Obedience Classes & Titles

There are levels of obedience competition which correspond to the titles your dog can achieve, Novice, Open and Utility. "A" classes are for beginners whose dogs have never received a title, while "B" classes are for more experienced handlers.

Dogs may continue to enter trials to compete for the title Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) which is the highest level of achievement. Competitors should visit the AKC Obedience Homepage and be familiar with the AKC Obedience Regulations (pdf).

Novice A&B

This is the beginner level. The title "CD," Companion Dog, is awarded after the dog has been certified by three different Judges to have received Qualifying scores (more than 50% of the available points for each exercise) in Novice Classes at three Licensed or Member Obedience Trials. At this level, the dog must do the following:

• Heel on leash and complete a figure eight
• Stand for examination
• Heel free (off the leash)
• Recall: After staying on command while the handler walks away, the dog must come and sit facing the handler, then go to heel position.
• Long Sit: While a dog stays in heel position, the handler leaves the dog and walks to the other side of the ring to face the dog. The dog must then stay for one minute.
• Long Down: While the dog lies down, the handler leaves the dog and goes to the other side of the ring to face the dog. The dog must remain down for three minutes.

Open A&B

This is the intermediate level. The title "CDX," Companion Dog Excellent, is awarded after the dog has been certified by three different Judges of Obedience Trials to have received Qualifying scores (more than 50% of the available points for each exercise) in Open classes at three Licensed or Member Obedience Trials. At this level, the dog must do the following:

• Heel free and complete a figure eight.
• Drop On Recall: From the heel position, the handler commands the dog to stay, then leaves the dog and walks to the other side of the ring to face the dog. The handler calls the dog to come, then on command from the handler, the dog must stop and drop into a down position and stay until the handler recalls the dog. The handler recalls the dog, who sits and faces the handler as in the Novice Recall and finishes to heel position on command.
• Retrieve On Flat: On command the dog must retrieve a thrown dumbbell and return to the handler.
• Retrieve Over High Jump: Dog must go over jump, retrieve dumbbell and return with it, again over the jump.
• Broad Jump: Dog must stay where left until signaled to jump over two to four hurdles (depending on the size of the dog), then dog must return to handler as in Novice Recall.
• Long Sit: Similar to above, except handler walks out of sight and the sit period is three minutes.
• Long Down: Similar to above, except handler walks out of sight and dog must remain down five minutes.

Utility A&B

This is the advanced level. The title "UD," Utility Dog, is awarded after the dog has been certified by three different Judges of Obedience Trials to have received Qualifying scores (more than 50% of the available points for each exercise) in Utility classes at three Licensed or Member Obedience Trials. At this level, the dog must do the following:

• Signal Exercise: Handler signals dog to Heel, Stand, Stay, Drop, Sit, Come and Finish.
• Scent Discrimination: Dog must select handler's article from among other metal and leather articles by scent alone, then promptly return the correct article to the handler. The dog performs this exercise twice.
• Directed Retrieve: The handler instructs the dog to stay until directed to retrieve, then the dog must go to the designated glove, retrieve it promptly and return to the handler.
• Moving Stand And Examination: Dog must heel, stand, and stay on command, be examined by the judge, then return to heel position.
• Directed Jumping: Dog must go away in the direction indicated by the handler, stop, jump as directed, and return as in Recall.

Utility Dog Excellent

The title "UDX," Utility Dog Excellent, is awarded to each dog that meets the following requirements:

• Shall have earned qualifying scores in at least ten separate events in both the Open B and Utility B Classes in the same day.
• Shall have earned these qualifying scores at ten Licensed or Member Obedience trials.

Obedience Trial Champion

The title "OTCH," Obedience Trial Champion, is only achieved by approximately 125 dogs per year in the entire United States. It is awarded to each dog that meets the following requirements:

• Shall have won 100 points based on the number of dogs competing; and
• Shall have won a First place in Utility B provided there are at least three dogs in competition; and
• Shall have won a First place in Open B provided there are at least six dogs in competition; and
• Shall have won a third First place under the conditions of 2 or 3 above; and
• Shall have won these three First places under three different Judges.