Training the Obstacles

Contact Obstacles

  • Ascend, cross and begin descent to have completed the obstacle
  • Leaving the obstacle prior to beginning descent is a refusal
  • Special Rules:
    1. See-saw not touching the ground before the dog leaving, but after it begins to tilt, is a fly-off penalty
    2. Descent is deemed to be begun when the dog transfers the majority of its weight to the down-ramp. For the see-saw, this is when the plank begins to tilt.  

Table

  • Down position for five seconds (generally interpreted to mean in a position of rest)
  • Special Rules:
    1. Masters and Advanced – Cumulative count; Starters – Consecutive count
    2. Leaving the table before the end of the five second count is penalized only once as a standard fault
    3. A refusal cannot be penalized once the dog has been on the table

Weave Poles

  • Proper entry, entering on the right side of pole #1 and passing through to the left side of pole #2
  • After proper entry, the dog must weave down the complete line alternating back and forth without missing a pole
  • Special rules:
    1. Improper entry is a refusal
    2. After proper entry, the dog can no longer incur a refusal penalty
    3. Dog may be faulted for a missed pole only once in performance of the obstacle; any errors must be corrected

Tunnels

  • Enter and exit in the direction defined
  • Special rules:
    1. Exiting the entrance or jumping over the tunnel is a refusal; entering the wrong end is wrong course

All Jumps and Hurdles

  • Jump in the direction defined above top rail or through tire
  • Special rules:
    1. Jumping or running under the jump or any part thereof in the wrong direction is wrong course
    2. Jumping a wing or running or jumping beneath the top rail of a jump is a refusal
    3. Jumping between the tire and frame is a refusal

Hurdle or Obstacle Combinations

  • Perform in sequence as defined by the judge
  • Special rules:
    1. Taking obstacles out of sequence is the wrong course
    2. Refusals are considered only on the first element of a combination unless otherwise defined by class rules