Dog Jump Heights for Agility, Obedience and Rally
Slide to your dog's height at the withers and you'll see what your dog jumps in every organization we cover, along with every lower option you're allowed to choose. It's free and you don't need an account.
17 in
Measure to the top of the shoulders. Use − and + for eighths.
Close to a cut-off (AKC, UKI). Your official measurement decides.
Agility
- AKC: 16 in
Preferred 12. 24C 24. ISC 20 - UKI: 16 in
Select 12. Veterans (8+) 4 - UKC: 14 in
Minimum 8 - CPE: 16 in
Veterans (6+) 12. Enthusiast 12. Specialist 8 - USDAA: 16 in
Performance 12. Veterans (8+) 8 - NADAC: 16 in
Skilled 12. Veteran (7+) 12. Skilled Veteran 8 - ASCA: 16 in
Veteran (7+) 12. ACE 12. ACE Senior (7+) 8
Obedience
- AKC: 16 in
Three-quarter breeds 12. Half-height classes 8 - ASCA: 16 in
Three-quarter breeds 12. Veterans (7+) 2 or 4 lower - UKC: 16 in
Minimum 12
Rally
- AKC: 12 in
No lower option - ASCA: 12 in
No lower option - UKC: 10 in
Minimum 8 - WCRL: 12 in
Allowed 8
FCI (international)
- 43.2 cm: Intermediate, 45 to 50 cm
A guide only. A judge or official measurer sets your dog's height.
The finder is only a guide. In every sport and every organization, your dog's height is the one a judge or official measurer takes, so get your dog measured before you enter.
Why the Same Dog Jumps Different Heights
Every organization draws its lines in a different place. A 17-inch dog jumps 16 inches in AKC agility, 14 in UKC agility, and 12 over the AKC rally jump, and if you enter AKC's international-style ISC classes it can jump 20. None of that is a mistake on your entry form; it's just how each rulebook is written. If you run more than one organization, we compare them in UKI vs AKC agility and ISC vs regular AKC agility.
The cut-offs matter more than you'd think. In UKI, a dog that measures 17.5 inches jumps 16, and a dog a quarter inch taller jumps 20. That's why every organization relies on an official measurement, not the number on your own tape.
My dog Moose measured 16⅞ inches, and he jumps 16 in AKC agility, ASCA and UKI. That 16⅞ is also exactly where AKC's ISC Medium height stops, so he'd jump 16 in ISC too, and one more eighth of an inch would put him over 20.
One 17-Inch Dog, Every Organization
Here's a single dog, 17 inches at the withers, run through every table on this page.
| Organization | Agility (regular) | Lower options |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | 16 | Preferred 12. ISC 20 (its FCI height), or its AKC height |
| UKI | 16 | Select 12. Veterans class 4 |
| UKC | 14 | Minimum 8 |
| CPE | 16 | Veterans and Enthusiast 12. Specialist 8 |
| USDAA | 16 (Championship) | Performance 12. Veterans 8 |
| NADAC | 16 (Proficient) | Skilled 12. Proficient Veteran 12. Skilled Veteran 8 |
| ASCA | 16 (Championship) | Veteran 12. ACE 12. ACE Senior Dog 8 |
| Organization | Obedience (high jump) | Lower options |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | 16 | 12 if the breed jumps three-quarter height. 8 in Graduate Novice, Graduate Open, Preferred Open, Preferred Utility and Versatility |
| ASCA | 16 | 12 for three-quarter breeds. Veterans may go 2 or 4 inches lower |
| UKC | 16 | Minimum 12 |
| Organization | Rally | Lower options |
|---|---|---|
| AKC | 12 | None |
| ASCA | 12 | None |
| UKC | 10 | Minimum 8 |
| WCRL | 12 recommended | 8 allowed |
So the same dog jumps anywhere from 4 to 20 inches depending on where you enter, and its regular agility height is 16 everywhere except UKC.
Agility Jump Heights
Agility has the most rules about height. Most organizations want an official measurement, and most give you at least one lower option for a young, older, or less confident dog.
AKC Agility
| Height at withers | Regular | Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| 11 in and under | 8 | 4 |
| Over 11 to 14 | 12 | 8 |
| Over 14 to 18 | 16 | 12 |
| Over 18 to 22 | 20 | 16 |
| Over 22 | 24 | 20 |
Any dog 22 inches or under can choose 24C (24 inches, Choice) instead, and a dog can always enter a higher Regular height, but never a lower one. Every dog needs an AKC Jump Height Card, or a judge's measurement that only counts for that trial. Between 15 months and 2 years your dog gets one measurement on a temporary card, then at 2 it's measured twice more for the permanent card (three times if the first two disagree), although a dog over 22 inches can get its permanent card after one measurement.
