Sirius
About Dogs presents Canine Festival
Annual Back to Back All Breed Obedience Run Throughs
Performance events include AKC Obedience
(Open, Novice and Utility) and Rally
Performance Judges
Group
Sat.,
June 18th
Sun.,
June 19th
OB Novice
TBA
TBA
OB
Open
TBA
TBA
OB Utility
TBA
TBA
OB
Rally
TBA
TBA
ENTRY FEES
Day
of Match: $8.00 each
Additional Entry same dog-$4.00
Regina Osborne
E-mail
Purpose
Obedience trials are a sport, and all participants should be guided by the principals of good sportsmanship both in and out of the ring. The purpose of obedience trials is not only to demonstrate the dog’s ability to follow specified routines in the obedience ring, but also to emphasize the usefulness of the purebred dog as a companion to man. All contestants in a class are required to perform the same exercises in substantially the same way, so that the relative quality of the various performances may be compared and scored. The basic objective of obedience trials, however, is to produce dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places and in the presence of other dogs, in a manner that will reflect credit on the sport of obedience at all times and under all conditions. The performance of dog and handler in the ring must be accurate and correct according to these Regulations. It is also essential, however, that the dog demonstrate willingness and enjoyment while it is working, and that a smooth and natural handler be given precedence over a handler moving with military precision and using harsh commands.
Section 1. Novice A Class. The Novice A class
shall be for dogs that have not won the CD title and are at least 6 months
old. A handler must own the dog entered, or be a member of the owner's household
or immediate family, and may not have previously handled any dog that has
earned an American Kennel Club obedience title. A person may enter more than
one dog in this class, but the same person who handled each dog in the first
four exercises must handle that dog in the group exercises. If a person has
handled more than one dog in the first four exercises, he or she must provide
an additional handler if the additional dog(s) will be judged in the same
group. No dog may be entered in both Novice A and Novice B at any trial.
Section 2. Novice B Class. The Novice B class will be for dogs not
less than 6 months of age. A CD dog may continue to compete in this class
until it receives a qualifying score in an Open class or until it has received
one (1) High in Trial award prior to the closing date of the trial. This one
(1) High in Trial award is in addition to any obtained before or during the
60-day period after receiving the CD title. The owner or any other person
may handle dogs in this class. A person may enter more than one dog in this
class, but the same person who handled each dog in the first four exercises
will handle each dog in the group exercises. If a person has handled more
than one dog in the first four exercises, he or she must provide an additional
handler if the additional dog(s) will be judged in the same group. No dog
may be entered in both Novice A and Novice B at any one trial.
Section 3. Novice Exercises and Scores. The exercises and maximum scores
in the Novice classes:
1. Heel on Leash and Figure Eight - 40 points
2. Stand for Examination - 30 points
3. Heel Free - 40 points
4. Recall - 30 points
5. Long Sit - 30 points
6. Long Down - 30 points
Maximum Total Score - 200 points
Section 4. CD Title. The letters CD may be added after a dog's name
when it has been certified by three different judges to have received qualifying
scores in Novice classes at three licensed or member obedience trials. That
dog will receive a Companion Dog certificate from The American Kennel Club.
Section 5. Heel on Leash and Figure Eight. The principal feature of
this exercise is the ability of the dog and handler to work as a team. Orders
for this exercise are "Forward," "Halt," "Right turn,"
"Left turn," "About turn," "Slow," "Normal"
and "Fast." "Fast" means that the handler must run, and
the handler and dog must move forward at a noticeably accelerated speed. All
about turns will be right about turns. Orders for halts and turns will be
given only when the handler is moving at a normal speed.
The other orders may be given in any sequence and turns and halts may be repeated.
However, the judge should standardize the heeling pattern for all dogs in
the class.
The leash may be held in either hand or in both hands, but the hands must
be held in a natural position. Any tightening or jerking of the leash or any
extra commands and/or signals will be penalized.
