Clean Run Magazine - September 2008 - 7

Everything you always wanted to know about agility By Brenna Fender Why are some AKC trial rules being enforced “by the book,” such as requiring dogs to be on leash while at the trial site; while others are being blatantly ignored, for example, the dogs I see that are much younger than six months being held in laps ringside? It seems that if some rules are being strictly enforced, all rules should be. According to an AKC representative, “The regulations clearly state that dogs under six months of age are not allowed at an agility trial. Whether a person is caught or not by the trial committee or the AKC Agility Field Rep in attendance, all exhibitors must follow the regulations.” The representative added, “Please be aware this is for the safety and health of a young dog as well as adult dogs and to prevent whelping and sale of puppies at an event.” Can you run a course barefoot or are shoes required? Shoes are a very good idea on the course and at the trial grounds. Who knows what could be hidden in the grass or dirt that might not affect tough canine paws, but that could injure, or at least cause discomfort, to sensitive human feet? Out of the organizations that made a statement on this matter, USDAA is the only one that has any kind of mention of shoes in their regulations. A representative states, “There is no specific regulation in the official USDAA Rules & Regulations that addresses this, however, the tournament rules specify appropriate shoes are required, for the safety of the competitor.” In non-tournament events, shoes are not required, but are encouraged, said the representative. Representatives from the other organizations had this to say: AKC: “There is not a regulation against a person running in the ring barefoot.” CPE: “There is no rule in CPE about running with or without shoes. If they wish to [run shoeless], it is at the handler’s risk.” NADAC: “Shoes are not required. It is believed that handlers will use good judgment and keep safety in mind when deciding when to wear shoes or not.” Sweepstakes Agility: “In Sweepstakes Agility you can run in any type of gear (or non-gear).” TDAA: “Bare feet would be handler’s choice.” What does it mean to be a USDAA “subscriber”? The Subscriber Services area of www.usdaa.com is accessible to those who subscribe by paying a fee of $30 per year. People who subscribe get a collection of benefits. Subscribers can track 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. ? progress toward titles and awards for dogs registered to them as primary owners, review past qualifying scores sorted in various ways, track past relay partners and the judges they have shown under, see how they stack up regionally and nationally in qualifications earned and in Top Ten points, read special articles featured only on the Subscriber News Page, see the official class judging assignments before events, access regional and breed rankings, check out the standard course times and other data from events across the country, check tournament course designs at regional and national events, print a copy of the USDAA Rules & Regulations, and more. Is it true that my Sheltie can do agility through the Australian Shepherd Club of America? How does that work? Yes, she sure can! According to the rules, “All healthy, trained dogs over eighteen (18) months of age are eligible to compete in ASCA agility trials.” ASCA offers agility, obedience, and tracking events that are open to all breeds and breed mixes. ASCA also offers stock dog competitions for any herding breed. According to ASCA representative Allison Bryant, to earn titles and title certificates in the various programs, owners of nonASCA registered dogs must obtain a tracking number in order to compete. The tracking number application can be downloaded from the ASCA website (www.asca.org). This number is good for the lifetime of the dog and is used to record all qualifying scores in any of ASCA’s competitive programs. When applying for the tracking number, the owner needs to obtain a service membership (or other ASCA membership) as well. The service membership application is part of the tracking number application. The service membership currently costs $10, which can be renewed yearly if the owner wishes to maintain it. Owners who register more than one dog pay for only one service membership. The tracking number is a one-time $10 fee. For complete rules on any ASCA programs, visit their website at www.asca.org. 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. September 08 | Clean Run

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Clean Run Magazine - September 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - September 2008