In the ISC classes, dogs can jump an FCI height instead: 12 inches up to 13¾, 16 up to 16⅞, 20 up to 18⅞, and 24 above that. The ISC page has the rest of the ISC rules.
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our AKC agility title tracker.
Source: AKC Regulations for Agility Trials
UKI
| Height at withers | Regular | Select |
|---|---|---|
| 12¾ in and under | 8 | 4 |
| Over 12¾ to 15 | 12 | 8 |
| Over 15 to 17½ | 16 | 12 |
| Over 17½ to 22 | 20 | 16 |
| Any height | 22 or 24 | 20 |
Select drops your dog one height and takes out the spread jumps, and once you choose it, every class at that show runs at the Select height. Dogs 8 and older can also run the separate Veterans classes, which jump 12 inches for dogs whose regular height is 20, 22 or 24, and 4 inches for everyone else. Your dog's first measurement has to reach UKI by its third trial (another organization's measurement counts if it isn't within a quarter inch of a cut-off), and a second one 12 to 18 months later becomes permanent. Dogs jumping full height don't need one.
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our UKI agility title tracker.
Source: UKI Rules and Regulations
UKC Agility
| Division | Height at withers | Standard | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toy | 10 in and under | 4 | None |
| Division 1 | Over 10 to 14 | 8 | 4 |
| Division 2 | Over 14 to 20 | 14 | 8 |
| Division 3 | Over 20 | 20 | 14 |
UKC is the only organization here with 14 and 20 as its two big heights. Any dog, at any age, can jump Minimum height, and it still places with its own division and gets 5 extra seconds on the course time. There's no height card: you write your division on the entry form, and if your dog is borderline you should ask the judge to measure before the trial, because a dog that runs in the wrong division doesn't qualify.
Source: UKC Official Agility Rulebook
CPE
| Height at withers | Regular | Veterans | Enthusiast | Specialist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 in and under | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Over 8 to 12 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Over 12 to 16 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Over 16 to 20 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
| Over 20 to 24 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| Over 24 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 16 |
CPE gives you the most choices. Veterans is for dogs 6 and older (or any dog over 24 inches) and places with the Regular dogs, while Enthusiast and Specialist are open to any dog over 15 months but place separately and earn their own titles. Your dog needs a CPE height card (the P-card) or a measurement at the trial, a permanent card from AKC, UKI, USDAA, UKC and a few others is accepted, and a dog measured before age 2 is measured again at 2.
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our CPE agility title tracker.
Source: CPE Agility Rulebook
USDAA
| Division | Height at withers | Championship | Performance | Veterans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Small | 12 in and under | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Small | Over 12 to 15 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| Medium | Over 15 to 18 | 16 | 12 | 8 |
| Large | Over 18 to 22 | 20 | 16 | 12 |
| Extra Large | Over 22 | 24 | 20 | 16 or 12 |
Veterans classes are for dogs 8 and older, Intro classes can run at any height, and a dog can always move up to a bigger division's Championship height. USDAA judges start recording your dog's height at 18 months, and a dog within an inch under a cut-off is measured again after age 3 before its card becomes permanent.
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our USDAA agility title tracker.
Source: USDAA Rules and Regulations (height divisions in Chapter 1, measuring in Appendix D)
NADAC
| Height at withers | Proficient | Proficient Veteran or Junior | Skilled | Skilled Veteran or Junior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 in and under | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Over 11 to 14 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Over 14 to 18 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
| Over 18 to 22 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| Over 22 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
NADAC is the one place your dog can't jump higher than its height, and at regular weekend trials every dog over 18 inches jumps together (the separate Extra-Large group only runs at Regionals and Championships). The Veteran break is for dogs 7 and older, and dogs must move to Veterans after their ninth birthday. Handlers 60 and older get the same 4-inch break, though you can only take one, and dogs with achondroplasia, like Corgis and Dachshunds, can apply to jump 4 inches lower. Your dog needs a NADAC Permanent Height Card from 2 years old, and another organization's official card can go in with the application.
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our NADAC agility title tracker.
Source: NADAC Exhibitor’s Handbook
ASCA Agility
| Height at withers | Championship | Championship Veteran | ACE | ACE Senior Dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 in and under | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Over 11 to 14 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Over 14 to 18 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
| Over 18 to 20 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
| Over 20 | 20 (or 24) | 16 | 16 | 12 |
Dogs over 20 inches run in their own 20+ class, and in the Championship program they can choose 24. Veteran and ACE Senior Dog are for dogs 7 and older, Junior Handlers can jump 4 inches lower, and 22 breeds, including Corgis, Dachshunds, French Bulldogs and Pugs, can always jump 4 inches lower. Dogs 20 inches and under need a height card or a measurement at the trial: ASCA's own permanent card takes two ASCA judges' measurements from age 2, and AKC, NADAC and USDAA cards are accepted.
