Advanced Obedience: Open and Utility

Advanced Obedience: Open and Utility Obedience - (depending upon who enters the class) This class is designed to teach the skills necessary for the handler/dog team to enter an Open/Utility class at an obedience trial. This class offers critiquing/suggestions, as well as the opportunity to practice those skills in a group environment.  If you have not taken the previous Level III, we can review the Class Progression Policy and be assessed by an instructor to see if the skills of your dog are adequate for this class level.  Since each of these Levels builds on the previous Level, if you have not taken the previous Level, your skill set may be holding the others in the class back.

We also offer the opportunity for the handler/dog team to practice those skills individually with “run-throughs”.  A “run-through” is an opportunity to do all or part of the exercises explained below, with the instructor acting as the Judge.  Depending upon class size and skill level will determine the amount of time offered for run-throughs during class time.  Video tape some of the practice exercises, so handler can see how they are doing with their dog.

When competing in the Open class at an obedience trial, the handler/dog team is judged on a series of “exercises” which are executed at the command of the Judge. To obtain an AKC, UKC, or ASCA Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) or Utility Dog (UD) title, one must receive a score of 170 points (out of a maximum of 200 points) in the Open/Utility class at three different sanctioned obedience trials, with two or three different Judges depending upon the venue.

The handler/dog team is judged on their execution of these Open exercises:

Heeling Off Leash

  • Changes of pace from normal to fast
  • Changes of pace from normal to slow
  • About turns
  • Left turns
  • Right turns
  • Halts
  • Pivots
  • Figure-Eight

Drop on Recall

  • Leaving the dog on a Sit/Stay and walking to the opposite side of the ring
  • Calling the dog
  • Having the dog do a Down
  • Calling the dog from the Down position
  • Dog comes front of you
  • Dog returns to heel position

Retrieve on the Flat

  • Dog stays in heel position
  • Throwing a dumbbell
  • Dog retrieves the dumbbell
  • Dog comes front
  • Dog releases the dumbbell in your hands
  • Dog returns to heel position
 Retrieve Over the High Jump

  • Dog stays in heel position
  • Throwing dumbbell over panel jump
  • Dog retrieves the dumbbell
    • Jumping over the high jump on the way to picking up the dumbbell
    • Picking up the dumbbell
    • Jumping over the high jump after picking up the dumbbell
  • Dog comes front
  • Dog releases the dumbbell in your hands
  • Dog returns to heel position

Broad Jump

  • Dog stays
  • Handler walking to the side of the Broad jump
  • Dog jumps over the jump
  • Dog comes front
  • Dog returns to heel position

Long Stays

  • Group Exercise (up to 12 dogs)
  • Out of sight Stays
  • Sit/Stay  – for  3 minute
  • Down/Stay – for 5 minutes

The handler/dog team is judged on their execution of these Utility exercises:

Heeling off-leash (non-verbal)

  • Change of pace: slow, fast, & normal
  • Turns: left, right, & about
  • Halts

Signal Exercise

  • Stand the dog
  • Leave the dog on a Stand/Stay
  • Walk away from the dog
  • Down the dog
  • Sit the dog
  • Come front
  • Dog returns to heel position

Moving Stand

  • Dog heeling, command the dog to stand, while handler continues to walk forward
  • The dog allows Judge to approach and place hands on them
  • This “exam” is usually more extensive than what was done in the Novice ring
  • The dog briskly returns to heel position on the handler’s command

Directed Retrieve

  • A glove is placed in each corner of the ring and the third glove is placed directly behind the handler/dog team
  • Judge directs which glove is to be retrieved by the dog
  • Dog retrieves the correct glove (may use a verbal and/or physical command)
 Scent Discrimination

This exercise is done twice – once with an article made of Metal and once made of Leather.

  • Dog sitting in heel position
  • Command the dog to go “Find” the article you scented (15 feet away)
  • Dog comes front
  • Dog releases the article in your hands
  • Dog returns to heel position

Directed Jumping

This exercise is done twice – once for a solid panel jump and once for a single bar jump.

  • Dog sitting in heel position
  • Command the dog to “Go” to the opposite side of the ring
  • Command the dog to Sit
  • Judge directs handler which jump is to be jumped by the dog
  • Command the dog to jump that jump using a verbal and/or hand signal.

Cost $ 100 for 6 weeks

Classes are taught by Portia Jelinek

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