Obedience & Agility

One area that our Obedience and Agility differs from many countries is that we allow cross-breed dogs to compete. Your family pet be it a 'Pound Puppy', an 'S.P.C.A. Special' or a pure-bred dog with an impressive pedigree can compete in Obedience in fact we have many cross-breed Obedience Champions in New Zealand.

Obedience

Our Obedience competition consists of five levels or Tests. Starting with Special Beginners we progress through Novice to Test A, then to Test B and finally to Test C. It is in Test C that 'Obedience Challenge Certificates' can be awarded and when 3 have been received (with certain criteria) the dog is an Obedience Champion. 20 Challenge Certificates later (again with certain criteria) and the dog has earned the title Grand Obedience Champion.

SPECIAL BEGINNERS

Heelwork on and off the lead, a recall to the handler, sit and down stays with the handler facing the dog. Handler may talk to the dog except in the stays.

NOVICE

As for Special Beginners but with a retrieve exercise added and the handler is facing away from the dog in the stays.

TEST A

Similar to Novice but specific variations in the recall are permissible The handler is out of sight for the down stays. Handler cannot talk to the dog in the heelwork except to give the command to Heel when moving off and Sit when halting. There is also a scent exercise where the dog detects the handler’s cloth from up to 12 cloths and presents it to the handler.

TEST B

Heelwork at fast, slow and normal pace off the lead with only the command to heel when moving off allowed, more complex turns are included. A send-away exercise is added where the handler sends the dog where directed by the judge. A stand stay is added and for the scent exercise two decoy cloths with other scents are included.

TEST C

Heelwork as for Test B with some additional turns included. In addition the dog must achieve three positions (sit, down and stand) on command in the heelwork. There is a send-away as in Test B and for the retrieve the article is provided by the judge. A distance control exercise is added where from approx. 10 paces away the dog is commanded to attain six positions. For the scent exercise the dog detects the judges scent on a cloth. Sit and down stay with the handler out of sight of the dog.

This year we have approximately two hundred Obedience entries with breeds including German Shepherds, Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, Irish Setters, Springer Spaniels, Terriers, Poodles and of course various Cross-breeds

Agility

Agility is a great spectator sport with plenty of action. The handler has to guide his or her dog a series of obstacles placed by the judge in as short a time as possible. The dog that can fly through the course the quickest without conceding any faults is the winner! Agility is competed over a series of classes.

STARTERS

Starters agility is intended for beginner dogs so courses are kept fairly simple. Competitors negotiate a course of jumps, tunnels, tyre jump and weaves. All contact gear is excluded.

NOVICE

Novice course would be slighter harder than the Starters course. All contact gear except the see-saw can be included on top of the basic Starters obstacles.

INTERMEDIATE

Intermediate is even more difficult than Starters and Novice. At this level courses will start to tighten up. A full array of obstacles can be used in this event including the see-saw.

SENIOR

This is the ultimate challenge for any Agility dog. Judges can let their imaginations run wild in this event and can use difficult combinations of obstacles to test dog and handler.

JUDGES