SATAgility · T2

Senior Agility Trainer

Senior Agility Trainer — year-2 specialty credential. 30-day in-person residential. Prerequisites: Agility T1 ≥24 months prior, 2+ years coaching experience, and a competition record (titled at Open/Excellent or equivalent — handler or student). Buck's home-grown system (AKC-grounded, assembled from the proven pieces of every successful style, confidence-before-speed) remains the house primary at every tier; external practitioners are cited only as sources of specific proven techniques. The curriculum covers international course style (FCI/EO/AWC), distance handling, advanced obstacle troubleshooting (especially weave depth/entries), contact behavior rehabilitation, conditioning periodization, and sport-specific nutrition. Graduates earn lead-instructor authority at an agility franchise and the right to grade T1 candidates. Annual renewal includes running international-style courses under time.

Apply for SAT Cohort dates

30 days · in person at HQ · 80% to pass · valid 12 months

A Buck’s trainer handling multiple dogs at once

Who can sit this program

This is an advanced credential. Admission requires:

Prior-level certification: Certified Agility Trainer (CAT)
1,000 logged training hours
50 coached cases
24 months at the lower level
Open or Excellent-level title (AKC OA/AX, USDAA AAD/AD, or equivalent) — handler or coached student

The 30 days, in full

This is the actual syllabus for SAT — 67 topics across 30 days, 151h 45m of scheduled instruction. Not a sample, not a summary.

How European course design differs from AKC/USDAA, the named patterns that define it, and how to walk a course like a World Team handler.
- FCI / EO / AWC design philosophy vs AKC/USDAAlecture
- The named international patterns — threadle, backside, ipsi/contra, 270, German turnlecture
- Walk three FCI-style courses with a numbered handling planpractical

Kennel ceiling: up to 10 dogsT2 · Senior level

Twice the kennel, a real team, and the authority to lead and mentor.

Lead-instructor authority at a Buck’s location
Mentoring authority over junior candidates
Double your kennel ceiling — up to 10 dogs at a time

Your certification level sets the maximum number of dogs your kennel may hold at once — 5 at L1, 10 at L2, 20 at L3. You tell us how many you actually want to run within that ceiling. The number is a capacity limit set by your level, not a guarantee that a set number of dogs will be provided or booked.

How you're tested

Two stages: an online theory gate (three written finals) that earns your cohort invitation, then the in-person four-modality exam you sit at HQ — you pass all four to certify.

Stage 1 · before your cohort

Online theory gate

Once you're invited, you complete a self-paced online course and pass three written finals. Passing all three is the prerequisite that unlocks your cohort — it proves you're theory-ready. It is not a substitute for the in-person exam.

1Dog Theory final
2Business Operations final
3Advanced Trainer Knowledge final

Pass all three → you earn your cohort invitation.

Stage 2 · at your 30-day cohort

In-person four-modality exam

The certification itself is earned entirely in person. All four modalities — including the written — are sat at HQ. You pass all four to certify, and annual renewal runs the same battery.

1Written
Pass 80%
2Informational Oral
Pass 14 / 20
3Behavioral Observation
Pass 14 / 20
4Physical Practical
Pass 4 of 5 stations

Pass all four → you're certified.