Dog Obedience Trial Levels

The two last categories mentioned are the advanced levels you could say. Both of these require for the leash to be off the dog (when they enter the ring that is), and the dog is not touched by any means except for when they have to measure him or when he is praised. The best score in this category is two hundred points. A dog must pass at least three categories in order to earn a title. To qualify the dog needs to make one hundred and seventy points plus fifty percent of the available points for each exercise. If a dog gets a (UD - Utility Dog), he then becomes qualified to participate in two other obedience titles. There is another category, which is called the Utility Dog Excellent (UDX), and a dog qualifies for this when hehas passed in Open and Utility class during the same show ten times. After a dog builds up one hundred points he wins the Obedience Trial Championship (OTCh). These points will be given to the dog if he comes in first or second place in Open or Utility, and the amount of points or score is established by the size of the class. This is the only cutthroat obedience trial there is meaning that a dog must literally defeat other dogs to earn his points. There are other competitions or tournaments that are designed for the best dogs. For a dog to be able to enter these tournaments he must have proven his skills to the AKC or to other kennel clubs. The best of the best are ranked every year by a variety of systems that have been made by breed clubs and other types of clubs such as obedience clubs etc. There are publications that design these as well like, Front and Finish, even though this publications is not official, it is very respected and looked for. (See also, The Dog Trainer's News). If you are planning on becoming a competitor, something that is recommended is that you take your dog to group training, as this will help your dog to learn how to work around distractions. It will also help your dog make a lot of new friends and it teaches him to socialize. A lot of competitors also opt for hiring a private instructor to complement the training their dog is already getting or as a sole instructor. If you plan on doing this, it is recommendable for you to ask the instructor what kind of techniques he or she is planning on using, ask about his or her experience on Obedience Trials and if he or she has earned any titles and ask for referrals from other or previous clients. Another very important question to ask the instructor is if he or she has had experience with your breed. Getting along with your dog's instructor is a must, as it will help both you and your dog stay focused and encouraged during those rough training moments.

kennel Clubs in the United States are restricted to purebred dogs as well as indefinite listing privilege dogs (ILP). But don't worry, as there are many major organizations that allow mixed breeds to participate. Also, know that all Obedience competitions allow neutered and spayed dogs to compete and participate. Something you could do is watch one of these competitions. You could probably find this information out by looking up where these clubs are in the yellow pages or looking up for more information on this site. You'd be surprised how often these kinds of events happen.

Advanced dog exercises