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Clarification from Clarges Street

Measuring of Mini and Midi Dogs

The Kennel Club would like to clarify the Regulations concerning the measuring of mini and midi agility dogs. This Regulation comes into effect on 1 January 2005 when all new agility dogs will need to be measured prior to their first competition. Dogs that are currently competing have until 1 September 2005 to have the initial measurement. The measuring officials have yet to be appointed, but once they have been confirmed their details will be advertised in order that shows can appoint them in time for the early 2005 shows.

Regulation H(1)(B).5. 

1. Dogs competing in mini / midi height categories must be measured for competition. Competitors must ensure that their dog is measured prior to their first competition and that the dog’s Agility Record Book has been signed and dated by the measuring officials.
2. Dogs entered for competition must be measured before they compete at their first agility test*. Dogs must be a minimum of 15 months old before the first official measurement takes place. (Dogs incapable of being measured at the time they are presented to the measuring officials will not be eligible for competition until such time that the official measurement has been successfully carried out.)
3. A second and final official measurement must be carried out on the dog between 12 and 24 months after the first.
4. The dog’s signed Agility Record Book must be available for inspection by the Show Management and / or the Judge on the date of any competition entered by the owner/handler.
5. The Kennel Club will nominate officials authorised to measure dogs for competition and to sign the Agility Record Book. The record book must be notated ‘mini’ or ‘midi’ as determined by the official measurement.
6. Two authorised officials must carry out the measurement together and must use a measuring device approved by the Kennel Club.
7. Measurement must be carried out on a level and even surface.
8. Measurement of the dog’s height will be taken from the ground to the highest point of the withers. The dog must be standing squarely with all four legs on the ground, neither stretched nor crouched. The dog’s head should be in a natural position.
9. Measuring devices will be of a fixed ‘hoop’ type and must be of a type approved by the Kennel Club. A separate measuring device is required for measuring each of mini and midi dogs.
10. Dogs presented for measurement should be wearing a collar and must be under the control of the owner / handler. Dogs presented for measurement that cannot be controlled by the owner / handler will not be measured.
11. A dog will be eligible to compete in the mini / midi height category only after the official measurement has been carried out. Where a dog is measured out of the height category in which it has been entered it is permissible, at the discretion of the organising club, for entries to be altered in order that the dog can compete at the correct height category.
12. If, at the time of the second official measurement, a dog is found to be eligible for a different height category than originally attested to, awards received at licensed tests up to the date of the second measurement will stand.
13. In the event of a dispute over the measuring procedure the Kennel Club will evaluate whether there are grounds for appeal. The owner /  handler of the dog may appeal in writing to the Kennel Club, but must do so within 90 days of the disputed measure having taken place. Any  appeal must be accompanied by a written statement from the owner/handler of the dog with a brief description as to the ground for the appeal and must be accompanied by the appropriate fee.
14. Show management must ensure that approved measuring devices are available at licensed agility tests to permit ‘official’ dog measuring to take place if required.

* Dogs already competing at the time the new rules come into place will have a grace period up to 1st September 2005 after which all dogs competing in mini / midi categories must have been measured. (21/06/04)

Proof of Posting

It is not uncommon for a competitor to telephone the Secretary of an event a day or two beforehand to advise that passes have not been received. Sometimes competitors make such a report at the  event and it is discovered that entries do not appear in the catalogue. There seems to be some doubt as to the best way of dealing with these cases, therefore the following procedure should be followed.

As it is not possible for the Secretary to carry out an 'on the spot' investigation the Secretary should allow the exhibitor to exhibit  but only after an entry form has been completed and the appropriate fees paid.

A full report must be made to The Kennel Club immediately after the event, and The Kennel Club will then write to the exhibitor asking him to provide proof of posting for the original 'lost' entry. The only acceptable proof of posting for entries which are not delivered is certified post e.g. Recorded Delivery, Special Delivery, Registered Post, Post Office Certificate. It should be noted that only the original of such a certificate is acceptable - a copy is not sufficient. The Kennel Club then examines the information and decides whether the original entry was correctly made. If this is agreed then awards gained at the Show will stand. However, if satisfactory proof of posting is not provided, awards gained may be disqualified.

