My experiences so far in dog agility...

When I first started agility in June, it was with the knowledge that I was entering a fiercely competitive dog sport divided down the center - on one side are the folks that are doing it to have fun with their dogs, on the other are the folks doing it to win.

Now, it may not sound like a huge difference, but it is. The attitude difference is astounding. Generally, the fun people are helpful, friendly, and they don't get upset if their dog doesn't get a Q or whatever the heck else. They might be a bit sad, but the important thing was they had a great time with their dog. The folks doing it to win are another story. They are a little helpful, but generally in a degrading manner as if agility were so complicated only the most intelligent and athletic dogs should compete, as well as handlers who have years of experience. They get upset when their dog doesn't perform, and turns an otherwise enjoyable sport into fierce competition. They tend to be a bit arrogant, as if ordinary dogs can't possible compete in agility.

I've recently had to deal with the latter through online forums. I don't want to go into too much detail, but if you have ANY agility questions - always ask your local dog agility club or trainer. Don't ask online. Because they're never going to see you, they can treat you like crap. If you're already in a class, their methods of doing things might be different from your instructor's. There are many, many ways to train agility. Keep it simple by just asking your trainer.