OBEDIENCE TRIAL RULES AND REGULATIONS (CKC)
Novice Class
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Novice A
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The obedience Novice Class A shall be for pure-bred dogs of any breed and those breeds as designated on the list of miscellaneous class breeds and of either sex which have not earned the title of C.D. (Companion Dog) in Canada or any other country. A dog shall not be entered in a Novice Class once it has been exhibited in an Open Class.
Only one dog per handler is allowed in this class, and that person must handle the dog in all exercises. The handler of any dog in this class must be the owner, co-owner, or a member of their immediate families, and must be eligible to handle under section 9.1.3.
No professional handler or trainer, or any person who has previously exhibited a dog through its U.D. (Utility Dog) title in Canada or elsewhere shall be allowed to handle a dog in this class. A person who receives a consideration (monetary or otherwise) for handling dogs may not enter this class. When a dog is wrongfully entered in this class, any score awarded will be cancelled.
A dog which has earned a comparable title in any other country is not eligible for entry in this class, but may be entered in the Novice B class if it has not earned its C.D. title in Canada.
Novice B
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The obedience Novice Class B shall be for purebred dogs of any breed and those breeds as designated on the list of miscellaneous class breeds and of either sex which have not earned the title of C.D. (Companion Dog) in Canada.
Dogs in this class may be handled or exhibited by the owner or any other person. A person may enter more than one dog in this class. The same handler who handled each dog in the first 4 exercises must handle each dog in the Sit and Down exercises, except that where a handler has handled more than one dog in the first 4 exercises, he must have an additional handler for each dog when they are judged together in the Group Exercises.
No dog may be entered in both the Novice Class A and Novice Class B at any one trial. A dog that has earned the title of C.D., or a comparable title in any other country, but has not earned its title of C.D. in Canada, may only be entered in the Novice Class B.
Tests, Order of Judging & Scores
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The tests, order of judging and scores for a perfect performance in the Novice Class A and B shall be:
(a) Heel on Leash and Figure Eight 40 points (b) Stand for Examination 30 points (c) Heel Free 40 points (d) Recall 30 points (e) Long Sit 30 points (f) Long Down 30 points Maximum Total Score 200 points
Companion Dog Title (C.D.)
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The CKC will permit the use of the letters C.D., signifying Companion Dog, to be used in connection with and after the name of each dog that has met the requirements for that title as hereinafter provided.
There need not be any specified number of dogs in competition in the Novice Class. To be permitted to use the title Companion Dog a dog must:
Be registered in the records of the CKC, or if a miscellaneous class breed, must hold a CKC Miscellaneous Class Certification number, or if foreign born and owned, the dog must have a CKC Registration number, or an Event Registration Number or Performance Event Number (PEN). Receive a qualifying score of more than 50% of the available points in each of the 6 exercises and a total score of 170 points in the Novice Class at 3 obedience trials held under these rules. Receive 3 qualifying scores under at least 2 different judges.
When the foregoing requirements for the title Companion Dog are fully met, the owner (who must be recorded as owner in the records of the CKC) shall be entitled to a certificate issued by the CKC certifying that the title has been earned at approved trials held under CKC rules.
Heel On Leash
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The order for this exercise are "Forward", "Halt", "Right Turn", "Left Turn", "About Turn", "Slow", "Normal", "Fast", "Figure Eight", "Exercise Finished".
In the Novice Classes, the handler shall enter the ring with the dog on a loose leash and shall stand still, at the starting position, with the dog sitting at heel position until the judge asks if the handler is ready. The judge then gives the order "Forward", at which order the handler may give the command or signal to heel, and at the same time start walking briskly with the dog on a loose leash. The dog shall walk close to the left side of the handler without forging, lagging or crowding, permitting the handler freedom of motion at all times. At each order to "Halt", the handler will stop and the dog should sit smartly at heel without command or signal. It is permissible after each halt, before moving again, for the handler to give the command or signal to heel. Any tightening or jerking of the leash or any act, signal, or command which in the opinion of the judge gives the dog unnecessary or unfair assistance shall be penalized.
The judge shall attempt to standardize the heeling routine for all dogs in any class.
The orders, "Forward", "Halt", "Right Turn", "Left Turn", "About Turn", "Slow", "Normal", and "Fast", may be given in any sequence and may be repeated if necessary. On the Slow and Fast pace, handler and dog must significantly change pace from Normal. In executing the About Turn, the handler will do a Right About Turn in all cases. After the completion in the heeling exercise, the judge will say "Exercise Finished" and "Are You Ready?" before the start of the Figure 8.
In the Figure 8 exercise, the handler with the dog on a loose leash shall walk briskly around and between the 2 stewards who shall stand about 2.44m (8') apart. The handler and dog shall go twice completely around the Figure 8 with at least one halt during and another at the end of the exercise.
The principal feature of this exercise is the ability of the dog and the handler to work as a team.
A score of zero shall be given if a dog is unmanageable, or if the handler constantly controls the dog's performance by tugging on the least, or constantly adapts pace to that of the dog.
Substantial deductions shall be given for additional commands or signals to heel, or for failure of the dog or handler to significantly change pace for Fast or Slow, or failure to sit at a Halt.
Substantial or minor deductions shall be given for poor sits, lagging, heeling wide, forging, crowding, occasional leash control, or failure of the handler to walk at a brisk normal pace, or any other imperfections in heeling.
