[agilegsds]

The AKC Obedience Advisory Committee has proposed many changes to the regs, including adding new titling classes and including rally exercises in the heeling exercises. Text can be found here:

http://www.akc.org/pdfs/events/obedience/OAC_recommendations_2007.pdf

This isn't set in stone yet and the OAC will be taking comments until March 15th:

http://www.akc.org/events/obedience/obedience_advisory_committee.cfm

And don't forget, the new Rally regs go into effect today!

 

[amjrchamberlain]

Sandy;

Thank you for keeping us UTD!

I have a question - I called AKC about the new Rally Regs and the CS rep told me she didn't know what they are? Do you have a link to them? Is there much of a change?

Thanks!

 

[csaiz]

Please

Can we have the link for the new Rally Reg.

Both Hubby and I will compete in earnest this year

Thanks

 

[agilegsds]

Here's the rally regs:

http://www.akc.org/pdfs/about/board_minutes/Rally_Regulations.pdf

Biggest changes are now you only have one chance to re-attempt an exercise and the Honor exercise is done in front of the dog 6 feet away, so you need to bring a 6 foot leash. And if the dog blows the honor, it's only an IP whereas before it was an NQ.

 

[Kayos and Havoc]

I think the AKC needs their head examined!!!! Rally stuff in regular obedience????? I hope not or off to the UKC full time for me.

 

[amjrchamberlain]

I have to agree (with you, Kathy) on the Rally with regular obedience. I don't want them together. I like that they are separate events, separate titles, etc. What if people in regular obedience don't WANT to do Rally - why should they *have* to learn any of the maneuvers?!

Thanks Sandy for the link! I'll take a look at that. I certainly like the IP instead of an NQ on the honor in Excellent. I stressed out over that honor terribly in October! LOL Poor Apollo!

 

[agilegsds]

Originally Posted By: AngelaMO I certainly like the IP instead of an NQ on the honor in Excellent.

I wish they had put a time limit on the honor. Star had to honor last summer for a dog that couldn't do anything. The woman attempted every exercise 3 times, repeating the command many times on each attempt and still couldn't do anything. We had to be out there for 10 minutes! My leg was even falling asleep. I was praying for the judge to put them out of their misery. It was 90+ degrees that day and no air conditioning. At least it with Star and not Kayto who would have been wiggling the entire time. Afterwards people were coming up to me telling me how sorry they felt for me and how relieved they were that it wasn't them. Apparently this woman was well-known!

 

[Kayla's Dad]

Originally Posted By: agilegsds
I wish they had put a time limit on the honor. Star had to honor last summer for a dog that couldn't do anything. The woman attempted every exercise 3 times, repeating the command many times on each attempt and still couldn't do anything. We had to be out there for 10 minutes! My leg was even falling asleep. I was praying for the judge to put them out of their misery. It was 90+ degrees that day and no air conditioning. At least it with Star and not Kayto who would have been wiggling the entire time. Afterwards people were coming up to me telling me how sorry they felt for me and how relieved they were that it wasn't them. Apparently this woman was well-known!

It's hard to start and pull out of the honor while the dog is on course. Limiting the retries should speed up the team running the course instead of allowing them to dawdle with retrying multiple times at most stations. I can't imagined waiting through the next team redoing every station 3 times.

Think the change in the pivots (dog does not have to pivot with you-just move into heel position) is kind of a regression. Having the dog pivot with you is a sharp looking move. Having the dog just move into a heel position any which way seems like a step backwards.

Also have to agree with Kathy on adding rally exercises to obedience. Though not doing this long, one of the attractions was doing different things in the Rally and obedience parts. Adding rally exercises to the obedience side doesn't at this time sound as interesting to pursue.

 

[amjrchamberlain]

Ok read through the OAC links...now I have another question...

What is that "Graduate Novice" (etc) that I'm reading? How would someone qualify for that - through regular Novice class after they have earned their CD?

Definately dislike the Rally being put into the Obedience ring. I hope everyone who dislikes it will take a few moments to send a note to the OAC letting them know that you do not approve of that.

I like the lowering of the limit from 1 year to 6 months on showing under someone you have been instructed by. We were going to show last year and had booked the room and everything, when I realized that one of our judges would be someone we had been instructed by several months before. I couldn't see making the drive for one day of trialing, so we cancelled. But I know that the judge is very fair and would never give us slack in her judging, she would actually be more strict since she taught us! She wants perfection! LOL I'm sure that's not the case with all judges, but whether it has been 6 months or 1 year, it will be what it will be and if they are going to give an acquaintence preference, then they will despite the time frame.

