Rules and Regulations
Teams must enter in age group of youngest member.
Rules will be issued on receipt of entry.
Modified Australian Kennel Club rules apply.
Agility and X-Country dogs must be 18 months or over.
Vet on call for X Country.
RULES OF COMPETITION
1) General Rules
1.1) The 2003 Dog Handling Event is run under the rules and conditions of the Australian Masters Games. Unless stated otherwise, ANKC rules and conditions of competition apply to all classes in this Event. Where there is nothing specified, or where there is conflict, the rules and conditions of the Australian Masters Games take precedence.
1.2) Definitions:
1.2.1) "Standard" refers to any class, test, rule, condition or equipment used in official ANKC agility events or obedience tests.
1.2.2) "Event" refers to the 2003 Dog Handling Event as a whole.
1.2.3) "Discipline" refers to either agility, obedience or the cross country.
1.2.4) "Class" refers to the separate classes within each discipline, eg novice agility, intermediate obedience, open cross country.
1.3) All handlers must be at least 30 years of age on 24th October 2003 and must compete within the appropriate age group. An older handler may compete in a younger age group.
1.4) All dogs competing in agility and/or cross country must be at least 18 months of age on the day of competition and must have the required level of fitness.
1.5) Eligibility for a class is based on the dog's eligibility for a standard ANKC class as at 8th September 2003. A placing gained by a dog not eligible for that particular class will be forfeit.
1.6) A dog may only be entered in one agility class, one obedience class and the cross country class.
1.7) There are three separate competitions:
1.7.1) Individual Competition - all dog/handler partnerships are automatically entered as individuals in their class. All dog/handler partnerships must have entered and paid for the Individual Competition to be eligible for the Three Event and Teams Competitions.
1.7.2) Three Event Competition - for dog/handler partnerships entered in all three disciplines.
1.7.3) Teams Competition - for teams of three different handlers and three different dogs. Each team must designate a specific dog/handler partnership to represent the team in one of each of the three disciplines. Teams must compete in the age group of their youngest member.
1.7.4) Each dog/handler partnership has only one run in each of the three disciplines. This one run counts towards all three competitions.
1.8) The judge, show manager or Dog Handling Committee may disqualify any dog from a class if:
1.8.1) The dog is considered to be too unfit, unwell, injured or otherwise distressed.
1.8.2) The dog is considered to be aggressive and poses a danger to other dogs or humans.
1.8.3) The handler is considered to be guilty of harsh handling or ill treatment of any dog.
1.8.4) The handler in any way persistently or deliberately distracts, inconveniences or disadvantages any other handler, eg by not having their dog under strict control.
1.8.5) Handler failing to obey the Judges Orders
1.9) Entry fees are not refundable for any reason after 24th of July 2003
1.10) This Event is not an official ANKC event. A win achieved in any class at this Event has no bearing on eligibility for standard ANKC classes. Any issue arising before, during or after this Event should be directed to the Dog Handling Committee, not the ACTCA
1.11) While all care is taken to ensure the safety of all dogs and handlers attending this Event, the ACT Canine Association and the Dog Handling Committee take no responsibility for any injury, illness or loss resulting from attendance or participation in this Event.
2) Agility
2.1) No standard course time shall be applied, therefore there will be no time faults and no maximum course time.
2.2) Five fault penalties will be incurred for the same mistakes as in agility classes.
2.3) There will be no "disqualification" except where specified in 2.6. However the following mistakes will incur a fifty fault penalty:
2.3.1) The dog does the wrong obstacle or fails to complete an obstacle correctly before continuing, as in agility classes.
2.3.2) The dog runs out of the ring in a manner which indicates that it is not under control, as in agility classes.
2.3.3) The dog gives three refusals, as in agility classes.
2.4) A fifty fault penalty will be incurred each time the dog performs any action described in 2.3. A fifty fault penalty will be incurred on every third refusal (ie on the third, sixth, ninth, twelfth,etc).
2.5) A two hundred fault penalty is incurred if the dog fouls the ring. The handler is required to clean up to the satisfaction of the judge before continuing and the clock will continue to run while this takes place. No penalty shall be incurred if the dog attempts or completes any obstacle while waiting for the handler to clean up. Upon resuming the course, the dog must complete any obstacle begun but not completed before fouling occurred.
2.6) The following will result in disqualification of the dog:
2.6.1) The dog enters the ring on lead or wearing any collar, chain, harness, muzzle, coat or any other form of restraint, clothing or attachment.
2.6.2) The handler or dog takes any kind of food, toy, clicker, whistle, lead, collar or any other training aid into the ring.
2.6.3) Double handling - a second person may place or hold a toy or food outside the ring as directed by the handler, but must not communicate with or encourage the dog in any way while it is in the ring.
