Author: Companion Events Department

Unfortunately, not every tracking team will be successful on test day. Judges must be well versed in the regulations to evaluate the dog’s performance and the handler’s actions. Pass or fail; all exhibitors should be treated in a respectful, courteous, and friendly manner.

Positioning: The position of the judges on the track is extremely important. By staying on the actual track, judges are in the best position to know where the track is and when the dog has gone off track beyond the point of recovery. Judges should have good field markers to help locate articles.

Proximity: There should be no question in either judge’s mind when making the decision to fail a team. For this reason, it is imperative that the judges be close to each other for easy communication. The conversation should remain private between the judges, so it may be necessary to gain some distance from the tracklayer or any others on the tracking field.

Reason for Failure: The most common reasons for the tracking team to fail are off track, missed article, took cross-tracks, dog stopped working and guiding. Judges should agree on the reason for failure before blowing the whistle, and the reason for failure should be recorded on the Judge’s Book chart. In all circumstances, the reason for failure should supported by the AKC Tracking Regulations. Any unusual circumstances should be noted by the judges on the back of the Judge’s Book cover.

Timing: It is essential that exhibitors have full faith in the impartiality and competence of the judges. It is good practice to let the dog and handler travel an adequate distance away from the track before failing the performance for being off-track. If the dog has stopped working, the dog must be failed. Guiding (behavior by the handler that influences or determines the dog’s direction) is prohibited and the team must be failed. Judges who ignore guiding behavior do a disservice to the team and to the sport. If the exhibitor believes that their behavior is acceptable (because they weren’t failed) then they may repeat it at a future test. Do not forget that the onlooking gallery will also see that the guiding behavior was accepted and may misunderstand what is allowed.

Finishing the Track: It is a courtesy to allow the failed team to finish the track as a training run. If the exhibitor desires to finish the track, the tracklayer should be instructed to go along with the exhibitor to offer help and support when needed. The exhibitor is expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner while finishing the track.

Sound judging procedures plus a thorough knowledge of the regulations will inspire the confidence of exhibitors and spectators.

Happy Tracking!

On test day, it is the responsibility of the judges to ensure that the equipment used in the field meets the current AKC Tracking Regulations requirements.

Collar: If a collar is worn by the dog while tracking, the collar must be properly fitted (buckle or slip). No special training collars, such as electronic collars or prong collars, will be permitted. Required licenses or rabies tags may be attached to the collar.

Harness: The dog must wear a harness while tracking. The harness will be constructed of pliable material with minimal restriction of the dog’s movement. An inconspicuous marking is permitted on the harness to identify the dog in case of loss.

Line: A tracking line must be attached to the top of the harness and not be deliberately run through the underside of the dog, controlling or restricting the dog’s movement. The line must be between 20 and 40 feet in length.

The following optional equipment is allowed. They must be put on the dog before the start of the track and in the presence of both judges.

Coat: Protective or cool coats may be worn by the dog either under or over the harness. If worn over the harness, there must be an opening on the coat that allows the line to be connected to the harness at the top.

Footwear: Booties may be worn to provide protection to the dog’s feet.

Eyewear: Goggles may be worn to provide protection to the dog’s eyes.

The only items permitted on the tracking field are those items considered by the judges to be essential to conducting the test. Judges will not allow any motivational items such as food or toys. Any type of recording devices that film video, capture pictures and/or locations are not to be carried by the handler or attached to the dog. Spectators may video or photograph the dog in the field as long as they remain in the gallery area(s) designated by the judges.

If you have any questions, please email tracking@akc.org.
Happy Tracking!

The best way to avoid misunderstandings between judge and club is by effective communication from both parties before the test. After contacting a judge with an invitation to judge an event, the test giving club should prepare a contract letter detailing all judging arrangements, acceptable judge’s expenses and judging fees. Judges should review the contract and add any additional expenses or requirements before returning the signed contract to the club. If there are changes to the original contract, a club official should initial the changes, sign the contract and return a copy of the final contract to the judge. The club should keep accurate written records of any verbal or written contracts with judges (follow up all discussions with email communication). If the club’s leadership changes, these records will help the new leadership to ensure that judge’s contracts are honored.

The contract should include:
• Name of the club, address and telephone/cell phone number(s) of the club and the contact person.
• Date and complete address for the location of the event.
• List the finalized judging assignments that the club will submit on their AKC test application.
• Name and contact information for the co-judge(s) for each assignment.
• Expenses and Fees. When referring to expenses, be as specific as possible, e.g., number of nights in a hotel, level of airline fare, meal allowances and ground transportation mileage. Judges should include any additional expenses (judging fees, house/pet sitting, airport parking, transportation to the hotel, etc.) and all personal requirements.
• Notification of accommodation and hospitality arrangements. Include details such as the name of the hotel/motel, directions to the hotel/motel, directions to the event site, the hotel’s dining features, hotel telephone numbers and hotel emergency number. If this information is not available at the time the contract is prepared, the club should send this information to judges at least 60 days prior to the event.
• A date by which the judge must return the written confirmation of acceptance of the assignment.

It is up to the judge to check for assignment conflicts before accepting the club’s invitation. The judge should reply to the club promptly and in writing to accept or decline the assignment. Before returning the signed contract, the judge should provide anticipated expenses and fees. Judges are responsible for abiding by the contract conditions.

Happy Tracking!

One of the most heartbreaking calls for tracking judges is to fail a team when the dog misses an article. The judges must know exactly where the article was to be placed and be watching the dog carefully when he approaches the drop area so that they can make the correct ruling in the field.

The first thing that judges must determine is whether the article is at the drop point or missing. If the article is where it should be and the team has continued down the track without picking it up, the judges have no choice other than to fail the team.

If, after a quick search and conferring with the tracklayer, the article is determined to be missing then the judges must make a ruling according to the regulations for each test level. Since the missing article regulations for TDU/VST and TD/TDX are different, judges must know the following:

TD/TDX: If, in the judges’ opinion, the dog actively searched the area where an article was dropped but did not find the article, and the judges cannot find the article, the dog will be given credit for finding the article. If the dog does not actively search the area and the judges cannot find the article, the dog will be tested on another track that meets the requirements of the Regulations.

TDU/VST: The judges will give the dog credit for the article if an article is not found and cannot be located by the judges or the tracklayer, provided that the dog worked continuously and intently along the actual track.

Happy Tracking!