Thanks!

 

[amjrchamberlain]

Originally Posted By: agilegsds
I wish they had put a time limit on the honor. Star had to honor last summer for a dog that couldn't do anything. The woman attempted every exercise 3 times, repeating the command many times on each attempt and still couldn't do anything. We had to be out there for 10 minutes! My leg was even falling asleep. I was praying for the judge to put them out of their misery. It was 90+ degrees that day and no air conditioning. At least it with Star and not Kayto who would have been wiggling the entire time. Afterwards people were coming up to me telling me how sorry they felt for me and how relieved they were that it wasn't them. Apparently this woman was well-known!

Aaaah! LOL I've watched this happen a couple of times and I always cringe and hold my breath for the poor person who is honoring! It's painful to watch. But, I bet it is even more painful trying to coax a dog into doing something they are just NOT going to do! LOL We all have bad days, though, so I usually just think that and hope they will get through as quickly as possible.

 

[Guardyan]

Quote:What is that "Graduate Novice" (etc) that I'm reading? How would someone qualify for that - through regular Novice class after they have earned their CD?

If you check out this link ( http://www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/RO2999.pdf ), starting on page 54 there are descriptions of the Graduate Novice exercises. They are different than regular OB exercises, e.g. recalling a dog over the high jump instead of retrieving over the high jump.

According to the AKC regs, "The Graduate Novice Class is for dogs that have not been certified by a judge to have received a third qualifying score toward a CDX title prior to the closing of entries."

As far as the rule changes, I don't like the idea of rally turns in regular obedience especially the pivot stuff in Open. I prefer the traditional smooth long heeling sections in regular obedience. IMHO, to add a bunch of turns will just chop things up and you won't have the opportunity to see which dogs consistently stay in heel position.

I'm wondering if I'm reading the broad jump in Open B section correctly? Now we need to train standing on either side of the broad jump? Weird! I'm sure Gavin would look at me like "Huh?" if I stood on the left side of the broad jump. Hmm, maybe I'll try it just to see what how he reacts . . . would help if my broad jump wasn't a snow mogul right now.

The one thing I really like in the rule changes is excusing any dog that has disrupted sit stays from the down stays. My thinking is that the team has already NQd. Why risk the dog disrupting the down stays?

And all I can say for the Obedience Advanced Teamwork is WOW! Those exercises look challenging and interesting!

 

[Xeph]

Heck, maybe Strauss would actually take the #*&%(@&%*(# broadjump if I stood on the other side...

I agree with the other rules though. If I wanted Rally turns in my obedience, I'd show in Rally...

 

[lfitzner]

At our recent OB club meeting, we requested that members comment on three things that did not show up in the regs: 1) no veteren jump heights although they made adjustments for some breeds, 2) allowing handlers who had not put a CD on a dog in the past 5 yrs to show in Novice A (lots of folks coming back after not showing in a while) and 3) banning dogs with titles in other organizations from showing in Novice A (this tends to happen at national specialties when the prizes are nice. At one a canadian OTCH showed in novice A. Just bad sportsmanship) If any of you are supportive of these, please pass it on to AKC.
Thanks

 

[mjbgsd]

In 4-H last year, I had to do rally exercises in obedience and it wasn't that bad. Though one judge ran me into a wall. Now THAT wasn't fun... I really don't care if they put them in but I also see the point of what people are saying. A lot of people do obedience cause they don't like rally.

 

[csaiz]

My first ever time in the ring last year (Novice A) at our local GSD specialty show I found out the other GSD in novcie A had a SCH1 title. I was soooo pi$$ed.

I am beginning to dislike AKC more and more.

 

[Achielles UD]

I suppose I am in the minority. I tend to go with the flow and if they feel changes are warrented, I will go along with them. Personally, I am fine with how things are now.

As far as a titled dog showing in Nov A.. well that is a little much even for me, but if the handler has never put a CD on a dog and the dog does not have a CD, then that is the class they can go in.

They won't be there forever lol

Things just roll off me a bit more I suppose lol I'll keep showing in AKC. I'll show in SchH. I'll show in UKC. No biggie. As a friend says: It's all good...

 

[csaiz]

You have a point, but in all fairness any handler or dog who has a title in whatever should be in Novice B,
The judge last year told me at the start: "Don't forget to breath". My nerves were bad enough without having to be in the ring for the first time in my life right after a SCH1 dog.
(Who by the way NQ the downstay )