21/11/2017
Taconic Hills Kennel Club
New Obedience Exercises Approved
Effective May 1, 2018
The AKC Board of Directors reviewed a proposal by the Companion Events department regarding the Obedience Group Exercises at their October and November meetings. They had in-depth discussions on the recommendation to replace the Group Exercises in the Obedience Novice and Open Classes, as well as in the Preferred Novice, Preferred Open, Graduate Novice, and Team classes, with new exercises that will demonstrate a dog’s ability to stay. This was not a new subject, but rather has been a discussion among the Fancy and AKC for numerous years. The AKC wishes to thank the many participants for their suggestions over the last several months and years surrounding this topic. In looking at just the past ten years, below is a history of the subject of Group Exercises leading up to the decision of the AKC Board.
Obedience Regulations Review History 2007 – Present
2007 Obedience Advisory Committee – to discuss all the Obedience Regulations:There were a large number of requests to change the Group Exercises and to eliminate the Open out of sight Group Exercise.The OAC members were split about what to do.Action was tabled. It was decided that AKC would conduct a survey of obedience judges to quantify the issue.The 15-month survey took place from Oct 2007-Dec 2008. Judges reported every time a dog moved from the place where it was left in the Group Exercise.According to the final report:30% of the dogs moved from the place they were told to stay during the Group ExercisesOf the 30%, 23% of the dogs interfered with another dog.
2013 Group Task Force - assembled to specifically review concerns regarding the Obedience Group Exercises:
Many suggestions were received. All the suggestions were reviewed and discussed.The Committee made several recommendations to reduce interference. The recommendations were implemented in May 2014:If a dog non-qualified during the individual exercises and in the opinion of the judge the dog demonstrated uncontrolled behavior, the judge must release the dog from performing the Group Exercises;Dogs must be spaced with a minimum of 4 feet between each dog;Require that dogs be under control when entering and exiting the ring;If a judge observed any sign of aggression, or potential problems with the dogs as they were assembling outside of the ring to come in for the Group Exercise, the judge must excuse the dog and not allow them into the ring for the Group Exercise.2014 Obedience Advisory Committee – to discuss all the Obedience Regulations:
This OAC received many suggestions regarding additional Group Exercise modifications.The key additional Group Exercise recommendation was to keep the leash on the dogs in the Novice Group Exercises. This was implemented effective December 2015.In late 2016 staff decided to hold another Group Exercise Task Force meeting. Meeting was held in June 2017:In April, the names of the Group Task Force members were published and the Fancy wrote in many suggestions for changes to the Group Exercises.These suggestions and all the previous suggestions were discussed during the June meeting.The Task Force recommended the elimination or modification of the existing Group Exercises and the substitution of other exercises to demonstrate a dog’s ability to stay.Surveys indicated that 66% of the fancy supported eliminating the Group Exercises, 19% were opposed and 15% submitted a variety of alternatives.In October, staff supports the Task Force recommendations and submits to the AKC Board for review.In November, Board approves the recommendations, which will become effective May 1, 2018.The responses received from many owners is that this is an interference issue among dogs in the Group Exercises and for some a safety issue. The idea that owners can train their dogs to stay, but they cannot be certain that the handler’s dog next to them has been as successful at training their dog to stay, was a strong voice to be heard; and the AKC survey showed this to be a real problem. A dog interfering with another dog, even if it does not result in an attack, impacts a dog’s training negatively in public places and in trials.
New Obedience Regulations Effective May 1, 2018
With the approved regulation changes, effective May 1, 2018, videos will be produced and distributed on the AKC Obedience/Rally YouTube Channel to demonstrate correctly performed exercises in an easy to view widespread platform in the coming month. In addition, if you are in attendance for the AKC Obedience Classic in Orlando in December, a demonstration of the new exercises will be performed. AKC Staff will monitor the changes to the classes and consider adjustments if they are needed. AKC thanks all the committee members who have served on Advisory Committees for the future of the sport, and the many participants, for their suggestions leading up to this decision.
A link to the approved obedience regulation changes may be found on the AKC Obedience webpage under News and Updates.
Sincerely,
Pamela Manaton
Director of Obedience, Rally &
http://pages.akc.org/index.php/email/emailWebview?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTlRKbE1UWTRaR00zTWpOaCIsInQiOiJ3UThpNU90R2NudmVJTHFYcW5MRk5pTjRoeDJJTDM4S2RtSTdkYUZ5aThQaEpIcUJ0MlExWlZWU09xZmtEd05QQnprd3BkQW53YkFZeVRyTjBZdnZzM0plcUtERlhsYjFkT01HZkVTYkpka3U0VmNHMTgrNFo4WnR4T1pXRG9HUiJ9
