AKC Events for GSPs
| FIELD TRIALS
Field Trials are Sporting dog competitions under actual hunting conditions. Dogs are run in braces at various levels of training, from Puppy Stakes to Open Gun Dog. Field Trials
HUNT TESTSHunt tests are designed to evaluate the abilities of sporting dogs at various levels of training. Dogs do not compete against one another in a hunt test, they are tested against a standard. When the requirements of a specific level are met, the dog is awarded a title.
CONFORMATION SHOWSThe most widely known AKC event is the Dog Show, where the emphasis is on conformation. Dogs are examined by a judge, then placed accordingly, in the judge's opinion, to how they compare to their breed standard. Show dogs compete for points toward their championship (Ch) title. To become an official AKC champion of record, a dog must earn a total of 15 points, which includes 2 major wins under 2 different judges. A "major" is 3, 4, or 5 points won all at once. The number of points earned at any given show is determined by the number of dogs that compete at that show, and the AKC publishes a Point Schedule for each geographical Division. Georgia is in Division 4 along with Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Download Division Four Point Schedule (PDF), or to see all the Divisons, visit the AKC Point Schedule page.
Learn More About Conformation Showing CANINE GOOD CITIZEN® PROGRAMCanine Good Citizen is a certification program designed to reward dogs who have good manners in social situations. The CGC Program lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, tracking, and performance events. All dogs who pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the AKC.
Learn More About Canine Good Citizen® ProgramRALLYA new dog sport that's sweeping the nation, Rally provides the link from the Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) program to obedience or agility competition. Rally is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that is designed for their level of competition. The dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 – 20, depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. Scoring is not as rigorous as traditional obedience.
OBEDIENCEObedience Trials test a dog's ability to perform a prescribed set of exercises on which it is scored. In each exercise, you must score more than 50 percent of the possible points (ranging from 20 to 40) and get a total score of at least 170 out of a possible 200. Each time your dog gets that magic 170 qualifying score, he's gotten a "leg" toward his title. Three legs and your dog has become an Obedience-titled dog! There are 3 levels at which your dog can earn a title and each is more difficult than the one before it. You may see levels divided into "A" and "B" at a trial; "A" classes are for beginners whose dogs have never received a title while "B" classes are for more experienced handlers.
AGILITYIn an Agility trial, a dog demonstrates its agile nature and versatility by following cues from the handler through a timed obstacle course of jumps, tunnels, weave poles and other objects. It’s an activity that strengthens the bond between dog and handler and provides fun and exercise for both.
TRACKINGThe competition form of canine search and rescue, the AKC's Tracking Tests allow dogs to demonstrate their natural ability to recognize and follow human scent. Unlike Agility and Obedience events which require a dog to qualify three times, a dog only needs to complete one track successfully to earn each Tracking title.
JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIPJuniors offers children the opportunity to compete with others of their own age in various AKC events-from Junior Showmanship classes, where they are judged on how they present their dog, to training and exhibiting their dogs in Obedience, Agility and the many performance events. |