About - Obedience (upd 3/2007)

Obedience

My favorite dogsport is Competitive Obedience, where I get my "kicks" from seeing a keen, fast dog doing exercises in a happy manner with a real WANT to do it. If it takes your breath away watching the dog do the exercises', then it's worth everything. Well, if you don't put passion in it, you may just as well stay at home... You have to be excited about it, and only then will your dog be excited, too. And as you know, when you are excited about something, you LOVE doing it over and over and over again.

Obedience in Finland

We have 4 different classes in Obedience here in Finland. The highest one is the Elit Class, which is the same as the international FCI Obedience Class where CACIOBs are given. A dog becomes an Ob Champion ('TVA' / 'LCh') when he has received 3 first prizes (at least 256 points) from Class 4 under 2 different judges and gotten at least a Very Good from the Breed Ring. X-breeds and non-registered can be registered to the X-breed section in the Finnish Kennel Club and they are eligible to compete and receive Training Results, but they can never receive the title of ObCh. We are fortunate to have a wide variety of breeds competing, and since Ob started in 1968 in this country, we have Ob Champions representing 71 different breeds! Quite an achievement!!

Points and prizes, and Training Results

A mark from a grade of 5 to 10 is given from each exercise (failing=0). Factor determines how difficult the exercise is regarded. Final points determine the prize the dog receives. With one first prize from a class the dog is eligible to move into the next class. With three firsts from one class the dog gets a Training Result of TK1, TK2, TK3 and TK4 respectively, which can be put in front of the dogs name. One does not have to collect the Training Results but when you have it, you must move to the next class until you reach cl.4 where you stay. TK4 is rarely used if the dog becomes a Champion (but remember, to become a champion the dog also needs the famous 'blue ribbon' from the breed ring!!).
With seconds and thirds one does not achieve anything. The placement in ones class is important in District or Finnish Championships, special Breed competitions and such like, and of course in the International Ob Class where the winner receives a CACIOB (international obedience certificate). The winner must have over 256 points (a 1st prize). A dog needs two from two different countries to become an Int ObCh. Also a prize from breed, and a male dog must have two testicles to be given a CACIOB.

The Classes and exercises

There is a lot to be taken into consideration when training, and lots of details where you may loose points. Also judging gets stricter when climbing up the classes. Every exercise starts and finishes with the dog sitting on handlers' left side as in heelwork position. One is allowed to say the commands to the dog, no other talking is allowed during exercises. A handler can compete with only one dog in each class in one competition (which is a real bugger if you have more than one dog in, say, Cl.4.. you have to choose which one to take :/ There was a time I had all of my FOUR dogs in that class..! And this is supposed to be ones hobby..?! Different dog each weekend??).

Heres the excersises in different classes. ie 2/20 means that the factor is 2 so max points from that exercise is 20. But if the dog does something silly and is penalaised and gets 8, it is 8x2=16 points from that exercise. This is it, roughly. Lots of tiny details of course which affect the score. :)

CLASS 1 / Beginners Class (ALO)
1. (1/10) Temperament Test to see the dog is friendly
2. (3/30) Down Stay 2 minutes, handlers on sight
3. (2/20) Heel on lead
4. (4/40) Heel free at normal & fast pace
5. (2/20) Down while heeling
6. (3/30) Recall
7. (2/20) Stand while heeling
8. (2/20) Jump over obstacle, dog to stand after the jump
9. (1/10) Overall impression judges' opinion about handler & dog
Max 200 points. First prize is at least 160 points.

CLASS 2 / Open Class (AVO)
1. (3/30) Down stay 3 minutes, handlers out of sight
2. (2/20) Heel free at normal & fast pace
3. (2/20) Down while heeling
4. (3/30) Recall dog to stand halfway
5. (2(20) Stand while heeling
6. (2/20) Retrieve wooden dumbell, handlers own
7. (3/30) Distant Control. Positions; sit/down, distance 5m
8. (2/20) Jump over obstacle, dog to sit after the jump, then jump back
9. (1/10) Overall impression judges' opinion about handler & dog
Max 200 points. First prize is at least 160 points.

CLASS 3 / Winners Class (VOI)
1. (4/40) Down stay 4 minutes, handler out of sight
2. (3/30) Heel free at slow, normal and fast pace, steps back/sides
3. (3/30) Sit while heeling
4. (4/40) Recall dog to stand and then to lie down on the way (markers)
5. (4/40) Sendaway&recall. Straight SA to a marked box, recall to heel
6. (2/20) Retrieve over obstacle, wooden dumbel
7. (2/20) Retrieve metal dumbell
8. (4/40) Scent. Handlers scent, wooden articles
9. (5/50) Distant Control. Positions; stand/sit/down, distance 10m
10.(1/10) Overall impression judges' opinion about handler & dog
Max 320 points. First prize is at least 256 points.

CLASS 4 / Elit Class (EVL)
Can be applied to be FCI international class
1. (3/30) Sit stay 2 minutes, handlers out of sight
2. (2/20) Down stay 4 minutes, handlers out of sight
3. (3/30) Heel free at slow, normal and fast pace, steps back/sides
4. (3/30) Stand/sit/down while heeling, "affectionally" known as 'the idiot ring' ;) (heeling a marked square, 8 by 8m)
5. (4/40) Recall dog to stand and then to lie down on the way (markers)
6. (4/40) Sendaway and recall SA to a mark (10m), dog to stand, from there SA to a marked box (25m), recall to heel
7. (3/30) Directed retrieve. SA to a marker (10m), then one of three dumbells to be retrieved (10m forward, 5m apart)
8. (3/30) Retrieve over obstacle, metal dumbell
9. (3/30) Scent. Handlers scent, wooden articles
10.(4/40) Distant Control. Positions; stand/sit/down, distance 15m
Max 320 points. First prize is at least 256 points.