General Information

on breeding, exhibiting and trialling in Australia

In New South Wales, all aspects of the breeding, exhibiting and trialling of purebred and associate dogs are regulated by the Royal New South Wales Canine Council Ltd (RNSWCC). Other states and territories have similar controlling bodies and together these organisations form the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC).

Competitions are organised by various dog clubs, under the rules and regulations of the RNSWCC, to assess or test the skills of dogs (and handlers) in the following areas:

• conformation
• obedience
• tracking
• endurance
• agility
• flyball

Other trials such as non-slip retrieving trials, gundog trials and pointer and setter trials are also conducted however, as a non-sporting breed, the Dalmatian is ineligible to compete.

Conformation

Australian Breed Standard for the Dalmatian

The conformation of pedigreed dogs is assessed at Championship Shows, Open Shows and Parades. At a Championship Show dogs compete initially within their own breed for age classes and the Challenge Certificate (CC), awarded to the best male and female if deemed to be of sufficient standard. These two dogs then compete for the Best of Breed (BOB). From this point further awards at the Group and General Specials level are possible. An Open Show is similar to a Championship Show except no Challenge Certificates are awarded. At a Parade, further restrictions apply which limit the entry to dogs which have not achieved their Championship status and no Challenge Certificates are issued.

Points are awarded on the Challenge Certificate based on the number of dogs of the same breed and sex over six months of age beaten directly and indirectly to the Certificate. Dogs under six months are not eligible to compete for the CC. Bonus points not linked to the breed accrue for winning Best Exihibit in Group (BIG) or Best Exhibit in Show (BIS) to a maximum of twenty-five points on any one certificate. The title of "Australian Champion" is awarded when a dog reaches 100 points.

A dog continues to be eligible for the Challenge even after attaining the title of Australian Champion, and it is possible to accrue hundreds or even thousands of points during a dogs career and, although this is presently under review, no official recognition is provided for any points gained beyond 100. This system places Australian dogs in the position of having to beat the established Champions to gain enough points to become a Champion themselves.

Championship Shows, Open Shows and Parades take the form of a modified knockout competition progressing through each breed by Classes as detailed below. Breeds are grouped into one of seven Groups and, once all breeds in a particular Group have been judged, the Best of Breeds (BOB) compete against each other to gain Best in Group (BIG). The next stage is for breed winners of the various Classes to compete against each other to gain Best {class} in Group. eg. all the Baby Puppies compete against each other for the award of Best Baby Puppy in Group (BBPIG). Once all Classes in all Groups have been judged, the various Best in Group winners compete against each other for Best in Show (BIS) and so on through each Class to decide the various Class winners in Show.

Classes are defined in the following way:

Standard abbreviations used for awards are as follows:

Obedience

In Australia, pedigreed and non-pedigreed dogs compete in the same Obedience Trials and the same classes for the same awards. Qualification at a lower level is a pre-requisite for entry into the next higher level of trial. The awards are:

• Companion Dog (CD), gained after obtaining three qualifying scores at Novice level;
• Companion Dog Excellent (CDX), gained after obtaining three qualifying scores at Open level (which incidentally is the competition level); and
• Utility Dog (UD) gained after obtaining three qualifying scores at Utility level.

Details of the actual trial requirements and exercises can be found in the "ANKC Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials" but in general the exercises are as follows:

Novice level is mainly heeling exercises both on and off lead, a recall, a stand for examination and a sit and drop stay with the handler in sight of the dog.

At Open level exercises are undertaken off lead and a much higher standard of heeling is expected than at Novice level. The recall includes a down on command, there is retrieving the dumbbell on the flat, over a high jump and over a broad jump (the height or length of which is linked to the dog's height at the shoulder). The sit and down stays are of longer duration with the handler out of sight.

The exercises at Utility level are, as might be expected, of a much more complex nature and only require one failure on one exercise to fail the whole test. One heel work exercise takes the form of a Signal Exercise where the dog must respond to hand signals only both at heel and from a distance. The Seek Back exercise requires the dog on command to seek and retrieve an article discreetly placed by the Judge or the Steward on the track during the Heel Free exercise. In Directed Jumping the handler sends the dog on command to sit in a prescribed location in the ring, then the handler has to direct the dog to return, jumping over one of the two jumps (one a bar and one a solid jump) as required by the Judge. The Scent Discrimination exercise requires the dog on command to select and retrieve from a group of articles of differing texture, an article previously touched by the handler. The Speak on Command and the Food Refusal, which are self explanatory, and the Directed Retrieve in which the dog is required to retrieve a selected article from a group of others, are optional exercises being to the handlers choice. The Stand for Examination is a group exercise carried out while the dogs maintain a Stand posture and the handlers are approximately five metres away. The Down Stay exercise is for 10 minutes with the handler out of sight.

