Agility

Agility first was seen at Crufts Dog Show in London, England in 1978 as spectator entertainment between events. It was patterned after equestrian show jumping events and was such a huge success that the sport evolved and became the worlds fastest growing dog sport. The Agility ring allows handler and dog to run full speed, while having to perform accurately and safely on A-Frames, Dog Walks, See-Saws and a wide variety of jumps and tunnels.

Because Agility is growing so rapidly, many dogs have earned progressively more difficult titles, from Novice Agility (NA), Open Agility (OA), and Agility Excellent (AX) to Master Agility Excellent (MX). Additional titles are Jumpers With Weaves (JWW): Novice (NAJ), Open (OAJ), Excellent (AXJ) and Master Excellent (MXJ), which leads to the supreme title of Master Agility Champion (MACH). In which a dog has to earn 750 points by running faster than the Standard Course Time and must also earn 20 Double Qualifying scores (better known as Double-Q's). A dog must qualify in both Standard and Jumpers With Weaves classes on the same day in order to earn a Double-Q.

The newest Agility titles (as of September 1, 2002) are from the Preferred classes. These classes afford an opportunity for a greater variety of breeds, and their handlers to participate in the sport. The Preferred Standard classes include: Novice Agility Preferred (NAP), Open Agility Preferred (OAP), Agility Excellent "A" Preferred (AXP) and Master Agility Excellent "B" Preferred (MXP). The Preferred Jumpers With Weaves classes include: Novice JWW Preferred (NJP), Open JWW Preferred (OJP), Excellent JWW "A" Preferred (AJP) and Master Excellent JWW "B" Preferred (MJP).

Poodles are especially suited for agility with their athletic abilities and boundless enthusiasm for playing with their owners. Any size Poodle can compete, as the height the dog jumps depends on their height at the withers. Training and competing in agility creates a unique bond between a Poodle and their owner, as both gain confidence in their ability to negotiate the courses and obstacles. Go to the AKC site to learn more.

Obedience

Obedience training is the foundation upon which all canine activities are based, whether conformation, agility, tracking, search & rescue, service dogs, fieldwork, etc.

Obedience Trials test a dog's ability to perform a prescribed set of exercises on which it is scored. In each exercise, you must score more than 50 percent of the possible points (ranging from 20 to 40) and get a total score of at least 170 out of a possible 200. Each time your dog gets that magic 170 qualifying score, he's gotten a "leg" toward his title. Three legs and your dog has become an Obedience-titled dog! There are 3 levels at which your dog can earn a title and each is more difficult than the one before it. You may see levels divided into "A" and "B" at a trial; "A" classes are for beginners whose dogs have never received a title while "B" classes are for more experienced handlers.

Novice: The first level, Novice, results in your dog earning a Companion Dog (CD) title. The title actually describes what is expected of your dog: demonstrating the skills required of a good canine companion. The dog will have to heel both on and off leash at different speeds, come when called, stay (still and quietly!) with a group of other dogs when told, and stand for a simple physical exam.

Open: The second level, Open, results in your dog earning a Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title. He must do many of the same exercises as in Novice, but off-leash and for longer periods. Additionally, there are jumping and retrieving tasks.

Utility: The final level results in a Utility Dog (UD) title. These are the cream of the crop. In addition to more difficult exercises, the dog also must perform scent discrimination tasks.

OTCH and UDX: The best of the best can go on for more titles. Utility Dogs that place in Open B or Utility B classes earn points toward an Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) title. Utility Dogs that continue to compete and earn legs in both Open B and Utility B at 10 shows receive the title Utility Dog Excellent (UDX).

NOC (National Obedience Champion): This prestigious title is earned by the dog who wins the annual American Kennel Club National Obedience Invitational. To be invited to participate in the Invitational, each dog must be ranked in the top 25 dogs in the country by number of OTCH points, or ranked in the top three of their respective breeds by OTCH points. Go to the AKC site to learn more.

Rally

Rally, the newest addition to Companion Events, is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the Rally judge. The judge tells the handler to begin and the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 - 20 depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. Scoring is not as rigorous as formal obedience.

The team of dog and handler move continuously with the dog at the handler's left side. They perform the exercises indicated by a numbered sign at each station. After the judge's "Forward" order, the team is on its own to complete the entire sequence correctly. Unlimited communication from the handler to the dog is to be encouraged and not penalized.

The purpose of Rally is not only to demonstrate the dog's ability to follow specified routines in the ring, but also to emphasize the usefulness of the purebred dog as a companion to man. Go to the AKC site to learn more.

