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!