Stand for Examination
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The orders for this exercise are "Stand Your Dog for Examination and Leave When Ready", "Back to Your Dog", "Exercise Finished".
On order from the judge to "Stand Your Dog and Leave When Ready", the handler will stand and/or pose his dog and without further orders from the judge, will give the command and/or signal to "Stay", walk away in front of the dog to the end of a 1.83m (6') loose leash, turn and face the dog. The method by which the do is made to stand or pose is optional. The handler may take any reasonable time in posing the dog before deciding to give the command and/or signal to stay. The leash shall be held clear of the floor when the handler is in position.
The judge will approach from the front and touch the dog's head, body, and hindquarters only and then will give the order, "Back to Your Dog", whereupon the handler will walk around behind the dog and return to the heel position. The dog shall remain in a standing position until the judge says "Exercise Finished".
The scoring of this exercise will not start until the handler has given the command and/or signal to "Stay", except for such things as rough treatment of the dog by its handler or active resistance by the dog to its handler's attempts to make it stand, which shall be penalized substantially.
The principal features of this exercise are that the dog is to stand in position before and during examination and to show no shyness, resentment or aggression.
A score of zero shall be given if a dog, either before or during the examination, sits, lies down, moves away from the place where left, displays shyness or resentment, or if a dog growls or snaps at any time.
Substantial or minor deductions shall be given for any handler who backs away from his dog or is not the proper distance from the dog during the examination, and for any dog that moves its feet, sits or lies down after the examination but before the judge says "Exercise Finished".
Heel Free
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The orders and scoring for this exercise shall be the same as for the Heel on Leash. This exercise shall be done in the same manner as the Heel on Leash except that there shall be no Figure 8 and the dog is off leash. The leash shall be left on the judge's table for all work done in the Heel Free exercise.
Recall
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The orders for this exercise are "Leave Your Dog", "Call Your Dog", "Finish", "Exercise Finished".
In this exercise, upon order or signal from the judge to "Leave Your Dog", the handler will give the dog the command and/or signal to stay in the sitting position, leave the dog, and go about 12.19m (40'), turn and face the dog. Upon order or signal from the judge, "Call Your Dog", the handler will call or signal the dog which must come straight in at a brisk pace, sitting straight in front of the handler, close enough so that he can readily touch the dog's head without moving either foot or having to stretch forward. Upon order or signal from the judge "Finish", the dog on command or signal should go smartly to heel. In the Finish the method in which a dog goes to heel should be the option of the handler, providing it is done smartly.
The principal features of this exercise are that the dog stays where it is left and comes promptly to the handler when called.
A score of zero shall be given to any dog that fails to stay where it is left until called, or receives an additional command or signal to stay after the handler leaves, or fails to come on the first command or signal, or does not come close enough for the handler to touch the dog's head without moving either foot.
Substantial deductions shall be made for a second command to stay before the handler leaves, for standing or lying down instead of waiting in the sit position, for slow response to come, for failure to sit in front or to finish, for an extra command or signal to sit or to finish.
Substantial or minor deductions shall be made, depending on the circumstances, for failing to come at a brisk pace, sitting out of easy reach, poor sit or finish, or for interfering with the handler, or sitting between the handler's feet.
Group Sit & Down Exercises
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The orders for this exercise are "Sit Your Dogs" or "Down Your Dogs", "Leave Your Dogs", "Back to Your Dogs", "Exercise Finished".
In the Long Sit all the competing dogs in a class take the exercise together, except that if there are more than 8 dogs, they are split into groups of not more than 8. Each group will be judged immediately following their individual exercises. Where the same judge does both Novice A and B Classes, the separate classes may be combined.
The dogs shall enter the ring on leash, and must line up in catalogue order along one side of the ring. Handlers' armbands, weighted with leashes, shall be placed behind the dogs. On order from the judge to "Sit Your Dogs", the handlers shall sit their dogs and on further order from the judge to "Leave Your Dogs", the handlers shall give the command and/or signal to stay and immediately leave their dogs, go to the opposite side of the ring, and line up facing their respective dogs.
The judge shall take a position in the ring where both the dogs and handlers can be observed. After one minute from the time the order to "Leave Your Dogs" was given, the judge will order the handlers "Back to Your Dogs", whereupon the handlers must return promptly to their dogs, each walking around behind his own dog to the heel position. The dogs should not move from the sitting position until the judge says "Exercise Finished".
The Long Down is done in the same manner as the Long Sit except that instead of sitting the dogs, the handlers, on orders from the judge will Down their dogs by command and/or signal. The time for this exercise shall be 3 minutes. The dog should stay in the down position until after the judge says "Exercise Finished".
The scoring of these exercises will not start until the judge gives the command "Sit/Down Your Dogs".
The principal features of these exercises are for the dog to stay and to remain in the sitting or down position, whichever is required by the particular exercise.
A score of zero shall be given to any dog which at any time during the exercise moves a substantial distance from the place it was left, or goes over to another dog, or barks or whines unreasonably, or fails to remain in the sitting or down position (whichever is required by the particular exercise), until the handler has returned to the heel position.
A substantial deduction shall be given for repositioning a dog after the dog is in the down position, sitting, standing or lying down, after the handler has returned to the heel position but before the judge has said "Exercise Finished".
Substantial or minor deductions, depending on the circumstances, shall be given for touching the dog or its collar in getting it into the sit or the down position, occasional barking or whining, or movement from position before the handler has returned to the heel position.
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