OBEDIENCE COMPETITION

Poodles are not couch-potato dogs. They are active, willing to please, and love to have a job to do. Obedience competition is an excellent activity for them. Poodles love people and enjoy working with their special person.

What is obedience competition? It is the earning of titles through AKC or UKC sponsored events at dog shows throughout the United States. There are three titles that a dog can earn. These titles are the C.D. (Companion Dog) in which the dog competes in Novice; the C.D.X. (Companion Dog Excellent) in which the dog competes in Open, and the U.D. (Utility Dog.) Dogs are judged on a pass/fail basis, but placements are awarded to the top four dogs in a class. Scores are based on each exercise that is passed and the precision of the dog and handler working together as a team. Dogs must pass three times in order to earn a title.

DIFFERENT LEVELS OF OBEDIENCE

Novice Obedience uses many of the skills that most people start to learn in a beginning pet obedience class. These skills are valuable for all dogs. They include heeling on leash, heeling off-leash, and a recall off-leash from a distance. There is also an off-leash sit-stay and down-stay in a group of dogs.

Open Obedience. The two advanced titles require more learning skills from the dogs. The Open title expects the dog to be able to lie down on command from a distance after being called. Also, the dog must be able to retrieve a dumbbell over a high jump and jump a broad jump. The dogs are left on a sit-stay and down-stay with the handlers out of sight for several minutes. This always impresses people who are watching!

Standard Poodle high jump and broad jump obedience.jpg

Utility Obedience. The highest obedience title is Utility and this requires dogs to be able to perform a sit, down and come from across the room with the handler using only hand signals. Another exercise expects the dog to retrieve one article which has been scented by the handler out of a pile of articles by using scent alone. Dogs also jump two different jumps from a distance on the handler’s command. They must retrieve the correct glove out of the three that are visible to the dog.

It takes a lot of work to earn all three titles but, the feeling of achievement is fantastic!