Working Certificate/Working Certificate Excellent Trial

The Poodle Club of America, Inc. allows any registered Poodle over six months of age which meets the performance requirements to receive the Working Certificate and the Working Certificate Excellent.

The purposes of these Certificates are to test the natural working ability of the Poodle and to demonstrate his interest in birds, his ability to take direction from the handler, his marking ability, his willingness to enter the water, and his trainability.

These tests are designed to enable most Poodles with a natural working instinct to pass the Working Certificate Test and with modest training to pass the Working Certificate Excellent Test. These programs provide an avenue for Poodle owners to enjoy and develop an appreciation and understanding of the natural working abilities of their dogs and to engage in early training as a working retriever.

For the Performance Requirements in the Working Certificate and Working Certificate Excellent, download the Rules and Guidelines for WC/WCX Tests. Learn more about PCA WC/WCX Medallions.

Hunting Tests

Hunting Tests evaluate a dog's hunting abilities; Standard Poodles are eligible for retriever hunting tests. The dog's ability to perform is judged against a standard of perfection established by the AKC regulations; theoretically, every dog can be a winner!

Dogs receiving Qualifying Scores at a number of tests achieve titles of Junior Hunter (J.H.), Senior Hunter (S.H.) and Master Hunter (M.H.); each successive title requires more skill. A Junior Hunter title is only a moderate amount of work with a good hunting dog. Go to the AKC site to learn more.

Canine Good Citizen Test

CGC is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen® Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club and as of January 1, 1999, they are automatically recorded in the AKC's Canine Good Citizen® Archive

Veterinarians have recognized the benefits of well-trained dogs and there are some CGC programs in place in veterinary hospitals. State legislatures began recognizing the CGC program as a means of advocating responsible dog ownership and 14 states now have Canine Good Citizen® resolutions.

In a little over one decade, the Canine Good Citizen® Program has begun to have an extremely positive impact in many of our communities. This is a program that can help us assure that the dogs we love will always be welcomed and respected members of our communities. Go to the AKC site to learn more.

Tracking

In the sport of AKC tracking, the dog must recognize and follow the scent of a tracklayer, a stranger that earlier walked a predetermined path, unknown to the dog's handler, leaving articles such as a leather glove for the dog to find. Tracking is a team sport in the truest sense. The dog must take the initiative to determine the correct path and lead the handler down the track. The handler learns to read his dog and communicate with him to support him while he works. It encourages confidence in the dog and develops a system of mutual trust between handler and dog. The relationship between man and dog that results strengthens the bond between them, as well as enhancing their teamwork in other endeavors and training venues.

To earn the beginning level TD or Tracking Dog title, the dog must follow a track approximately one-quarter mile long, walked anywhere from a half-hour to 2 hours earlier. There will be one article left at the end which the dog must find, and three to 5 abrupt changes of direction. In advanced tracking, the track is longer, about a half mile, and older, aged from 3 to 5 hours. It has multiple articles the dog must locate and more turns. Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX) tests include obstacles such as ditches, roads, fences, or woods to test the ability of the dog to adapt to changing scent conditions. The dog must continue to scent while overcoming physical obstacles or difficult and varied handling conditions. Variable Surface Tracking (VST) tests are laid in urban areas. They include nonvegetated surfaces such as parking lots, proximity to buildings with the diffusion of scent created by such structures, and the pedestrian and vehicular traffic common in such areas. At least one of the changes of direction must be located in an area devoid of vegetation to test the dog’s ability to work scent on hard surfaces.

The Champion Tracker or CT title is awarded to dogs that earn all three titles: TD, TDX, and VST.

Tracking is an exciting sport for handlers and their dogs, and solving these problems is not difficult for most Poodles. Poodles, even the small varieties, generally have a wonderful sense of smell. They enjoy working scent, and learn “nose games” quickly. Their intelligence and appreciation for interesting games enables them to easily learn the skills necessary for successful tracking. With the proper motivation, they quickly learn to follow the tracklayer’s scent, following the route walked to find the glove left behind at the end of the track.

PCA Contact Information

To learn more about the role that PCA has with these events you can contact the individuals below to become more involved.
Performance Events Obedience: Linda Morris LMORRIS25@comcast.net
Performance Events Agility: Debbie West middie76@sbcglobal.net
Working Poodle Program Director: Dana Stewart dstewart@mail.com
PCA WC/WCX: Ms Joyce Carelli jcarelli@cfl.rr.com
PCA Hunt Test: Ms Linda Miller rmiller942@comcast.net
WC/WCX Working Certificate: Claudia Straitiff pooplapoodles@yahoo.com