AKC: PROPOSED GROUP REALIGNMENT

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The following information was provided by Sharon Jahn, via the Davis Dog Training Club newsletter, "Ring Ropes."

  AKC is proposing a realignment of Groups in 2009, and is seeking feedback on the proposal.

 

 

 

     AKC Group Realignment Committee -

                 Proposed Breeds & Groups
From a presentation to the Delegates on September 8, 2008 by the AKC Group Realignment Committee

The committee, by submission of this report, would request that the Board of Directors of the American Kennel Club, in accordance with Article XX of the Bylaws of the American Kennel Club, propose and submit the necessary amendments to the Delegate body, to be read at the December meeting of the Delegate Body, published in two issues of AKC Gazette, and voted upon at the March, 2009, meeting of the Delegate Body.

General input should be sent to the Executive Secretary:

James Crowley, Executive Secretary
American Kennel Club
260 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Email: grouprealign@akc.org
Fax: 212-696-8252
Breed-specific comments should be submitted through the breed Parent Club.

Below is a listing of breeds and groups as proposed by the Committee to be voted upon:

Group 1: Sporting - Pointers and Setters (11) (12)
Brittany
Pointer
Pointer (German Shorthaired)
Pointer (German Wirehaired)
Setter (English)
Setter (Gordon)
Setter (Irish)
Setter (Irish Red & White) Miscellaneous 6/27/07; Full Recognition 1/1/09
Spinone Italiano
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Group 2: Sporting - Retrievers and Spaniels (17) (18)
Retriever (Chesapeake Bay)
Retriever (Curly-Coated)
Retriever (Flat-Coated)
Retriever (Golden)
Retriever (Labrador)
Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling)
Spaniel (American Water)
Spaniel (Boykin) - Miscellaneous 1/1/08
Spaniel (Clumber)
Spaniel (Cocker) ASCOB
Spaniel (Cocker) Black
Spaniel (Cocker) Parti-color
Spaniel (English Cocker)
Spaniel (English Springer)
Spaniel (Field)
Spaniel (Irish Water)
Spaniel (Sussex)
Spaniel (Welsh Springer)

Group 3: Scent Hounds (14) (17)
Basset Hound
Beagle (13")
Beagle (15")
Black and Tan Coonhound
Bloodhound
Bluetick Coonhound - Miscellaneous 7/1/08
Dachshund (Longhaired)
Dachshund (Smooth)
Dachshund (Wirehaired)
English Foxhound
Foxhound (American)
Harrier
Otterhound
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Plott
Redbone Coonhound - Miscellaneous 9/1/08
Treeing Walker Coonhound - Miscellaneous 1/1/09

Group 4: Sight Hounds (11)
Afghan Hound
Basenji
Borzoi
Greyhound
Ibizan Hound
Irish Wolfhound
Italian Greyhound
Pharaoh Hound
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saluki
Scottish Deerhound
Whippet

Group 5: Working (23) (25)
Anatolian Shepherd
Bernese Mountain Dog
Black Russian Terrier
Boxer
Bullmastiff
Cane Corso - Miscellaneous 7/1/08
Dalmatian
Doberman Pinscher
Dogue de Bordeaux
German Pinscher
Giant Schnauzer
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Komondor
Kuvasz
Leonberger - Miscellaneous 7/1/08
Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff
Newfoundland
Portuguese Water Dog
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Standard Schnauzer
Tibetan Mastiff

Group 6: Terriers (28) (29)
Airedale Terrier
Australian Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Border Terrier
Bull Terrier (Colored)
Bull Terrier (White)
Cairn Terrier
Cesky Terrier - Miscellaneous 7/1/08
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Fox Terrier (Smooth)
Fox Terrier (Wire)
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Irish Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Manchester Terrier (Standard)
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Parson Russell Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Skye Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier

Group 7: Toys (21)
Affenpinscher
Brussells Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua (Long Coat)
Chihuahua (Smooth Coat)
English Toy Spaniel (Blenheim & Prince Charles)
English Toy Spaniel (King Charles & Ruby)
Havanese
Japanese Chin
Maltese
Manchester Terrier (Toy)
Miniature Pinscher
Papillon
Pekingese
Pomeranian
Poodle (Toy)
Pug
Shih Tzu
Silky Terrier
Toy Fox Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier

Group 8: Companion (11) (12)
Bichon Frise
Boston Terrier
Bulldog
Chinese Crested
French Bulldog
Lhasa Apso
Lowchen
Poodle (Miniature)
Poodle (Standard)
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Terrier
Xoloitzcuintli - Miscellaneous 1/10/09

Group 9: Herding (20) (21)
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Beauceron
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Tervuren
Belgian Sheepdog
Border Collie
Bouvier des Flandres
Briard
Canaan Dog
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Collie (Rough)
Collie (Smooth)
German Shepherd
Old English Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Puli
Pyrenean Shepherd - Miscellaneous 1/1/07; Full Recognition 1/1/09
Shetland Sheepdog

Group 10: Northern (13) (16)
Akita
Alaskan Malamute
American Eskimo Dog
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chow Chow
Finnish Spitz
Icelandic Sheepdog - Miscellaneous 7/1/08
Keeshond
Norwegian Buhund - Miscellaneous 1/1/07; Full Recognition 1/1/09
Norwegian Lundehund - Miscellaneous 7/1/08
Norwegian Elkhound
Samoyed
Siberian Husky
Schipperke                                                                            
Swedish Vallhund                                                                                                                                  Shiba Inu   

Smile

New Obedience Regulations Launch in 2009

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.

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.

 

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.