Conformation | Lure Coursing | Obedience | Earthdog | Field & Hunting | Tracking | K9 Good Citizen | Herding Trials | Agility Trials | Schutzhund
Obedience Trials
Training for obedience should begin early. For puppies two to five months old, puppy kindergarten classes that focus on basic skills can be very useful. There are also basic training classes for five to six month old dogs, In addition, many local dog clubs hold classes that teach obedience exercises.
For beginners, you can test your skills at informaal obedience matches. Although you won't earn points toward your title, you will get a sense of the competition. Observe the participants at real trials and meet with some of the people with experience in the sport.
Competition in the obedience ring is divided into three levels- each level being more difficult. At each level, a competitor is working for an AKC Obedience title. The following titles are offered:
To receive an obedience title, a dog must earn three legs of competition. To achieve a leg, a dog must score at least 170 points out of a possible 200 and get more than half the points available for each exercise. The exercises vary for each title.
At the Novice Level, the work includes the basic training that all dogs should receive to be good companions. They need to demonstrate heeling both on and off lead at different speeds, coming when called, staying with a group of other dogs when instructed to do so and standing for a simple physical exam.
Open, the second level, is similar to Novice but requires the dog to perform only off lead and for longer periods. There are also jumping and retrieving tasks. The final level, Utility, adds more difficult exercises and the dog must also perform scent discrimination tests.
The best of the best may go on to earn more titles. A Utility Dog that earns qualifying scores in both the Open B and Utility B classes at 10 different events becomes a Utility Dog Excellent (UDX). Utility Dogs that place first or second in Open B or Utility classes can earn points toward an Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) title. B classes are for experienced handlers, and A classes are for beginners whose dogs have never received a title.
Titles Available