Akc "graduate" and "beginner"??? - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

sonterra2002 · 01-23-2013, 09:54 PM

Hello all,

I am looking at entering some akc shows for obedience and came across these classes. Can someone explain to be what the beginner and graduate classes are?

Obedience Novice A
Obedience Novice B
Obedience Beginner Novice A
Obedience Beginner Novice B
Obedience Graduate Novice
Obedience Open A
Obedience Open B
Obedience Graduate Open
Obedience Utility A
Obedience Utility B
Obedience Versatility
Obedience Non-Reg, Brace Class

workingk9s · 01-23-2013, 09:59 PM

I can't explain that but I think you should do brace with Aspen and Riker! That would rock!

Rosemary · 01-23-2013, 10:06 PM

Beginner Novice is harder than a CGC (CGN) but not as hard as Novice, which is a CD. No group stays, and rally signs are used for the heeling pattern. There is a stay, but you are the only team in the ring.

Graduate Novice is basically a combination of Novice and Open. There is a drop on recall, a recall with the dog holding a dumbell, and a recall over the high jump and broad jump.

Graduate Open is a hybrid of Open and Utility. Versatility is two excercises each from Novice, Open and Utility.

A and B are are divisions of the classes based on the handler's and dogs experience. There are no requirements for Optional Titling classes, but for regular classes, you have to start in Novice, then go on to Open after you have a CD, and on to Utility after you have a CDX.

Here's the link to the regulations. AKC Rules and Regulations

Cathy43 · 01-24-2013, 05:54 AM

The rules and regs do a good job of explaining the requirements of each class. they just keep adding stuff.

**ellenm** · 01-24-2013, 06:18 AM

Buy an AKC rulebook for Obedience so you can read each class requirements.

They added Beginner as a bridge between rally and traditional obedience. Then Graduate as a bridge between the higher levels.
If your dog is not great on groups stays then the Beg Novice would be the place to start as they sit/stay by themselves in the middle of the ring and you walk around the ring and return.

Rosemary · 01-24-2013, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellenm

Buy an AKC rulebook for Obedience so you can read each class requirements.

They added Beginner as a bridge between rally and traditional obedience. Then Graduate as a bridge between the higher levels.
If your dog is not great on groups stays then the Beg Novice would be the place to start as they sit/stay by themselves in the middle of the ring and you walk around the ring and return.

I just downloaded it as a PDF, printed it out, and put it in a 3-ring binder.

They are adding some new classes later in the year (July, I think).

sonterra2002 · 01-24-2013, 09:23 AM

Thanks! We call them transition classes here. Pre-cd, novice intermediate, etc. I don't think we have the versatility classes tho.

He already has two ckc novice legs and we hope to be moving on to open by April so we will stick with regular classes!

Thanks for the help!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosemary

Beginner Novice is harder than a CGC (CGN) but not as hard as Novice, which is a CD. No group stays, and rally signs are used for the heeling pattern. There is a stay, but you are the only team in the ring.

Graduate Novice is basically a combination of Novice and Open. There is a drop on recall, a recall with the dog holding a dumbell, and a recall over the high jump and broad jump.

Graduate Open is a hybrid of Open and Utility. Versatility is two excercises each from Novice, Open and Utility.

A and B are are divisions of the classes based on the handler's and dogs experience. There are no requirements for Optional Titling classes, but for regular classes, you have to start in Novice, then go on to Open after you have a CD, and on to Utility after you have a CDX.

Here's the link to the regulations. AKC Rules and Regulations

brw1982 · 01-24-2013, 09:57 AM

I literally *just* figured out the AKC Obedience classes on Monday night. I thought they were set up similarly to AKC agility classes...uh, nope. That would be too simple to have one uniform AKC titling system across the board. They like to keep you guessing if you've entered in the right class from sport to sport.

sonterra2002 · 01-24-2013, 10:42 AM

The advanced teamwork class looks cool!!

Rosemary · 01-24-2013, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brw1982

I literally *just* figured out the AKC Obedience classes on Monday night. I thought they were set up similarly to AKC agility classes...uh, nope. That would be too simple to have one uniform AKC titling system across the board. They like to keep you guessing if you've entered in the right class from sport to sport.

I have yet to heads or tails the agility classes, so if you have both figured out, you are way ahead of me.

Part of it is that there are so many variations in agility. There is jumpers, standard, preferred, and I don't know what all else.

AgileDobe · 01-24-2013, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosemary

I have yet to heads or tails the agility classes, so if you have both figured out, you are way ahead of me.

Part of it is that there are so many variations in agility. There is jumpers, standard, preferred, and I don't know what all else.

Agility certainly has a few different classes, not to mention if you start trying to follow other agility organizations the list becomes infinite. Add to the fact that as of the 1st of the year AKC changed the name of one of the agility classes/levels from Excellent B to Masters. To make maters worse, like brw1982 said, the A and B classes do not have the same "rules" between obedience, rally and agility.