Secretaries should appreciate that this procedure is intended to protect and assist them as entries may have been sent by registered post or recorded delivery and mislaid in the Show Office. The exhibitor could, in such cases, prove delivery of entries and if he/she had not been allowed to exhibit, the Society might find that a claim for expenses is made against it. The missing entry may be the fault of the exhibitor, a Show Official or the Post Office and the correct course is to allow the dogs to be exhibited and then let The Kennel Club deal with the matter afterwards.

During the course of the last year, while investigating reports from Societies on the non receipt of show entries, it became apparent that in some cases the Certificate of Posting issued by the Post Office had not been clearly completed.

Therefore, when using this form of proof of posting exhibitors are requested to complete the box on the certificate indicating the number of items (letters) being posted using words rather than figures. This will then assist The Kennel Club in validating proof of posting reports.

Source: The Kennel Club Originally sent on 8 February 1996 ( Re-issued 13/09/01)

Dogs at Events Under Four Months of Age

Last year The Kennel Club introduced a new Regulation allowing dogs of four months and over to be entered ‘not for competition’ (NFC) at Obedience Shows, Agility Tests and Working Trials.

This Regulation was introduced following consultation with the various Liaison Councils to stem the practice of very young puppies being taken to events.   It was the General Committee’s view that for the well being of such puppies it was better they spend the early months of their life at home rather than being taken to dog events.

It is not expected that such puppies are taken to Kennel Club licensed events whether they are kept in car parks, caravan parks or to the competition areas of the venue.

Source: The Kennel Club (24 July 2001)

From Sally Hopkins
I've just read the Kennel Club's comments about puppies of four months and over attending shows.  Is it me  or is it rather ambiguous, especially the last sentence. Can anyone out there please tell me what the KC are trying to say!? (30 July 2001)

Campaign to allow young puppies to attend agility shows
The last paragraph (above) is obviously intended to clarify what the Kennel Club views as the confines of the Show and has implications for all Show Managements who are expected to enforce the rules and regulations of the Kennel Club.

Many of us feel that there is no valid reason why puppies should not be taken to shows and that, in line with current thinking over the need to socialise puppies as early as possible if behavioural problems in later life are to be avoided, the benefits far outweigh the potential dangers.

A group of people have banded together to ask clubs to submit a proposal to amend this regulation as detailed below, via your Kennel Club Agility Liaison Council Representative. We feel that the Kennel Club would be more willing to consider this amendment if it came from as many clubs as possible, and we hope that agility and obedience can work together on this, to our mutual benefit.

The proposal would take the form of an amendment to the NFC rule (H2.e). We are proposing that several differently worded proposals are submitted so that the Liaison Councils have an opportunity to discuss all options and recommend the most acceptable to the Working Trials Obedience and Agility Committee.

Our recommendations are to replace the last sentence of the H2.e rule (underlined):-

'Only dogs of 18 calendar months of age and over on the day of competition are eligible for competition at KC licensed Agility Tests and Flyball competitions.  However, Societies may accept Not for Competition (NFC) entries at their discretion. Dogs aged four calendar months and over are eligible to compete Not for Competition.'

with one of the following:-

'NFC entries may be accepted for KC registered dogs'

or

'NFC entries may be accepted for KC registered dogs, but puppies aged under 4 months must be confined to the car park, camping and exercise areas'

or

 'Any KC registered dogs are eligible to be entered as Not for Competition'

New Regulation:-

'The precincts of the show shall exclude the camping and car parking areas available to competitors.  However, in the event that an incident occurs in any of these areas available to competitors the Kennel Club shall have full jurisdiction over any such incident involving a competitor or a dog in their ownership'

The next Kennel Club Agility Liaison Council meeting, where these proposals can be put forward by our representatives, is not until February 2002, items for the agenda for this meeting to be received by the Liaison Council Representatives by Tuesday, 13 November 2001.  The next Kennel Club Obedience Liaison meeting is in October 2001, and the items for inclusion on the agenda have already closed.  Obedience colleagues, wishing to support this proposal will therefore, have to wait until the first meeting of their Council in 2002 (date still to be set).

We also attach a petition to support this proposal and ask that you collect signatures from those at your club who agree with the proposal. Please feel free to photocopy this form if you need and then return all forms to your local co-ordinator as detailed below by the end of November, so that all signatures can be sent to the Kennel Club General Committee when appropriate. Petitions will also be circulated at forthcoming shows.

Thank you for your help. Please ring, write or e-mail if you would like any more information.

Area co-ordinators

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