Golden Gate Dog Sports

I brought home a border collie pup during the pandemic to fulfill a bucket list item of learning dog agility. I had no idea how challenging (and addictive!) this sport would be. I am so fortunate to have found Golden Gate Dog Sports. The instructors are positive, professional and knowledgeable, PLUS if you decide to compete, there is always at least one GGDS instructor or class mate cheering you on, offering guidance or even in the ring judging the class. GGDS is really a community of enthusiasts of the sport who not only ‘can’ but also teach. With their encouragement, my pandemic puppy and I have become a solid team and have quickly excelled to masters level courses at trials. GGDS’ top notch facility takes every consideration of the performance and safety of dogs and handlers. Small class sizes also ensure everyone is given the time and attention they need. Whether you are seeking enrichment and bonding with your dog or interested in competing, GGDS offers a supportive and knowledgeable community of professionals dedicated to helping you fulfill your goals. Having acquired a second border collie, I can hardly wait to get her started and am so fortunate to have GGDS’ help along the way.

Can't say enough fabulous things about GGDS, I've enjoyed all the instructors I've learned from there and really appreciate their approach to training and teaching new learners to the sport. Their facility is truly beautiful and all of the instructors have been incredibly welcoming and taken time to answer questions. They also had a wonderful volunteer opportunity for everyone to participate in helping set up and working at a trial. While we were there each instructor I asked took a long while explaining the different obstacles, how they were scored and pointed out different approaches of some of the competitors. It was so lovely to see everyone excited about teaching their sport and getting others involved in the community. It really feels like a community there, very happy to be a student! I also love that you see so many different types of dogs there, mixed breeds, doodles, shepherds, frenchies... it's fun to see them all working with their teams!

As an older person who's had a knee operation I can't compete in agility very often, but the well cushioned artificial turf at Golden Gate Dog Sports enables me to enjoy weekly classes and private rentals. The indoor facility lets me do agility regardless of the weather and is a treasure to have in San Francisco. Agility is fun for me and my dog and we're still continuing to try to improve our skills, so I feel privileged to have a wonderful teacher, Ashley Deacon. I know a lot of the other teachers and think they are wonderful too.