiccups along the way, but the club went from strength to strength. Training involved heavy, homemade equipment, including a dog walk with extendable tripod legs. Annual paint-and-repair days were part of club life too — memories that long-standing members may still share!
In January 1986, the club held an open evening with demonstrations and talks to welcome new members. Our first agility show followed in September 1986 at Picketts Lock Centre, before the cinema was built. There were four classes: Starters Jumping, Starters Agility, Novice Jumping and Novice Agility. Entry fees were just £1.50, with an average of 50–60 entries per class. Our judges were Tony Veal and Yvonne Tate.
The club continued to hold an annual show until September 2013. The only exception was 1997, when the show was cancelled at short notice because it coincided with the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. A donation of £1,367.55 was sent to the memorial fund, representing the balance of entry fees after requested refunds and disbursements.
Members also travelled to local shows, often in convoy in the days before the M25. Back then, all dogs and handlers who achieved a clear round competed in a run-off at the end of each class to decide the winner. Much has changed since those early days, but the enthusiasm for learning together remains at the heart of our club.
Interested in giving agility a go?
We would love to hear from you. Get in touch to find out more about training at North London Dog Agility Club and taking the next step with your dog.