USDAA question

[Kelleybean]

I trial in AKC because there are more trials in my area than USDAA and there are no NADAC trials around here. We're having contact issues. Asa does a fantastic 2on2off in class but blows right through them at trials. I need to be able to put her back on the a-frame or dogwalk when she does this, but this isn't allowed in AKC trials. Can I put her back on a contact obstacle in USDAA trials? If so, it would be worth going to trials just to correct her contact fly-offs. Suggestions welcome!

[alligande]

Short answer is no: usdaa has a no training in the ring policy. That said they do offer intro classes at some trials were you can have toys in the ring... I do not know about training contacts. I know you can train in the ring ASCA, UKI and NADAC I do not know about other Venues such as CPE.

[rufftie]

in cpe training in the ring is supposedly not allowed BUT there are some games like fullhouse and jackpot where you can put the dog on the obstacle as many times as you want to get it right as part of the point gathering aspect of the game. so no, during your standard run you can not go back and put the dog on the obstacle again if it flies off the end, that is considering training in the ring. but in the games you can "practice" the obstacles that give you trouble. in fact, at most cpe trials they will have a game like fullhouse as the first class of the day so your dog can get some zoomies out, blow off some stress or practice a few contacts.

[MaryP]

You cannot train in the ring in USDAA, but you can still "correct" your dog for blowing off a contact. I have to do this with my exuberant boy on occasion. The level of the correction depends on the dog. With my dog, I usually utter a loud "hey", and depending on the degree of blow off, I may take his sorry butt off the course, or put him in a down before continuing. But, usually I just utter a verbal correction and he gets the idea and will do a 2o2o on the next contact. I like to use classes like Gamblers to proof his contacts. I stopped doing FAST with him a couple years ago, but plan to do it in our next AKC trial just for the purpose of proofing his contacts.

[Mary&Sully]

Look into ASCA trials (Australian Shepherd Club). They are open to non-members and allow training in the ring.

[dmadrid]

I trial in AKC because there are more trials in my area than USDAA and there are no NADAC trials around here. We're having contact issues. Asa does a fantastic 2on2off in class but blows right through them at trials. I need to be able to put her back on the a-frame or dogwalk when she does this, but this isn't allowed in AKC trials. Can I put her back on a contact obstacle in USDAA trials? If so, it would be worth going to trials just to correct her contact fly-offs. Suggestions welcome!

 

Technically, no, you can't train in the ring. BUT you can use Gamblers and, to some extent, Snooker to train your contacts. Many Gamblers classes will have both the a-frame and the dog-walk in the ring, and you can go over both of them while you are in the ring. You can only get points for them twice... but if that takes 3 or 4 tries, that's what it takes (until your time runs out). In Snooker, you'll have to be a bit more creative... if you don't follow the rules of the game, you will get whistled off the course. BUT, as long as you follow the rules of the game, you could potentially get your dog on a contact three or four times.

[MrRipley]

The only venues that I know of that truly allow training in the ring during competition are DOCNA and UKI. In these venues you are allowed to turn your run into a non-qualifying run and put your dog back on the contact obstacle. In UKI, you are allowed to bring a toy into the ring to reward your dog.