Competition Obedience Training - Is There Such A Thing?

Most people understand the benefits of having a well-trained dog

. A dog who understands basic commands such as sit, stay, come and lie down is a more pleasant dog to live with. Dogs that don't pull on the leash when you walk them tend to get taken for more walks and do more things with their owners. It's basic human nature to enjoy doing things with a dog who causes you less trouble but that only happens when you take the time to train your dog.

For some people obedience training their dog is more than something they do in order to have a pleasant house pet. Obedience training for both dogs and people can be a very stimulating, exciting activity and it can be done at a competitive level. There are dogs that have such a capacity for learning and for whom training is so much fun that they can go on to excel at anything their owner can teach them.

The American Kennel Club offers competitive obedience trials for dogs from the novice level to the highest level of expertise. In order to become an obedience champion at any level your dog must earn three qualifying scores at that level. For instance, in order to earn a CD (Companion Dog) title, the basic obedience title, your dog must earn three qualifying scores at the Novice level. All of the dogs competing for the title will perform the exact same exercises and they may all qualify if they earn qualifying scores. The exercises performed are taken from the AKC Obedience Regulations booklet. To earn a Companion Dog title your dog would be expected to know the following:

- Heel on Leash and Figure Eight - the dog must watch the handler and adjust his pace to stay with him.

- Heel Free - an off-leash heeling exercise.

- Stand for Examination - useful for veterinary exams.

- Recall - requires an immediate response.

- Long Sit (1 minute) - shows that the handler has control of the dog such as when visitors come to the home.

- Long Down (3 minutes)

As you can see, these are not easy exercises, even though they are called "novice." Perfect scores are very rare. A perfect score is 200. A passing score is 170. Receiving a passing score for your class means that you and your dog have earned one "leg" toward your title. As already mentioned, you need to earn three qualifying scores, or "legs," to earn your title.

Following the Companion Dog title owners and dogs may go on to compete for the Companion Dog Excellent title (CDX), the Utility Dog (UD) title, the Utility Dog Excellent (UDX) title, the Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) title, and the National Obedience Champion (NOC) title. The last two, OTCH and NOC are very prestigious awards. It may take years for an exceptional dog to accumulate the points necessary to earn an OTCH award. The NOC is awarded annually to the dog who wins the AKC National Obedience Invitational.

If you think that you might be interested in competitive obedience with your dog you can get started by beginning training with your dog as soon as possible. All registered purebred dogs are eligible for AKC obedience competitions. If you have an unregistered purebred dog or a dog that you think may be a purebred you may still be able to compete. The AKC has a program called the Purebred Alternative Listing. You can send in photos of your spayed or neutered dog to prove that they are a registrable breed and the AKC can register your dog to allow you to compete in companion events such as obedience competitions. The program gives rescued purebred dogs and purebred dogs from shelters a chance to participate in AKC events.

Once your dog is registered with the AKC you should contact a local obedience club or kennel club. They will have instructors and classes who can work with you and your dog to prepare for obedience competitions. Make sure you get a copy of the AKC Obedience Regulations so you will know what to expect. Attend other obedience trials so you can become familiar with ring procedures before you compete. Ask questions of long-time competitors. They can help prepare you for your own ring experience.

And, that's it. If you practice diligently with your dog you should be prepared for competitive obedience. Stay calm, stay focused and remember that it's all about the dog.

by: Tristan Andrews

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