New AKC Rules Changes Launch 2009

[Samba]

http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3633

Many of the changes do not go into effect until 2010 and 2011.

[Samba]

The new optional titling classes and new non-regular classes look good and they implement in 2009. It is fun to have some changes to the venue.

I can't wait until more than one show can go concurrently and the number of judes moves from 3 to 2 for titling. The price of gas and all...

My training partner finished two titles last weekend where there was one show a day for three days. She competed with two dogs.... 6 times in the ring, qualified with placements each time and came out of it with two new titles. That is about as economically as it can be done by completing in one trip out of town and still the gasoline, food and hotel bills are not small.

[Achielles UD]

First, Congradulations to your training partner on finishing her two titles!

I finally had a chance to look at some of the new rules that will be going into effect in January.

Looking at Utility - Directed Retrieve: "The judge will designate the same glove number for each handler. For each judging assignment the judge must alternate the number of the glove used."

I like this. No more wondering which glove you're going to end up with halfway through the day lol. A great way to prepare and even do a few practice pivots.

I also like in Utility that they outline in the Moving Stand/Exam that the judge is not to examine the tail.

In both Novice and Open, Group Stays are now written that if the dog breaks and disturbs another dog during the first group stay, the dog is excused from the second group stays. Finally! No more breaking the sits and dashing about the ring only to have to go through the same thing with the same dog on the downs.

I like the new rules and classes. For those that have not seen:
A new Graduate Novice title (GN) will consist of:
1. Heel on Leash & Figure Eight 40 points
2. Drop on Recall 40 points
3. Dumbbell Recall 30 points
4. Recall Over High Jump 30 points
5. Recall Over Broad Jump 30 points
6. Long Down 30 points
Maximum Total Score 200 points

Graduate Open (GO)
1. Signal Exercise 40 points
2. Scent Discrimination 30 points
3. Directed Retrieve 30 points
4. Moving Stand & Examination 30 points
5. Go Out 30 points
6. Directed Jumping 40 points
Maximum Total Score 200 points

Versitility Title (VER)
Novice exercise No. 1 25 points
Novice exercise No. 2 25 points
Open exercise No. 1 35 points
Open exercise No. 2 35 points
Utility exercise No. 1 40 points
Utility exercise No. 2 40 points
Maximum Total Score 200 points

Then there are the new titles of Obedience Master and Obedience Grand Master. You'll have to read the rules about those, but for those very dedicated, it looks like a way to get another title or two before an OTCH.

So for the upcoming year, I like the new changes! Should make showing even more fun with the extra opportunity for shows to be held and the new titling classes look like great stepping stone for those that teach one level at a time.

[Samba]

Overall, looks like some really good changes, I agree.

The Optional titling classes nice too.

[Gunnermom]

So they actually have developed Graduate Novice & Graduate Open titles? Weren't those non-regular classes before? We just got our CD and have started working on Open exercies, so would the next step be CDX or GN?

[gagsd]

So do you need a CD to compete in GN? Or can you just start with the GN?

[Kayos and Havoc]

You can compete in GN without a CD. These are optional classes unrelated to the tiering system for the regular classes.

[Kayos and Havoc]

Ammended..... I agree with the rule change on dogs breaking stays to go visit but in all my years I have never seen a judge not excsue a dog for that misbehavior, rules aside.

It has happened to me, Max did it twice and was excused from further participation and every other dog I have seen break and visit was excused from further particiapation.

Good to have it mandatory now tho.

[gagsd]

Thanks Kathy! So is the GN on a par with a CD? Would you consider one more "advanced" than the other?

[Kayos and Havoc]

The GN is harder as it is a bridge between Novice and Open. So the GN is more advanced.

Eventually they will convert pre-novice to an optional titling class called Beginning Novice. That will be less advanced than Novice.

If you are training your dog for Open (CDX) but they are not quite ready and you don't have your CD yet, competing in GN is great. You can even compete there for a long time if you don't want to do longer out of site stays. I think GN will be fun.