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our ASCA agility title tracker.
Source: ASCA agility rulebook
FCI, for Comparison
International events use centimeters: Small dogs (under 35 cm) jump 25 to 30 cm, Medium (35 to under 43) jump 35 to 40, Intermediate (43 to under 48) jump 45 to 50, and Large (48 and over) jump 55 to 60. AKC's ISC heights are based on these.
Source: FCI Agility Regulations
Obedience Jump Heights
Obedience works differently. Instead of a few fixed heights, the high jump follows your dog's height in 2-inch steps, and some breeds jump less. Nobody issues a height card, so the judge can measure your dog in the ring, and the judge's number is final. The broad jump is twice the high jump, and the bar jump is set the same as the high jump.
AKC Obedience
Your dog's height at the withers is rounded to the nearest 2 inches, so a 17-inch dog jumps 16 and a 17¼-inch dog jumps 18. Dogs under 7½ inches jump 4, the most any dog has to jump is 36, and you can always ask for higher.
Nearly 60 breeds, listed in the rulebook's Appendix A and including Corgis, Dachshunds, Great Danes and Mastiffs, jump about three-quarters of their height instead. In Graduate Novice, Graduate Open, Preferred Open, Preferred Utility and Versatility, every dog jumps about half its height.
| Height at withers | Standard |
|---|---|
| Under 7½ | 4 |
| 7½ to 9 | 8 |
| Over 9 to 11 | 10 |
| Over 11 to 13 | 12 |
| Over 13 to 15 | 14 |
| Over 15 to 17 | 16 |
| Over 17 to 19 | 18 |
| Over 19 to 21 | 20 |
| Over 21 to 23 | 22 |
| Over 23 to 25 | 24 |
| Over 25 to 27 | 26 |
| Over 27 to 29 | 28 |
| Over 29 to 31 | 30 |
| Over 31 to 33 | 32 |
| Over 33 to 35 | 34 |
| Over 35 | 36 |
| Height at withers | Three-quarter breeds |
|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4 |
| 10 to under 12½ | 8 |
| 12½ to under 15 | 10 |
| 15 to under 17½ | 12 |
| 17½ to under 20 | 14 |
| 20 to under 23 | 16 |
| 23 to under 25½ | 18 |
| 25½ to under 28 | 20 |
| 28 to under 31 | 22 |
| 31 to under 33½ | 24 |
| 33½ to under 36 | 26 |
| 36 to under 39 | 28 |
| Height at withers | Half-height classes |
|---|---|
| 12 and under | 4 |
| Over 12 to 18 | 8 |
| Over 18 to 22 | 10 |
| Over 22 to 26 | 12 |
| Over 26 to 30 | 14 |
| Over 30 to 34 | 16 |
| Over 34 | 18 |
Keep count of your dog's Qs and titles with our AKC title tracker, which covers obedience and rally too.
Source: AKC Obedience Regulations
ASCA Obedience
ASCA rounds down instead of to the nearest, so a 21½-inch dog jumps 20. The minimum is 4 and the maximum 36. Breeds on ASCA's three-quarter list jump three-quarter height, and in ASCA that includes dogs mixed with those breeds. Dogs 7 and older can jump 2 or 4 inches lower.
Source: ASCA obedience rulebook
UKC Obedience
UKC also rounds down to an even number, from 6 to 24 inches, so a 17½-inch dog jumps 16. Any dog can choose the Minimum height instead, which is about three-quarters of its height, from 4 to 24, and you pick Standard or Minimum on the entry form.
| Height at withers | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4 |
| 10 to under 13½ | 8 |
| 13½ to under 16 | 10 |
| 16 to under 18½ | 12 |
| 18½ to under 21½ | 14 |
| 21½ to under 24 | 16 |
| 24 to under 26 | 18 |
| 26 to under 29½ | 20 |
| 29½ to under 32 | 22 |
| 32 and over | 24 |
Source: UKC Obedience Rulebook
Rally Jump Heights
Rally only uses jumps in the higher classes, and the heights are low and simple: four bands in AKC, ASCA and WCRL, and three in UKC.
| Height at withers | AKC | ASCA |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4 | 4 |
| 10 to under 15 | 8 | 8 |
| 15 to under 20 | 12 | 12 |
| 20 and over | 16 | 16 |
In AKC rally your dog jumps once in Advanced, twice in Excellent and once in Master, and there's no jump at all in Choice. Neither AKC nor ASCA has a lower rally height.
| UKC height at withers | Standard | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| 14 and under | 6 | 4 |
| Over 14 to 20 | 10 | 8 |
| Over 20 | 14 | 12 |
UKC only uses jumps in Rally 3 and Rally Master, and once you choose Minimum you keep it for the whole weekend. WCRL (Cynosport rally) gives a recommended height and a lower one you're allowed without asking: 4 for dogs 12 inches and under, 8 recommended or 4 allowed up to 16 inches, 12 or 8 up to 20 inches, and 16 or 12 over 20.