2.6.4) Harsh handling or ill treatment of any dog by the handler.
2.6.5) Any of the situations set out in 1.8, at the discretion of the judge, show manager and/or Dog Handling committee.
2.7) As in agility classes, the winner is the dog who completes the course with the least faults. Where two or more dogs have the same number of faults, the winner will be the dog with the fastest time.
2.8) Novice Agility Class
2.8.1) Open to all dogs eligible for ANKC Novice agility as at 8th September 2003
2.8.2) The course will be set and judged as for a Novices agility class,
2.9) Open Agility Class
2.9.1) Open to all dogs except those entered in the Novice agility class.
2.9.2) The course will be set and judged as for a Open agility class
3) Obedience
3.1) Novice Obedience Class
3.1.1) Open to all dogs eligible for Novice obedience tests as at the 8th September 2003.
3.1.2) Exercises will be performed and judged as for a standard Novice obedience test. Exercises to be performed are:
3.1.2.1) Heel On Lead.
3.1.2.2) Stand for Examination
3.1.2.3) Recall -
3.1.2.4) Sit Stay One Minute
3.1.2.5) Down Stay Two Minutes
3.2) Open Obedience Class
3.2.1) Open to all dogs eligible for Open obedience as at the 8th September 2003, except those dogs entered in the Novice obedience class.
3.2.2) Exercises will be performed and judged Open obedience test, ,
3.2.2.1) Heel Free
3.2.2.2) Stand free for examination
3.2.2.3) Drop on Recall
3.2.2.4) Retrieve - over the obstacle
3.2.2.5) Sit Stay three Minute - out of sight.
3.3) UD Obedience Class
3.3.1) Open to all dogs except those entered in the Novice obedience class or the Open obedience class.
3.3.2) Exercises to be performed are:
3.3.2.1) Seek Back - time limit 90 secs.
3.3.2.2) Directed Jumping
3.3.2.3) Directed Retrieve - Gloves
3.3.2.4) Signals -
3.3.2.5) Down Stay Ten Minutes - out of sight
4) Cross Country
4.1) Open to all dogs aged 18 months or older on the day of competition.
4.2) A course (Maximum 1000m consisting of non-standard obstacles catering to the three height divisions, run over varied terrain. Standard agility obstacles may be included but will be minimal. The course is aimed at a competent Novice dog, but should test confidence, teamwork and endurance.
4.3) No standard course time shall be set, therefore there will be no time faults and no maximum course time.
4.4) Handlers will be given the opportunity to walk the course prior to the start of judging, but no dog entered in this class is allowed on the course or allowed to attempt any of the obstacles before beginning its run. Handlers may walk their dog on lead across the course where this is necessary to reach the start line.
4.5) The course shall consist of at least one "No Faults" section and at least one "Faults" section.
4.5.1) No-Faults Section - overseen by steward/s where the section is out of sight of a judge.
4.5.1.1) A dog will not incur general course faults, but must complete every obstacle in the correct order.
4.5.1.2) Fifty faults will be incurred for each obstacle the dog fails to complete correctly. There is no penalty for doing wrong obstacles, but obstacles must eventually be completed correctly and in the correct order to avoid penalty.
4.5.1.3) Rule 2.5 applies to fouling in this section, except that there will be no fault penalty if the handler immediately cleans up. Failure to do so will result in a two hundred fault penalty.
4.5.2) Faults Section - overseen by the judge. Rules 2.2 through to and including 2.5 apply to a Faults Section
4.6) The following will result in disqualification of the dog:
4.6.1) The dog enters the course on lead or wearing any collar, chain, harness, muzzle, coat or any other form of restraint, clothing or attachment.
4.6.2) The handler or dog takes any kind of food, toy, clicker, whistle, or any other training aid onto the course. Handlers are permitted to carry a lead and collar while running the course, but to avoid disqualification these must remain out of sight at all times and may not be used to encourage or motivate the dog.
4.6.3) Double handling - a second person may place or hold a toy or food off the course as directed by the handler, but must not communicate with or encourage the dog in any way while it is actively competing.
4.6.4) Harsh handling or ill treatment of any dog by the handler.
4.6.5) Any of the situations set out in 1.8, at the discretion of the judge, show manager and/or Dog Handling committee.
4.7) As in agility classes, the winner is the dog who completes the course with the least faults. Where two or more dogs have the same number of faults, the winner will be the dog with the fastest time. In the event of a tie between dogs, the dogs will rerun the Faults section of the course to determine the placings.
4.8) The show manager has the right to start competitors at set intervals, ie a staggered start. In the event that a staggered start is employed, times will be recorded to the nearest second, not hundredths of a second.
