Tracking Judges must understand the difference between a Judge’s Excusal and Judge’s Disqualification to make the correct choice when confronted with an unusual situation with an exhibiting dog.
Reasons for a Judge to Disqualify a dog:
Blind – a dog without useful vision
Change by artificial means – a dog that has been surgically/permanently altered (dyed, taped, or bandaged dogs are excused by the judge, not disqualified)
Attacks or Attempts to Attack a PERSON on the Tracking Field
Judge’s Procedure for Disqualification resulting from Attack or Attempts to Attack a Person:
• Remain calm and in control.
• Stop Judging and take care of injured person if necessary.
• Request that the handler move the dog off to the side.
• Inform the handler that the dog has been “Disqualified by Judge” and state reason.
• Inform the handler that the dog is no longer eligible to show in any AKC event until reinstated.
• Fill out the “Disqualification by Judge/Evaluator for Attacking a Person” form.*
• Mark Judges’ Book “Disqualified” and state reason.
• Detach pink copy to give to exhibitor, Judge keeps yellow copy, include the white copy in the Tracking Secretary Report.
• Resume judging.
*AKC sends each Tracking Test giving club a full test “kit” once each year. The “kit” includes all the forms required to be available at each tracking test. After an event, the secretary should replace all used forms and then pass on the complete test “kit” to the next test secretary. All forms are available on the AKC website under Tracking Secretary Resources: https://www.akc.org/sports/tracking/tracking-test-secretary-resources/