The handler will enter the ring with the dog on a loose leash and stand with
the dog sitting in the heel position. The judge will ask if the handler is
ready before giving the order, "Forward." The handler may give a
command or signal to heel, and will walk briskly and naturally with the dog
on a loose leash. The dog should walk close to the handler's left side without
swinging wide, lagging, forging or crowding. The dog must not interfere with
the handler's freedom of motion at any time. At each order to halt, the handler
will stop. The dog shall sit straight and promptly in the heel position without
command or signal and shall not move until the handler again moves forward
on the judge's order. After each halt, it is permissible for the handler to
give a command or signal to heel before moving forward again. The judge will
say, "Exercise finished" after this portion of the exercise.
For the figure eight, the handler and dog will stand facing the judge, midway
between the two stewards, who are standing 8 feet apart. The figure eight
in the Novice classes will be done on leash and the handler may go around
either steward first. After the judge asks, "Are you ready?" and
gives the order "Forward," the handler and dog will walk briskly
around and between the two stewards twice. There will be no about turn, fast
or slow, but the judge must order at least one halt during this exercise and
another halt at the end.
Section 6. Heel on Leash and Figure Eight, Scoring. If a handler is
constantly controlling the dog by tugging on the leash or is adapting to the
dogs' pace, that dog must receive a non-qualifying (NQ) score for this exercise.
Minor or substantial deductions, depending on the circumstances will be made
for additional commands or signals to heel, or for failure of dog or handler
to speed up noticeably for the fast, or slow down noticeably for the slow.
Substantial or minor deductions shall be made for lagging, heeling wide, forging,
crowding, poor sits, failure to sit at a halt, and other heeling imperfections.
Deductions should also be made for a handler who guides the dog with the leash
or does not walk at a brisk pace.
While scoring this exercise the judge should be near enough to observe any
signals or commands given by the handler to the dog, without interfering with
either.
Section 7. Stand for Examination. The principal feature of this exercise
is that the dog stands in position before and during the examination without
displaying resentment. Orders are, "Stand your dog and leave when you
are ready," "Back to your dog," and "Exercise finished."
On the judge's order, the handler will remove the leash and give it to a steward,
who will place it on the judge's table or other designated place. The handler
will take his or her dog to the place indicated by the judge and, on the judge's
order will stand/pose the dog by the method of his or her choice, taking any
reasonable time if he or she chooses to pose the dog as in the show ring.
The handler will then stand with the dog in the heel position, give the command
and/or signal to stay, walk straight forward about six feet, turn and face
the dog.
The judge will approach the dog from the front. Using the fingers and palm
of one hand, he or she will touch the dog's head, body and hindquarters. On
the order "Back to your dog," the handler will walk around behind
the dog and return to the heel position. The dog must remain standing until
the judge has said, "Exercise finished."
Section 8. Stand for Examination, Scoring. The scoring of this exercise
will not start until the handler has given the command and/or signal to stay,
except for such things as rough treatment by the handler or active resistance
by the dog to his handler's attempts to have it stand. Either of these will
be penalized substantially.
A dog must receive a non-qualifying (NQ) score if it sits or lies down, or
moves away from the place where it was left either before or during the examination,
or that growls, snaps or displays resentment.
Minor or substantial deductions, even to the point of a non-qualifying (NQ)
score, will be made for shyness.
Minor or substantial deductions will be made for a dog that moves its feet
at any time, or sits or moves away after the examination has been completed.
Section 9. Heel Free, Performance and Scoring. This exercise will be
performed as in the Heel on Leash, but without either the leash or the Figure
Eight. The scoring and orders will be the same.
Section 10. Recall. The principal features of this exercise are that
the dog stays where left until called by its handler, and that the dog responds
promptly to the handler's command or signal to come.
Orders are, "Leave your dog," "Call your dog," and "Finish."
On order from the judge, the handler may give a command and/or signal to the
dog to stay in the sit position, and will then walk forward to the other end
of the ring, turn to face the dog and stand naturally. On the judge's order
or signal, the handler will either command or signal the dog to come. The
dog must come directly, at a brisk trot or gallop and sit straight, centered
in front of the handler. The dog must be close enough so the handler could
touch its head without excessive bending, stretching, or moving either foot.
On the judge's order, the handler will give a command or signal to finish.
