AKC Tracking Judges

Applying ~ Apprenticing ~ Regular Status Requests ~ Tracking Judge Evaluation Forms

There are several required steps to becoming an AKC Tracking Judge. Please review all the material and links below. Once you have read the information, if you have additional questions please email tracking@akc.org

To qualify as an applicant to judge TD/TDU or TDX Tests — you must have:

1. TD/TDU – Personally owned, trained, and handled two (2) dogs that have been awarded an AKC Tracking Dog title (TD) and/or Tracking Dog Urban (TDU). TDX – Personally owned, trained, and handled a dog that has been awarded an AKC Tracking Dog Excellent title (TDX) and title at least one other dog to a Tracking Dog (TD) or Tracking Dog Urban (TDU) title.
2. Have been active in the sport a minimum of six (6) consecutive years.
3. Observed tracking judges in planning and plotting tracks by:
   1. Serving as a tracklayer for a minimum of ten (10) TD and or TDU tracks, or six (6) TDX tracks at AKC member or licensed tracking tests, whichever you are applying for. You must submit completed charts of at least two (2) tracks of which you served as a tracklayer.
   2. Apprentice twice under two (2) different sets of judges where at least one judge is an approved regular status judge. The apprentice assignments must be at two (2) different TD/TDU or TDX test, whichever you are applying for, and the judge may not be a member of the apprentice’s household or immediate family.

To qualify as an applicant to judge VST Tests — you must have:

1. Must be approved to judge TDX or an approved regular status TD/TDU judge who has owned, trained, and handled a dog that has been awarded a VST title.
2. Observed tracking judges in planning and plotting of VST tracks by:
   1. Serving as a tracklayer for a minimum of four (4) VST tracks at AKC member or licensed tracking tests. You must submit completed charts of at least two (2) tracks of which you served as a tracklayer.
   2. Apprentice twice under two (2) different sets of judges where at least one judge is an approved regular status judge. The apprentice assignments must be at two (2) different VST tests, and the judge may not be a member of the apprentice’s household or immediate family.

Apprentice Assignments:

1. Permission to apprentice must be obtained from the test giving club and both judges. Apprenticing is for prospective judges only and is to be done at the level they are eligible to apply for. Only one apprentice person will be allowed at each test. The apprentice must attend both the day of plotting and the day of the test, with a minimum of three tracks being plotted. You must submit copies of the plotted tracks and a copy of the apprentice document with the application. Tracking Apprentice Form

To Apply as a Provisional TD/TDU, TDX or VST Judge:

The application for each test level including Part I, may be found on this page and under Downloadable Forms near the bottom of the web page. Email the completed relevant application, required documentation, and Part I to tracking@akc.org. If email is not an option, you may fax the documents to 919-816-4204 –

Attention Companion Events Department, or snail mail the documents to the Companion Events Department, PO Box 900068, Raleigh, NC 27675-9068 to begin the approval process. A passing score is required for Part I to proceed.

Part II Test Procedure for Provisional Approval:

All applicants are required to pass a written test consisting of multiple-choice questions, and the personal interview. The Companion Events Department will schedule the test and interview.

The completed test results are reviewed by an AKC Judge’s Approval Committee for final determination. Following review, applicants will receive written notification of the Committee’s action. If approved, the applicant’s name will be published on the Secretary’s Page of the first available online issue of the AKC GAZETTE as a Provisional judge. You may begin to accept judging assignments, for the approved provisional test level, once you receive written notification, or your name is published, whichever occurs first.

Applying for Regular Status Approval:

To apply for regular status approval for TD/TDU or TDX, the following minimum requirements to must be met:

1. As a provisional Tracking Dog/Tracking Dog Urban or Tracking Dog Excellent judge, you must judge a minimum of six (6) tests with at least three (3) different judges, only one of which may be a spouse or immediately family. In addition, a satisfactory observation judging at the provisional level must be completed within two years of the request for regular status, or a minimum of three (3) of the judges you judge with must complete and submit a passing Tracking Judge Evaluation Form for Committee approval.
2. As a provisional Variable Surface Tracking judge, you must judge a minimum of three (3) tests with at least three (3) different judges, only one of which may be a spouse or immediately family. In addition, a satisfactory observation judging at the provisional level must be completed within two years of the request for regular status, or a minimum of three (3) different judges you judged with, must complete and submit a passing Tracking Judge Evaluation Form for Committee approval.

Upon completion of the required number of assignments and observation or confirming with your co-judges that the evaluation form was submitted, the provisional judge must submit a request for regular status approval. The links to the forms may be found on this page and under Downloadable Forms near the bottom of the web page. Email the request to tracking@akc.org.

Overview of Tracking Application Procedures:

1. Complete the minimum requirements for the test level.
2. Submit the application, required documents, and Part I of the Test.
3. Once those are accepted and approved, schedule the test and interview.
4. Complete the multiple-choice written test and interview.
5. Receive written approval as a Provisional Judge before accepting assignments.
6. Meet the minimum requirements to request approval for regular status and verify the evaluation forms were submitted by your co-judges.
7. Submit a request for regular status.

Tracking Judge Evaluation:

The Tracking Judge Evaluation Form is for the Regular Status Judge to complete and submit after co-judging with a Provisional Judge. The form is easy to fill out and submit directly to us from a computer, tablet, or cell phone with a touch of a button. The information shared within the form is confidential.

The purpose of co-judge evaluations is for the Regular Status Judge to provide insights into the abilities demonstrated by the Provisional Judge. If you have any questions, please email tracking@akc.org.

For a provisional judge to progress, a satisfactory observation, or a minimum of three (3) positive evaluations, by three different regular status judges, is required.