AKC Companion Sports

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Agility

In AKC Agility, dogs race against a clock as they navigate an obstacle course with strong concentration and speed. Whether you just want to have fun exercising with your dog, or want to go further and enter an Agility competition, get ready for a fast-paced, rewarding experience that will get you and your dog in the best shape of your lives!

Dog agility is a sport where you direct your dog through a pre-set obstacle course within a certain time limit. Courses typically have between 14-20 obstacles, which can include tunnels, weave poles, tire jumps, seesaws, and pause tables where the dog must stop for a set amount of time. At each trial you and your dog will race around the unique courses designed for that day.  All of this is done with your dog relying solely on the cues and body language you use to direct them on course.

Obedience

Developed in the 1930s, Obedience is one of the AKC’s oldest sporting events. From walking on- and off-leash to retrieving and jumping, or demonstrating your dog’s ability to stay, Obedience trials feature dogs that are well-behaved at home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. It is essential that the obedience dog demonstrates willingness and enjoyment while it is working with the handler.

Whether or not you want to compete, every dog owner should consider some form of obedience training. It’s the best way to establish good communication skills between you and your dog – and to make sure that your dog is the most well-behaved one in your neighborhood!

Additionally, Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs that have good manners at home and in the community. Your dog will need to know the commands and exercises taught in a basic training class to qualify for a passing score on the CGC test. Dogs that pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the AKC and are recorded in the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Archive.

AKC Rally

In AKC Rally®, you and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with the dog under control at the handler’s left side. There is a clear sense of teamwork between the dog and handler both during and between the numbered signs. Although each performance is timed, having a good race time is not the goal; it’s all about working as a team while performing the skills, with the dog under control.

Started in 2005, AKC Rally is a fun family sport and participation increases each year. It’s a perfect starting point for those who are new to canine sports as AKC Rally provides a challenging introduction to all AKC Companion Events for dogs and handlers to strengthen their skills.

Scoring in Rally is less rigorous than in other competitions like traditional obedience or agility. You begin with a perfect score of 100, with points deducted along with way. If you retain a score of at least 70 points, you will qualify toward earning a title. As you qualify the required number of times, you will move onto the next level.

There are five levels of Classes in AKC Rally:

Novice:

  • All exercises are performed with your dog on leash.

  • There are 10-15 signs.

  • Exercises vary from turning 360 degrees to changing paces during the course.

  • You may talk, clap your hands and/or pat your legs to encourage your dog.

  • To earn a title it takes three qualifying scores.

Intermediate or Advanced:

  • After Novice, handlers may choose which class they are ready to participate in, either the Intermediate or Advanced level.

  • All exercises are performed on-leash in the Intermediate level and there is no jump required.

  • All exercises are performed off-leash in the Advanced level and there is one jump required.

  • There are 12-17 signs.

  •  To earn a title it takes three qualifying scores.

Excellent:

  • All exercises are performed off-leash.

  • Handlers are not allowed to pat their legs or clap their hands to encourage the dog.

  • Dogs must jump twice.

  • There are 15-20 signs.

  • To earn a title it takes three qualifying scores.

Master:

  • All exercises are performed off-leash.

  • Handlers are not allowed to pat their legs or clap their hands to encourage the dog.

  • Dogs must jump once.

  • There are 15-20 signs.

  • To earn a title it takes ten qualifying scores.

Tracking

AKC Tracking events are the competition form of canine search and rescue. These Tracking events provide experience for dogs and their handlers to meet some needs for tracking and finding lost humans or other animals, as well as, demonstrating the extremely high level of scent capability that dogs possess.

The AKC’s Tracking Tests allow dogs to demonstrate their natural ability to recognize and follow human scent. This vigorous outdoor activity is great for canine athletes. Unlike Agility and Obedience events that require a dog to qualify three times, a dog only needs to complete one track successfully to earn each title.

Tracking Dog (TD)

A dog earns a TD by following a track 440 to 500 yards long with three to five changes of direction. The track is laid by a human tracklayer and is “aged” 30 minutes to two hours before the dog begins scenting. The goal is to use the scented track to locate an article left at the end of the trail by the tracklayer. The owner follows the dog on a long leash and can encourage the dog during the tracking test.

Tracking Dog Urban (TDU)

The fundamental features of the Tracking Dog Urban (TDU) test are the dog’s ability to follow a track laid by a person under a variety of scenting conditions in an urban environment and to find the articles dropped by that person. This is an optional titling event. Clubs are not required to offer this test and dogs are not required to earn the title to enter a TD, TDX, or VST tracking test.

Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX)

The TDX is earned by following an “older” track (three to five hours) that is also longer (800 to 1,000 yard) and has five to seven directional changes with the additional challenge of human cross tracks.

Variable Surface Tracking (VST)

In the real world, dogs track through urban settings, as well as through wilderness. A VST dog has demonstrated this ability by following a three-to-five-hour-old track that may take him down a street, through a building and other areas devoid of vegetation.

Champion Tracker (CT)

A dog that has successfully completed all three tracking titles (TD, TDX and VST) earns the prestigious title of Champion Tracker.

Owners who do tracking with their dogs find joy in seeing the dogs at work using their innate scenting skills. If you and your dog like the outdoors, try tracking!