Sources: AKC Rally Regulations, ASCA Rally Rules, UKC Rally Obedience Rulebook, WCRL Official Rules
Getting Your Dog Measured
Whatever your tape measure says, the height that counts is the one a judge or official measurer takes, in every sport and every organization. Here's who does it.
| Organization | Who measures | When |
|---|---|---|
| AKC agility | A Volunteer Measuring Official (VMO) or AKC Field Representative. A judge can measure for one trial only | For the Jump Height Card, from 15 months |
| UKI | A UKI judge or approved UKI measurer | By the dog’s third trial, then again 12 to 18 months later |
| UKC agility | The judge | At the trial, when asked or when the judge requires it |
| CPE | CPE judges | For the P-card, and again at age 2 if measured younger |
| USDAA | USDAA judges, including a Certified Measuring Judge (CMJ) | From 18 months, and again after age 3 if close to a cut-off |
| NADAC | A NADAC judge, using a wicket | For the Permanent Height Card, from 2 years |
| ASCA agility | Two ASCA agility judges | For the permanent card, from 2 years |
| Obedience and rally (AKC, ASCA, UKC) | The judge, in the ring | Whenever the judge chooses, and the judge’s number is final |
Measuring is usually done at trials, and the premium list will say if it's offered. If your dog is close to a cut-off, get the official measurement before you plan your entries around a height.
Checking Your Dog at Home First
A home measurement is still handy, so you know roughly where your dog will land. The withers is the highest point of the shoulder blades, right where the neck meets the shoulders. Stand your dog on a flat floor with its legs straight under it and its head in a natural position, lay something flat and level across the withers, and measure straight down to the floor. It's only a guide, and it never counts at a trial.
Printable Chart
Want it on paper? The agility, obedience and rally tables on this page fit on one sheet, and it prints fine in black and white.
Download the jump height chart (PDF)Dog Jump Height Questions
Can my dog jump higher than its measured height?+
In most organizations, yes: AKC, UKI, CPE, USDAA and ASCA agility all let you enter a higher height, and AKC and ASCA obedience let you ask for a higher jump. NADAC is the exception, since dogs in its titling levels can’t jump above their height.
Who measures my dog?+
A judge or an official measurer, in every organization. In AKC agility that’s a Volunteer Measuring Official or AKC Field Representative, USDAA uses its judges including a Certified Measuring Judge, and in obedience and rally the judge can measure in the ring. Your own tape measure is only a guide.
Can my dog jump lower?+
Usually, through a named option: Preferred in AKC, Select in UKI, Minimum in UKC, Performance in USDAA, Skilled in NADAC, ACE in ASCA, and Veterans, Enthusiast or Specialist in CPE. Each one has its own rules about placements and titles, so check before you switch.
What is 24C in AKC agility?+
It’s the 24-inch Choice height, open to any dog 22 inches or under whose handler wants it to jump 24.
Does my AKC height card count in other organizations?+
Often, yes: ASCA and CPE accept an AKC card, and NADAC takes another organization’s card as proof with its own application. UKI accepts another organization’s measurement for the first measure unless it’s within a quarter inch of a cut-off, and USDAA can accept a permanent measurement taken after age 3.
What height does my dog jump in obedience?+
Its height at the withers rounded to an even number, from 4 up to 36 inches in AKC and ASCA and 6 to 24 in UKC. Some breeds jump three-quarters of their height, and some AKC classes use half height.
Do rally jumps get higher in the upper classes?+
No, the height depends only on your dog’s size. Rally simply adds jumps as the classes go up, starting at Advanced in AKC and Rally 3 in UKC.
Is this an official chart?+
No. It’s our summary of each organization’s rulebook, and the measurement your dog gets at a trial is the one that counts.
Keep Every Title in One Place
Once your dog is entered, the tracker keeps count of the Qs and titles for AKC agility, obedience and rally, ASCA agility and rally, and UKI, CPE, USDAA and NADAC agility, so you never have to add it all up yourself.
It's free for 3 months, then $5 a month, with no charge per dog.
Independent tracking note
Dog Title Tracker is an independent tracking tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or officially connected to any dog sport organization, registry, club, event provider, or governing body listed on this site.
The tracker is for personal tracking and organization. Users should always verify official points, qualifying scores, titles, awards, eligibility, and records directly with the appropriate organization.