Novice Obedience
I. Conditions
- The general rules for competition apply to all the Novice
exercises. Please refer to separate publications for more details
- Dogs must compete wearing only a flat collar.
- A “Walk-Around” is an exercise that starts in the basic
position (handler standing erect, dog at the side in a sit, facing the same
direction as the handler). On command from the judge, the handler will move to
his front two full steps, leaving the dog in the sit position. Upon reaching
this position, the handler will stop, turn and face his dog. As discussed in the
handler’s meeting, the handler will then move in either a clockwise or counter
clockwise manner, making one complete circle. Once at the original spot the
handler will stop and again face his dog. Once he has come to a complete stop,
he may return to his place next to his dog. The exercise is complete when both
the dog and handler are in the basic position.
- A “finish” is a process by which the dog returns to the basic
position on a recall. There are two types of finishes; a Front and Finish, in
which the dog sits in front of the handler and waits for an additional command
to return to the basic position; and a Service Finish in which the dog moves
directly to the basic position upon being recalled.
II. NOVICE Obedience Level I
- Each dog begins with 50 points; Dogs must achieve a
final score of 40 points, with each task completed, and without receiving a zero
in any one exercise, in order to receive a title for this event.
- The dog must compete on a loose lead, not to exceed 6
feet.
- The dog may heel at the handlers left or right side,
however the handler must indicate (before competing) to the judge which side the
dog will heel. Points will be deducted if the dog heels on the alternate side.
- Points are deducted (using a 3ft rule) for lagging or
forging and heeling wide or crowding the handler.
- The judge will specify in the handler’s meeting the
pattern in which the dog must heel, sit, down, come and stay.
- The tasks include: 4 walk-arounds, 3 heels, 3 sits, 1
down, 1 down/stay and 1 come.
- Each heel will be approximately 30’ in length.
- Walk-arounds are done for each sit and down (excluding
the down/stay)
- When indicated by the judge the handler must make the
dog down/stay, then the handler must move 20 feet from the dog for 1 minute.
After 1 minute the judge will signal the handler to recall the dog. The exercise
is complete when the dog has returned to the basic position. The handler may use
voice, hand or whistle as a recall command.
- Points are deducted if the dog moves out of position,
during the stay, before being released by the handler. Loss of all points will
be made if the dog moves more than 1/4 the distance from between the stay-point
and the handler.
- Handlers may use both verbal and hand commands to direct
the dog. If a verbal and a hand signal are used, they must be done together or
they will be counted as a double command.
III. NOVICE Obedience II
( Points, scoring, and tasks are the same as in Obedience Level
I except for the following)
- The dog will enter the field on lead, but must remove
the lead and put it away prior to the declaration. The dog must
compete off
leash.
- The tasks include: 5 walk-arounds, 3 heels, 3 sits, 2
downs, 1 down/stay and 1 come.
- The distance for the heels will be 30 – 40 feet.
- The time for the down/stay will be 2 minutes.
IV. NOVICE Obedience III
( Points, scoring, and tasks are the same as in Obedience Level
II except for the following)
- The tasks include: 5 walk-arounds, 3 heels, 3 sits, 2
downs, 2 side changes, 1 down/stay and 1 come.
- The distance for each heel-leg will be 40-50 feet.
- The dog must change sides in 2 instances (indicated by
the judge), first to the opposite side, then back to heel position.
- When indicated by the judge, the handler must make the
dog down/stay, then the handler must move out of sight from the dog for 2
minutes. After 2 minutes the judge will signal the handler to make himself
visible to the dog, then move 50 feet from the dog and recall his dog. The
exercise is complete when the dog has returned to the basic position.
CONTINENTAL KENNEL CLUB PEFORMANCE
CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES
CKC offers two different options to achieve Performance Titles (Title that
include Obedience, Precision Agility and Tracking & Article Search. If you
choose to only work in one discipline, you can obtain a CKC Championship in
Obedience (OBCh), Agility (AGCh), or Tracking (TRCh) by first successfully
completing the Advanced title in that discipline. Then you must obtain 10
passing scores in that discipline, at the advanced level. A dog may compete no
more than twice on any event in one day.
CKC also offers a more rounded series of Championships called “Performance
Championships.” To obtain a Novice Performance Championship (NCh), the dog must
obtain a Novice level 3 title in all three levels of the Novice Performance
disciplines (obedience, agility and tracking). To obtain a Intermediate
Performance Championship (ICh), the dog must obtain the Intermediate titles in
all three of the Intermediate Performance disciplines (obedience, agility and
tracking) . To obtain an Advanced Performance Championship (ACh), the dog must
obtain the Advanced titles in all three of the Advanced Performance disciplines
(obedience, agility and tracking). To obtain a Master Championship (MCh), a dog
must pass the Master’s Performance Program three times, at no less than three
trials, on at least three separate days.
For information on competing or
hosting events contact
CKC Events Department at 1-888-CKC– 8042 or visit us at
WWW.CKCUSA.COM
Continental Kennel Club, Inc. reserves the right to
amend these rules at any time.
© 2005 Continental Kennel Club, Inc. All rights reserved
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