FAQ's
(aka Frequently Asked Questions!)

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• Who is my obedience rep?

• Who can/should enter Novice A?

• What do all those initials before and after a dog’s registered name mean?

• Collars

• Fancy Collars

• Applicant Obedience Trial Judges

• Regarding GMOTCH - High in Trials

Who is my obedience representative?

Zone 1 - Nova Scotia & Newfoundland

Reta Boyd dogman@rushcomm.ca (senior rep)
John Tilley tille01@attglobal.net (associate rep)

Zone 2 – New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island

Norma Hamilton biriver@nbnet.nb.ca

Zone 3 - Quebec

Mike (Michel) Calhoun maccal@ca.inter.net

Zone 4 – Ontario North

Paul Elson groomingdales@sympatico.ca (senior rep)
Patricia Marcus pmarcus@tbaytel.net (associate rep)

Zone 5 – Ontario East

Michelle Armitage 100marmitage@rogers.com

Zone 6 – Ontario West

Elizabeth McKellar ardbeg@sympatico.ca

Zone 7 – Ontario Central

Diana MacKenzie dimac@mountaincable.net

Zone 8- Manitoba

Gail Carroll xmasong@xplornet.com

Zone 9 – Saskatchewan

Lianne Daradics rdaradics@accesscomm.ca

Zone 10 – Alberta, Northwest Territories & Nunavut

Virginia (Gin) Cummings (senior rep)
Jeff Lunder dogman@telusplanet.net (associate rep)
Raymond (Tubby) Miller tubbym@telus.net (associate rep)

Zone 11 – British Columia Southwest

Marion Postgage mpostgate@shaw.ca (senior rep)
Terry Gains gainspride@shaw.ca (associate rep)

Zone 12 British Columbia Interior & Yukon

Carol Edwards spaniels@telus.net

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Probably the question I hear most is who can/should enter Novice A? 

The “A” classes ( Novice and Open) were originally intended to be used by folks who had not exhibited a dog before and were venturing into the world of competitive obedience for the first time.

I’m going to quote the rules and interject comments as we go along

CKC Obedience Trial Rules and Regulations, January, 2005
Section 9.1.2:
“Only one dog per handler is allowed in this class and that person must handle the dog in all exercises”

This rule exists so that a person who intends to handle more than one dog during the individual exercises must enter the “B” classes.  That way, the playing field is a little more level in that each exhibitor handles the same dog for all the exercises. 

“The handler of any dog in this class must be the owner, co-owner, or a member of their immediate families and must be eligible to handle under section 9.1.3”

We’ll look at 9.1.3 a little later.  Right now, we need to talk about “co-owner” in that co ownership has, in the past, caused problems in the “A” classes.

It’s quite common to hear about breeders selling puppies on a “co-own” basis. 

“Co-own” means that the names of the folks buying the puppy are listed as well as the name of the breeder under “Owner (s).

Problems  were encountered relative to the “A” classes only if a breeder sells  puppies to different people and those  people train the puppies and end up entering the same obedience trial in the Novice A class .

The computer at CKC head office flagged the fact that the breeder’s name appeared on more than one dog in the Novice A class.  Since only one dog per person was allowed, the wins were cancelled on both dogs.

The wording was adjusted effective January 1, 2005 and there shouldn’t be any more difficulty relative to co-owned dogs in the “A” classes, but I still advise folks that if they co-own a dog, they should enter Novice B.  That way, if the handler is lucky enough to win a leg (or a title) the win will stand regardless of who how many names are listed under “Owner”.

9.1.3    “No professional handler or trainer, or any person who has previously exhibited a dog through its U.D. (Utility Dog) title in Canada or elsewhere shall be allowed to handle a dog in this class.  A person who receives a consideration (monetary or otherwise) for handling dogs may not enter this class.”

Pretty clear – if a person has lots of experience, teaches, has shown a dog to its utility title that person can’t compete in a class intended for those who are just starting out.

"When a dog is wrongfully entered in this class, any score awarded will be cancelled"

It was under this section that the co-owned dogs lost their titles because of the breeder’s name popping up on more than one dog.

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What do all those initials before and after a dog’s registered name mean?

Before a dog’s registered name:

Following a dog’s registered name:

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Collars

Pinch collars and electronic collars are not permitted on show/trial precincts.

Additionally, collars which are not permitted in the ring are not permitted on show/trial precincts.

Note:  This item is under discussion by the obedience council and hopefully will be revised so that folks can walk their dogs into the building on the dog’s everyday collar (as long as it’s not a pinch or e collar) and change collars at the set up.

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Fancy Collars

The debate continues as to the definition of “fancy”.  When in doubt ask the judge before it’s your turn so you have time to change collars should the judge deem the collar to be in his/her opinion “fancy”

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Applicant Obedience Trial Judges

Eligibility Requirements

 

An Applicant must:

• be 21 years of age or over

• be a CKC member in good standing for 5 consecutive years immediately preceding the application

• have been an obedience trial exhibitor in the 5 years immediately preceding the application

• have, in the 3 years immediately preceding the application, been active as an obedience instructor in the class or classes for which he is applying to judge

• have personally trained and completed an obedience trial title on at least 1 dog for each class for which he is making application

• have been a resident in Canada during the 5 year period immediately preceding the application.

 

Qualifications

Sanction Matches

Applicant must:

• have judged within 3 years immediately preceding the application a minimum of 3 sanction matches in which a minimum total of 36 novice, 18 open and 12 utility dogs were judged

• have judged the sanction matches under CKC rules

Ring Stewarding

The Applicant must:

• have served as a ring steward at a minimum of 6 CKC approved obedience trials with a minimum total of 36 novice, 18 open and 12 utility dogs.

• have served as a ring steward for the duration of the judge’s assignment for that class or classes.

• have completed all ring stewarding requirements within the 3 years immediately preceding application.

• Provide properly documented and verified stewarding assignments by the officiating judge

• have served as an obedience trial chairperson or chief ring steward at a minimum of 2 CKC obedience trials

Once an applicant has been approved to proceed, the applicant will be required to complete a written examination – one for each class applied for as well as a general knowledge examination.  When the applicant has been advised that a passing mark has been achieved (80% minimum), the applicant is then required to take oral exams – one for each class applied for as well as a general knowledge exam.  Once the examinations are successfully passed, the applicant advances to the apprentice judge status, followed by permit assignments and finally, approval to judge CKC obedience trials.

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Regarding GMOTCH - High in Trials

Do the High In Trial out of Open and the High In Trial out of Utility have to come out of one of the double qualifiers?

In order to attain the title of Grand Master Obedience Trial Champion (GMOTCH - Section 12.3 - Obed Rules/Regs), a dog must earn a minimum score of 195 points in both Open and Utility classes at the same trial at ten separate trials.

The scores in Open and Utility must be earned under a minimum of 10 different judges. Scores may be counted at one time under the same judge or under 2 different judges (as long as it's the same trial).

A High in Trial must be achieved in at least one Open class and one Utility class.

The High in Trial Open and the High in Trial Utility do not have to be from the double qualifiers.

By way of example -- A dog can be entered in the same trial in Open and Utility (trying for another double q). The dog NQ's in Open but wins High in Trial in Utility. That utility high in trial counts toward the GMOTCH title. Vice Versa -- a dog can NQ in utility, but win HIT out of Open and the Open HIT will count toward the GMOTCH title.

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