The dog must go smartly to heel position and sit. The manner in which the
dog finishes will be optional provided it is prompt and that the dog sits
straight at heel.
Section 11. Recall, Scoring. A dog must receive a non-qualifying (NQ)
score if it does not stay without an additional command or signal, or fails
to come on the first command or signal, or moves from the place it was left
before being called or signaled to come, or does not sit close enough so that
the handler could touch its head without excessive bending, stretching or
moving either foot.
Substantial deductions will be made for a dog which fails to remain sitting
and either stands or lies down, fails to come at a brisk trot or gallop, fails
to sit in front, fails to finish or sit at heel and for a handler's extra
command or signal to sit or finish.
Minor or substantial deductions will be made for slow or poor sits, finishes
which are not prompt or smart, for touching the handler on coming in or while
finishing, and for sitting between the handler's feet.
Section 12. Group Exercises. The principal feature of this exercise
is that the dog remains in the sitting or down position, whichever is required
by the particular exercise.
Orders are "Sit your dogs" or "Down your dogs," "Leave
your dogs" and "Back to your dogs."
All the competing dogs in the class perform these exercises together. If,
however, there are more dogs competing than can be spaced four (4) feet per
dog on one side of a ring, some must be judged in another group. The judge
will divide the class into approximately equal sections and the group exercise
will be judged after each section.
If the same judge does both Novice A and Novice B and the combined class would
not have to be divided into equal sections, the two classes may be judged
in one group.
The dogs that are in the ring will be lined up in catalog order along one
of the four sides of the ring. Each handler's armband, weighted as necessary,
will be placed behind the dog.
Before starting the long sit, the judge will ask if the handlers are ready.
When the judge gives the order, the handlers will command and/or signal their
dogs to sit, if they are not already sitting. On further order to "Leave
your dogs," the handlers will give a command and/or signal to stay and
immediately go to the opposite side of the ring, turn and face their dogs.
If a dog gets up and starts to wander or follow its handler, or if a dog moves
to interfere with another dog, the judge will promptly instruct the handler
or one of the stewards to remove the dog from the ring and/or keep it away
from other dogs.
After one minute from the time the judge has ordered the handlers to leave
their dogs, he or she will give the order to return. The handlers must go
back promptly, walking around and in back of their own dog to the heel position.
The dogs must not move from the sitting position until after the judge has
said, "Exercise finished." This order will not be given until the
handlers are back in heel position.
Before starting the long down, the judge will ask if the handlers are ready.
On the judge's order, the handlers will down their dogs without touching either
the dog or their collar, so that they are facing the opposite side of the
ring. The rest of this exercise is done in the same manner as the long sit,
except that the judge will order the handlers to return after three minutes,
and the dogs must not move from the down position until after the judge has
said, "Exercise finished."
The dogs will not be required to sit at the end of this exercise.
Section 13. Group Exercises, Scoring. A non-qualifying score (NQ) is
required for the following: The dog moving a substantial distance away from
the place where it was left any time during the exercise, going over to any
other dog, not remaining in the required position until the handler has returned
to heel position, repeatedly barking or whining.
A substantial deduction will be made for a dog that moves even a short distance
from where it was left or that barks or whines only once or twice, or that
changes from a sit to a down, or from a down to a sit after the handler has
returned to the heel position and before the judge has given the order "Exercise
finished."
Depending on the circumstance, a minor or substantial deduction will be made
for touching the dog or its collar while getting the dog into the down position.
A dog that is out of position enough to interfere with an adjacent dog must
be repositioned by its handler and will be substantially penalized. In extreme
cases the dog may be excused. A dog that interferes with another dog on the
long sit, should be excused from participating in the long down.
During these exercises the judge will stand so that all the dogs are in his
or her line of vision, and where he or she can see all the handlers in the
ring without having to turn around.
Scoring of the exercises will not start until after the judge has ordered
the handlers to leave their dogs, except for such things as rough treatment
of a dog by its handler or resistance by a dog to its handler's attempts to
make it sit or lie down. These will be penalized substantially; in extreme
cases the dog may be excused.
The judge will not give the "Exercise finished" order until the
handlers have returned to heel position.
