The AKC Board of Directors recently approved the recommendations of the AKC Obedience Advisory Committee. The recommendations include changes designed to improve the overall obedience program and offer exhibitors more chances to compete. The majority of these changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2009, while other changes will become active in 2010 or 2011.

In addition, clubs will have the option of offering new Optional Titling classes and Non-Regular classes starting in 2009. The Board approved these new classes in 2007 as part of the AKC Obedience Business Case.

Changes effective 2009
Changes effective 2010 & 2011

In addition, the AKC has provided the answers to some commonly asked questions about the new classes that start on Jan. 1, 2009:

OPTIONAL TITLING CLASSES

1. Three optional titling classes have been developed from current regulations:

• Graduate Novice
• Graduate Open
• Versatility

2. Are clubs required to hold these optional titling classes?
No – Clubs may hold these classes only if they wish to do so.

3. Are there any prerequisites required to enter my dog in these classes?
No – A dog may be entered in these classes without any pre-title requirement.
Once a dog has earned the Graduate Novice or Graduate Open titles, they may no longer compete in the titled class.
Once a dog has earned the Versatility title, it may continue to compete in that class indefinitely.

4. How does my dog earn a title in an optional titling class?
The dog must earn a qualifying score as described in the Obedience Regulations. A qualifying score means that the dog has earned more than 50 percent of the points for each exercise with a total score of at least 170 points.

5. Do the optional titling classes compete for Highest Scoring Dog from the Regular Classes?
No.

WILD CARD CLASSES – New Non-Regular Classes

1. Three new non-regular classes have been added to the Obedience Regulations:

• Wild Card Novice
• Wild Card Open
• Wild Card Utility

2. What do you mean by Wild Card?
The designated classes follow the Obedience Regulations and requirements for each class level: Novice, Open, and Utility. The difference is that, when checking in for the class, the handler will identify one of the required exercises in that class as their wild card. The handler may choose to perform or not to perform the exercise, but in any case the dog and handler will receive a perfect score for this one exercise.
If the handler chooses to perform the exercise, they must comply with the regulations in their performance. The wild card exercise is not meant to be a training opportunity for the dog and handler.

3. Are there any prerequisites required to enter my dog in these classes?
No – A dog may be entered in these classes without any pre-title requirement.

4. Can I talk to my dog while performing the required exercises of the class?
Yes – The class exercises will be performed and judged as in the regulations, except that verbal praise during the exercises, except for the signal exercise in Utility, is to be encouraged and not penalized. Handlers may give additional commands, but they will be penalized accordingly.

MASTER PROGRAM

1. What is the Obedience Master Program?
The Master /Grand Master title program was developed to recognize consistently high scoring dogs within the sport of obedience. Dogs can work their way through 10 Master levels, and once they have attained the 10th level, they will be awarded a Grand Master title. The Grand Master title will not have a numerical designation.

2. When does my dog become eligible to compete in the Master/Grand Master title Program?
Obedience Master title and Obedience Grand Master title points will be recorded for dogs that have earned the Utility Dog title.

3. What does my dog have to do to compete towards these titles?
Obedience Master Points will be recorded for those dogs earning a score of 190 or better in Open B or Utility B, according to the schedule of points established by the AKC Board of Directors, which appears below. Dogs that meet the criteria for the Obedience Master title before January 1st, 2009 will not be grandfathered. Only points earned on or after January 1st, 2009 will be applied to the OM title.

4. How many points does my dog have to earn to attain a title?
Dogs will be required to earn a total of 200 points, based on the established point schedule. Points are awarded for scores of 190 or better from Open B or Utility B. For a title to be earned, 30% of the points earned (60 points) must come from Open B and 30% of the points (60 points) must come from Utility B. The remaining 40% of the points earned (80 points) can come from either Open B or Utility B.

5. How does my dog progress through the Master title program to the Grand Master title?
When a dog earns a total of 200 points based on the below point schedule, it will be awarded an Obedience Master title. Obedience Master titles will be awarded for nine levels and upon completion of the 10tth level, a dog will be awarded an Obedience Grand Master title. Points accumulated in excess of the 200 points required for each level will be applied towards the next level of award if available. Only one title for Obedience Grand Master will be awarded.

Upon being awarded an Obedience Master title or the Grand Master title, dogs will be permitted to display the title of Obedience Master (OM#) or OGM after their names.

Point Schedule.