Tracking

It is a prerequisite for trialing in Tracking that the dog must first have gained a qualification at an Obedience Trial at CD level and to have passed a Test Track. The latter are usually conducted in conjunction with a Tracking Trial. To obtain the title of Tracking Dog (TD), the dog must have passed Test TD1 and Test TD2. The title of Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) requires the dog to be a TD and to pass Tests TDX3, TDX4 and TDX5. Details of the tests can be found in the "ANKC Rules for the Conduct of Tracking Tests". For a more humorous approach we suggest you read the article Tracking recently published in "News Spots" magazine. Gaining a tracking title debars the dog from entering a Tracking Trial at that level again although tracking clubs organise intra and inter club tracking competitions. A number of tracking dog clubs provide qualified dogs and volunteer handlers to assist emergency service organisations when required. Although presently under review, it is a requirement to gain both a Utility Dog title and a Tracking Dog Excellent title to be eligible to claim the title of Australian Obedience Champion (AOC).

Endurance

Endurance Tests have only recently been recognised in NSW, although some other States have run them for some years. The ANKC has recently adopted the NSW Rules as the standard for Endurance Tests in Australia. They can be found at the ANKC Rules for the Conduct of an Endurance Test. An Endurance Test consists of three sequential legs of six, eight and six kilometres where groups of dogs and handlers are required to maintain a pace of 10 kilometres an hour with veterinary checks on the dogs before and after each leg. There is also an uncomplicated obedience test immediately before and after the Test to ensure that the dog is a willing participant. Handlers may either jog or ride a bicycle with their dog on a fixed collar and lead. A recent Veterinary Certificate testifying to the dogs fitness to undertake the Test has to be provided prior to commencing the Test. An article describing impressions of the first NSW Endurance Test can be found at "The First Endurance Trial in NSW".

Agility

In March 1997, the ANKC adopted a new set of "Rules for the Conduct of Agility Trials" which, amongst other things, changed the emphasis from sheer speed to one of control and rapport between dog and handler. Dogs must be over 18 months of age to compete. While there is no other entry qualification, Clubs which provide instruction in Agility usually require dogs and handlers to have qualified at a level of obedience where the dog can work reliably off lead. On the day of the Agility Trial the Judge provides thedesign of a course which contains such obstacles as Triple Jumps, Flexi Tunnels, an open Tyre on a stand, a raised Walkway, a Scramble, Spread and Broad Jumps, See-saw and so on. The Judge also sets the time, within which the competitors must complete an error free circuit of the course to obtain a qualification. Each competitor gets only one chance to achieve a qualifying round. The courses vary quite markedly from Judge to Judge and ‘traps’ where the dog, unless under perfect control, will take a more attractive alternative than the route required are not unknown at the higher levels. A rate of from 2.2 to 2.6 meters per second is usual at Novice Class level. The obstacles and the arrangement of them are more difficult and more complex to negotiate as the levels progress.

There are now three levels at trials:

• Novice Agility Class, gaining three qualifications at which is a requirement for the Agility Dog (AD) title;
• Open Agility Class (which is also the competitive level), three passes at which qualify the dog for the Agility Dog Excellent (ADX) title; and
• Master Agility Class, at which level seven passes are required to obtain the title Agility Dog Master (ADM).

There is a short article describing our experiences at an Agilty Trial which makes interesting reading. For more information, visit the Australian Dog Agility pages.

Flyball

A number of Dalmatians and their owners are involved with the sport of Flyball, where teams of dogs run a relay race over a series of hurdles to return with a ball to the handler. An exciting and spectacular sport for both dogs, handlers and spectators. An Association has been formed to regulate the sport in Australia and many Shows and Obedience Trials have included a flyball competition as lunch time entertainment, however the sport has not yet achieved ANKC recognition.

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