Category: News

Two Changes for Tracking Test Documents

Reminder – Required information in Premium Lists and Judging Programs

As part of AKC ‘s commitment in creating a safe and respectful sports environment for all, the AKC Board of Directors adopted a policy requiring all premium lists and judging schedules to include contact information for the Darkness to Light’s Abuse Hotline. Below is the suggested verbiage for inclusion in the general information area in all premium lists and judging programs.

The AKC is committed to creating a safe and respectful sport environment for all. If you need to talk to someone, or need help, please call 800. 656.HOPE (National Sexual Assault Hotline) or text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24/7, confidential services from trained crisis counselors.

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Reminder- Sheila Goffe is now the AKC Executive Secretary and should be listed with the AKC Certification on all Premium Lists and Catalogs.

Happy Tracking!

Draw for Running Order

The AKC Tracking Regulations state that at least one of the judges must be present to observe the draw for running order at all tracking tests. Judges are the “officials” for events and must be familiar with the rules pertaining to the draw to ensure that proper procedures are followed.

The test secretary (or another event committee member if the secretary is entered) will assemble the participants at the draw time published in the judging program. Any dog absent from the site at the scheduled time of the drawing will be marked “Absent” by the judges if an alternate is present to draw. That alternate would then draw in catalog order. If no alternate is present, the judges will instruct the test secretary to draw for the absent dog. The dog will be marked “Absent” by the judges if the dog is not present in time for the running of its assigned track.

Exhibitors should be asked if they have a conflict with any of the tracklayers which include:

  1. The tracklayer has boarded, laid a track for, or regularly trained the dogs whose tracks they are to lay within the last 10 days.
  2. The tracklayer has resided with the dog, is a member of the household or a member of the immediate family of the dog’s handler.

Judges will modify the draw to meet the requirements for tracklayer conflicts.

Exhibitors should be asked if they have a conflict with either of the judges which include:

  1. Exhibitors may not exhibit to a judge who resides in the same household, and dogs entered must not be owned or co-owned by the judge or members of the judge’s household.
  2. No exhibitor may show a dog under a judge if the exhibitor has participated in a training session taught by the judge within 10 days of the date of the event.

Exhibitors should be asked if their bitch is in season. Bitches in season may be allowed to participate if:

  1. The premium list specifically states that “bitches in season may participate.”
  2. The test secretary and judges have been notified that a bitch is in season prior to the drawing for tracks.

Bitches in season will be assigned the last (regular, not alternate) track. If there are multiple bitches in season, a draw for the last tracks will be held.

The secretary will conduct a random draw to assign running order for each participant. The entrants should be called by catalog number and presented with identical draw items that have a hidden number attached. If the draw items are not identical, the judges should instruct the secretary to place them in a bag or box so that the draw is blind.

After the draw, the order may not be exchanged, except under unusual circumstances and only with the judge’s approval. Any such exchanges must be fully reported in the Judge’s Books.

Happy Tracking!

Reminder: Complete the required Stewards of Children® course before 11/30/2024

Tracking Judges:

This post is to remind you that per AKC Board Policy, all judges are required to complete the Stewards of Children® course from Darkness to Light every three years. Failure to complete the course will block your approval on future judging panels. To avoid any interruption and undue hardship on clubs who may hire you, please be sure to complete the course prior to November 30, 2024.

To complete the course please visit Darkness to Light using the link:

https://d2l.csod.com/selfreg/register.aspx?c=akc&sc_src=email_1330808&sc_lid=80605157&sc_uid=4iiXAK6DCV&sc_llid=1364&sc_eh=9003bc3ea9a2806d1

If you have questions, please contact judgecompliance@akc.org.

Thank you.

Common Cross-Track Plotting Errors

Plotting cross-tracks for regulation TDX tracks takes careful planning. The AKC Tracking Regulations include a detailed list of cross-track rules in Chapter 4, Section 4 and are worth re-reading from time to time.

Here are a few common mistakes when plotting cross-tracks.

● Failure to allow enough yardage to get the cross-trackers out of the field without coming within fifty yards of any other part of the track.

● Forgetting to consider the exit path of the cross-trackers. Again, we must be aware of keeping the rest of the track fifty yards away from the cross-tracks.

● Not ensuring that the cross-tracks are always at least fifty yards in length before and another fifty yards after they cross the primary track. Instructions to cross-trackers should include going straight into, through or over any physical or scenting obstacle. The cross-track should be “obstacle free” for thirty yards before and after they cross the primary.

It is best to plan your cross-tracks, including their entrance and exit, before you enter the field.

Happy Tracking!

AKC Educational Requirements Policy and Recommendations

Dear AKC Judge,

This communication is to inform you of action taken by the AKC Board of Directors at its April 2024 meeting.

