Junior Hunter

“A junior hunting dog must show a keen desire to hunt, be bold and independent, have a fast, yet attractive manner of hunting, and demonstrate not only intelligence in seeking objectives, but also the ability to find game. A Junior hunting dog must establish point on at least fifty percent of the pointable birds it encounter. Junior hunting dogs must hold point until the handler gets within normal gunshot range.”

Senior Hunter

“A senior hunting dog must show all of the attributes of a Junior hunting dog. In addition, the Senior hunting dog must be steady to wing on all pointed birds and must remain in position until the shot or they are released. A senior hunting dog must retrieve. Whenever it encounters its bracemate on point, it must honor.”

Master Hunter

“A master hunting dog must give a finished performace and demonstrate clearly that it deserves to be qualified as such. This the the complete hunting companion that any hunter would be proud to own. It must be under it’s handlers control at all times, and handle kindly with an absolute minimum of noise and hacking by the handler. A Master hunting dog must show a keen desire to hunt, must have a bold and attractive manner of running, and must demonstrate not only intelligence in seeking objectives, but also the ability to find game. The dog must hunt for its handler at all times at a range suitable for a handler on foot, and should show or check in front of its handler frequently….A master hunting dog must positively demonstrate its steadiness to wing and shot.”

Rally

In Rally, a dog and their handler move together through a course made up of 10-20 signs. Each sign displays a skill to perform such as turns or behaviors like sit, down, or stay. The dog and handler work together and should show a sense of teamwork and enthusiasm throughout the course.

Obedience

Developed in the 1930s, Obedience is one of the AKC's oldest sporting events. ... From walking on- and off-leash to retrieving and jumping, or demonstrating your dog's ability to stay, Obedience trials feature dogs that are well-behaved at home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs.

Agility

Agility is a growing dog sport in the United States, with over 1 million entries to the AKC’s Agility program each year. Dogs race against a clock as they navigate an obstacle course with strong concentration and speed. Whether you just want to have fun exercising with your dog, or want to go further and enter an Agility competition, get ready for a fast-paced, rewarding experience that will get you and your dog in the best shape of your lives!

Agility

Agility is a growing dog sport in the United States, with over 1 million entries to the AKC’s Agility program each year. Dogs race against a clock as they navigate an obstacle course with strong concentration and speed. Whether you just want to have fun exercising with your dog, or want to go further and enter an Agility competition, get ready for a fast-paced, rewarding experience that will get you and your dog in the best shape of your lives!

CANINE GOOD CITIZEN

The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program, established in 1989, is an American Kennel Club program to promote responsible dog ownership and to encourage the training of well-mannered dogs. A dog and handler team must take a short behavioral evaluation of less than half an hour; dogs who pass the evaluation earn the Canine Good Citizen certificate, which many people represent after the dog's name with CGC.

The evaluation consists of ten objectives.[5] All items must be completed satisfactorily or the team fails. Test items include:

• Accepting a friendly stranger.[6]

• Sitting politely for petting.[6]

• Allowing basic grooming procedures.[6]

• Walking on a loose lead.[6]

• Walking through a crowd.[6]

• Sitting and lying down on command and staying in place.[6]

• Coming when called.[6]

• Reacting appropriately to walking by a dog and person.[6]

• Reacting appropriately to distractions.[6]

• Calmly enduring supervised separation from the owner.[6]

CANINE GOOD CITIZEN

The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program, established in 1989, is an American Kennel Club program to promote responsible dog ownership and to encourage the training of well-mannered dogs. A dog and handler team must take a short behavioral evaluation of less than half an hour; dogs who pass the evaluation earn the Canine Good Citizen certificate, which many people represent after the dog's name with CGC.

The evaluation consists of ten objectives. All items must be completed satisfactorily or the team fails. Test items include:

• Accepting a friendly stranger.

• Sitting politely for petting.

• Allowing basic grooming procedures.

• Walking on a loose lead.

• Walking through a crowd.

• Sitting and lying down on command and staying in place.

• Coming when called.

• Reacting appropriately to walking by a dog and person.

• Reacting appropriately to distractions.

• Calmly enduring supervised separation from the owner.

Therapy Dogs

A therapy dog is trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas. Therapy dogs are not service animals and are not afforded the same privileges.

Service Dogs

A service dog helps a person with a disability lead a more independent life. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service dog is “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.”   

A service dog is trained to take a specific action whenever required, to assist a person with their disability. The task the dog performs is directly related to their person’s disability.