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THE ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL CLUB of AMERICA

Performance


There’s a reason why the phrase “man’s best friend” exists:

It describes how much you and your dog complement each other, the time you spend together and the close relationship you have. That’s the foundation behind Companion Events: To demonstrate the deep companionship between you and your dog In these events, you and your dog train together to demonstrate the bond that forms between a well-trained dog and his owner.

Obedience

Developed in the 1930s, Obedience is one of the AKC’s oldest sporting events.
The objective is to train your dog to be well-behaved at home or in public places.
Whether you are walking on- or off-leash or retrieving and jumping, obedience demonstrates the teamwork between you and your dog.

Rally

Think of an AKC Rally® event as any team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with dog under control at the handler's left side. There is a clear sense of teamwork between the dog and handler both during and between the numbered signs. Although each performance is timed, having a good race time is not the goal; it's all about working as a team while performing the skills, with the dog under control.

Junior Showmanship

Children have always been an important part of the future of canine sports, dating back to 1920 when the first competition for children handlers was held. Think of Junior Showmanship (also called “Junior Handling”) as a training ground for a life-long journey in dog shows and sports. Children 9 to 18 years old learn basic handling abilities, and how to care for, and present, different breeds in a competition. While Juniors are judged by an official AKC Judge, it’s the quality of their presentation that is judged, not the dog.

Participating in Junior Showmanship will teach your child many important life lessons — how to be a good sport, how to put one’s mind to something and master it; and how training can lead to a very special bond with a dog. And who knows? Your kid just might love Junior Showmanship so much it might eventually lead to a possible career path!

Agility

In Agility, dogs race against a clock as they navigate an obstacle course.
Dogs and owners strive to improve their speed and teamwork. Agility is a fun, energizing sport that provides healthy exercise for dogs and a rewarding experience for owners.
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Tracking

Tracking is a non-competitive sport that demonstrates your dog’s natural ability to recognize and follow scent.
It is the foundation of canine search and rescue work.
In tracking, your dog is completely in charge since only he knows how to find and follow a specific scent.
For many, the greatest pleasure of tracking are the hours spent outside, training and interacting with their dogs.
There are many Tracking titles include TD TDU VST

Dock Diving

Diving Dogs is a fun, exciting but easy to do sport with simple rules:
You throw your dog’s favorite toy into a pool while he waits on a dock about 40 feet long. On your command, he runs along the dock, flings himself off the end of it, lands in the water and grabs his toy. The goal? To have the longest jump possible, which could be as short as two feet for beginners but could be as much as 30 feet for those more experienced! Diving Dogs is a great activity to share with your best friend!

Titles earned through North America Diving Dogs (NADD) will be recognized by The American Kennel Club.

Scent Work - Barn Hunt

Fascinating fact: Dogs have a sense of smell that’s between 10,000 and 100,000 times Scent more acute than ours! The sport of Scent Work celebrates the joy of sniffing, and asks a dog to sniff to their heart’s content; turning your dog’s favorite activity into a rewarding game. It is a terrific sport for all kinds of dogs, and is a wonderful way to build confidence in a shy dog.

In so many dog sports the handler is in control but this isn’t true in Scent Work. Neither the dog nor handler knows where the target odor is hidden. The handler has to rely on the dog, and follow the dog’s nose to success. In Scent Work, it is the canine who is the star of the show.
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Fast Cat

Sure, you think your dog is fast. But have you ever wondered how fast? Can your dog outrun Usain Bolt, who has been called the fastest runner in the world? He just might: Usain's fastest time has been clocked at almost 28 mph - yet dogs have been known to reach speeds of 35-45 mph.

Well, you no longer have to wonder how fast your dog can run. FAST CAT® - wich stands for Coursing Ability Test - is a timed 100-yard dash where dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure. It's over before you know it - and it's nothing short of awe-inspiring to watch your dog run at top speed, ears back, eyes focused, legs strong. And if your dog is really fast, you might earn bragging rights if his name makes it onto our list of top 20 fastest dogs by breed!

Although it is a relatively new sport, its popularity has spread like wildfire. No wonder. According to one AKC official, "The FAST CAT® provides a terrific opportunity to introduce new participants to the world of AKC sports as one of the few events where all that is needed to compete is a dog's natural instincts."
Trick Dog

Intermediate Trick Dog (TKI)
The dog must have the Novice title, plus perform 10 Intermediate tricks.

Advanced Trick Dog (TKA)
The dog must have the Intermediate title, plus perform 10 tricks from the Advanced list.

Trick Dog Performer (TKP)
In this title, handlers perform a short routine with at least 10 tricks previously learned.

Trick Dog Elite Performer (TKE) Schools, shelters even courtrooms.
CGC & Urban CGC

The AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program is the gold standard of behavior for dogs in our communities. Almost one million dogs, both purebred and mixed breed, have participated in the program since it began in 1989. Canine Good Citizen is part of the AKC Family Dog Program and many dog owners choose CGC as their first step in training their dogs. It also provides a great foundation for getting started in dog sports.
The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program

Focuses on all the things every puppy and owner need to have a great start together. STAR stands for Socialization, Training, Activity and a Responsible owner and in six weeks of STAR puppy classes, puppies and dogs learn the following behaviors and skills: AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy prepares pups to move on to Canine Good Citizen training. For example, in STAR, puppies must walk on a leash in a straight line. In CGC, the task becomes more advanced with dogs walking in a pattern that includes right and left turns and stops. The skills in AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy classes are practical and functional. Teaching puppies to tolerate grooming, handling, and basic exams of the ears, feet, and mouth will result in well-mannered puppies that veterinarians are happy to see.

(Descriptions this page Courtesy of AKC)