As an additional step in creating a safe and respectful sport environment for all, the AKC Board of Directors approved the following educational requirements policy and recommendations. Effective immediately:

* AKC Board of Directors, Inspectors, Field Staff across all sports, AKC Registered Handlers, and additional AKC Staff that regularly attend events, will be required to successfully complete the Stewards of Children® training from the non-profit organization Darkness to Light once every three years.

* All current and future Junior Showmanship judges will be required to successfully complete the Stewards of Children® training. The initial course will be offered by AKC on a complimentary basis and must be refreshed every three (3) years. All current Junior Showmanship judges must fulfill this requirement in 2024.

* All current and future Club Junior Coordinators will be required to successfully complete the Stewards of Children® training. The initial course will be offered by AKC on a complimentary basis and must be refreshed every three (3) years.

* Junior participants and their parents will be recommended to take the following complimentary courses as applicable from SafeSport:

* SafeSport® for Youth Athletes (ages 13-17)

* SafeSport® for Kids (5-12)

* SafeSport® Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sports Core.

* All Superintendents, AKC approved Show Secretaries, and AKC approved Agility Trial Secretaries will be strongly advised to take the Stewards of Children® course.

* All current and future Judges across all sports are required to complete the Stewards of Children® training. The initial training will be provided on a complimentary basis by AKC. This requirement will be phased in.

Additional details will be communicated by the AKC to those impacted by this policy concerning fulfillment of this requirement.

Questions concerning this notice should be directed to the department which manages the sport one is approved to judge: tracking@akc.org.

Thank you,
The Companion Events Department Team

AKC Tracking Regulation Revisions

Tracking Tests – Recording Devices, and Protective Eye Goggles

At the July 2023 Board Meeting, the Board VOTED to modify the AKC Tracking Regulations, Chapter 2, Section 19 to state that:

1) That recording devices are not allowed on the tracking field and 2) That dogs may wear eye goggles, effective August 1, 2023.

Section 19. Praise, Play, and Items on the Track and Dog. Praise and petting of the dog are allowed after the dog finds the article(s). However, exhibitors will not excessively play with articles as toys, toss them to the dog, or throw them on the ground, which may be construed as a restart. Once the track is complete, playing with any of the articles is allowed.

   The only items permitted on the tracking field are those items considered by the judges to be essential to conducting the test and permitted by these Regulations. Judges will not allow any motivational items such as food, balls, or toys to be used or carried within 30 yards of a track. Judges will not allow any type of recording devices that film video, capture pictures and/or locations, to be carried by the handler or attached to the dog. The carrying or use of motivational items or recording devices will require the dog to be failed and excused from the field.                                                    

Dogs may wear a protective coat, eye goggles, and/or footwear. If worn, the coat, tracking harness, goggles and/or footwear must be put on in the presence of both judges.

As soon as a regulation insert is availalbe, it will be published.

Thanks,

The Companion Events Team

The Worker Option

AKC Tracking Regulations provide clubs an option to award certificates that can be used for an advantage in the drawing for entries at future club tracking events.  These are called Worker Option certificates.  Each club will decide on their own WO policies that will determine how volunteers can earn a WO certificate, if and when the WO certificate expires and if WO certificates will be given to judges.  A test worker cannot benefit from a Worker Option slot in a test in which they are working.

If a club decides to implement the Worker Option at a tracking test, the information and the number of tracks to be set aside must be published in the premium list.

The number of tracks that a club may set aside for past workers is determined by the total number of test tracks offered.  If a club is offering a combined test, then the tracks from all test types are added together.  For example, a 3 dog TD combined with a 3 dog TDX test would be considered 6 test tracks and would qualify to offer 2 WO slots.  Alternate tracks that might be available for running as a titling track are not considered as “test tracks offered”. 

Entries with Worker Option certificates are drawn before non-worker entries in each draw category (see lists below).  After the WO slots are filled, the remaining WO entries are added to the non-worker entries for the draw for the remaining tracks.  If the test is being given by a specialty club, then preference is given to the specialty breed before “other” breeds.  Non-titled dogs are always drawn before titled dogs.  A dog is considered “titled” if they have either a TD or TDU title in TD and TDU tests.

Happy Tracking!

Quick Reference Guide for Tracking

Both in training and in official test plotting, we are often asked to switch between creating tracks for TD, TDU, TDX and VST. Since each test type has it’s own requirements, it’s important that we don’t get the details confused in the field.

Here is a handy, one-page table comparing the requirements for each test. Please print it and carry it along in your clipboard compartment for easy reference.

Quick Reference Guide

Happy Tracking!

Tracking Test Closing Dates

At the April 2022 AKC Board meeting, the following item was approved:

Tracking Tests Closing dates update – effective July 1, 2022.

   If a tracking test is announced in a show or trial premium list, the show or trial closing date will apply to tracking entries; otherwise, the closing date for tracking test entries will be at least seven (7) days prior to the tracking test.