Clean Run Magazine - March 2009 - 7

Everything you always wanted to know about agility By Brenna Fender ? I compete in AKC agility with my Poodle that weighs 2.5 pounds. She sometimes can tip the teeter plank and sometimes not. When trialing, if she goes to the end of the teeter and the plank does not move, what would the judge do? What should I do? An AKC representative offers this response: “An AKC teeter that is properly calibrated will go down when a 2.5 pound dog is at the end of it. There are several dogs of that size currently competing. If the teeter for some reason wouldn’t go down and the dog is at the end of the board, the handler should pick the dog up, and politely ask the judge if he or she calibrated the teeter yet on that day. If the judge answers that it hasn’t been calibrated, they should ask that it be checked and if found to be in need of correcting, then the dog should be awarded a rerun, using the proper rules for reruns.” The rules for reruns that apply to equipment malfunction can be found in the AKC Judges Guidelines, Chapter 7, Section 2. In some cases of equipment malfunction, the dog and handler may continue the run and later perform the problematic obstacle (for example, when a weave pole breaks while the dog is weaving). But in this case, the dog can’t continue; she is stuck on the teeter. The Guidelines state: “Sometimes the malfunction affects the dog or handler greatly, and the run basically stops at that point. In these cases, the equipment should be fixed, and the dog should be given an opportunity to perform it (one time) immediately, to reacclimate itself to the obstacle prior to completing the course or the rerun as described below. If the dog had incurred faults that would keep it from qualifying prior to the severe equipment malfunction then, the handler should be allowed to simply complete the course at that time. If the dog was qualifying at the time of the severe malfunction, then the handler would be instructed that a rerun would be necessary. All faults incurred in the first run (up to the point of the malfunction) would remain in effect, and judging would begin at the point where the severe equipment malfunction occurred. Exhibitors must be briefed with rerun criteria as stated in stopwatch/e-timer malfunctions.” Did the requirements for earning the USDAA Performance Dog I title change in January 2009? What are the new rules? Through 2008, earning the Performance Dog I title (PDI), required a dog to finish the Performance Standard title by getting three qualifying scores in the Performance I Standard class, and one qualifying score in each of the Performance I non-standard Do you have a question about agility rules or anything else agility related? Mail your questions to Brenna Fender: brennafender@gmail.com Brenna collects the questions and forwards them to us so we never see the names. classes (Snooker, Gamblers, and Jumpers). Beginning in 2009, the title requirements changed so that a qualifying score is now also required in the Pairs Relay class. The announcement of this change was first made in 2006 and was scheduled to occur in January 2008, but was deferred by the USDAA Board until 2009. All PDI titles earned by December 31, 2008, were calculated under the old regulations. What does it mean to be a NADAC associate? Becoming an associate is not required to run at NADAC trials. Associates pay a membership fee ($15 per year, or less with a multiyear discount) for certain privileges and discounts throughout the year. According to the regulations available at NADAC.com, associates receive the following benefits: • • • • • • New dogs are registered at a reduced fee. Height cards are free (the regular fee is $10 per card), but you must still meet the requirements of having three judges sign the dog’s height form. Any dog registration card, associate membership card, or height card that is lost or stolen is replaced at no charge (the regular replacement fee is $5 per card). Certificates are printed at no charge (the regular fee is $5 per certificate). Hard copies of the Exhibitors Handbook are mailed free of charge upon request (the regular fee is $5). Access to the online NADAC newsletter is included. D NOTE: While it is not permissible to make copies of Clean Run magazine, we wish to give readers permission to make copies of this particular column for personal use. This means you are free to share copies of this column with students, friends, or club members. The information may also be included in not-for-profit newsletters as long as credit is given to Clean Run. March 09 | Clean Run 7

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Clean Run Magazine - March 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - March 2009