SS Cressa Posted October 12, 2019 Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 Just curious what are some venue to trial in if you don’t want to use AKC? i don’t just mean agility Ik there is USDAA etc... obedience? trick training? therapy? Nose work? etc... i wouldn’t mind starting to train for competition but I don’t want to register with AKC. I am allergic to rodents and hay so Can’t do barn hunts. And my dogs don’t seem crazy about dock diving. Sorry if I have missed the thread about non akc events or trials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 12, 2019 Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 There are no therapy dog trials. The reward ideally should be in the volunteer activity and what you and your dog can offer to others who benefit from it. IMO that's tremendously rewarding even w/out any kind of recognition for doing it. Some registries do offer awards for a certain number of visits, in some cases for specific types of facilities (e.g. elderly, reading, etc.). And ACK also offers a therapy dog title, though they otherwise don't get involved in therapy dog issues. IMO their therapy titles (dogs must be certified by a real therapy dog organization) are primarily for bragging rights to add another title to their dogs' name and to generate more income for ACK (AFAIK all you get for the fee -- which is in addition to whatever you're already paying for a pet therapy membership -- is the the right to add the title to your ACK registered dog's name and a patch). Afraid I can't help with non-ACK affiliated competitions, trials or titles for the other activities. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted October 12, 2019 Report Share Posted October 12, 2019 CARO does rally. NASCAW I think is the nonAKC nosework Ultimate Air Dogs dock diving. UpDog Disc IS (newly) AKC affiliatated but you can JUST register through UpDog (for 3.00) and have AKC get zero of your money anda they'll track your accomplishments. NADAC obviously is one of those agility organizations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 USDAA have a version of Rally. https://www.rallydogs.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted October 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 You are correct Gentle Lake about therapy work! I shouldn’t have included it with competition. Do you know where you find classes for therapy work? I have contract a couple therapy dog places and just never hear back from any of them. Im currently looking at DMWYD (Do More With Your Dog). Their tricks seem challenging. I also did find Updog and also Skyhound might try that also if I can get Val as into frisbee as he into balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 I think the first thing to do would be to investigate some of the TD registries out there. Read their policies, guidelines, testing requirements, fee structures, liability insurance coverage, etc. to see which might be the best fit for you. Some are regional, some national and others have international membership. Some have alternatives to testing with one of their evaluators if there are none in your area; some don't, in which case you'd have to locate another registry. See if there are any members local to you that should could meet and discuss their experiences with the organization and opportunities for group visits if that's something you'd like to do. One thing ACK is good for is their pretty comprehensive listing of therapy dog organizations on their website. Some pet therapy organizations require classes with their instructors; others don't. I've been with 3 organizations over the years and none of the ones I've belonged to have required specific classes, just a certain level of training. That said, some trainers do offer therapy dog skills classes, which, as with any other trainer are as good or as inadequate as the trainer. I'd think most classes offered by trainers who are also TD evaluators would adequately cover at least the basic manners obedience required. Others go beyond that and introduce situations, equipment, noises, etc. similar to some of the things dogs may encounter in facilities with an eye to familiarizing/desensitizing them. As with any trainer, though, I'd make sure you're comfortable with their methods and if you're not either choose a different trainer whose methods you prefer or if they're affiliated with and/or required by the TD registry opt for another registry entirely. All, or almost all require evaluations, (if they don't I wouldn't consider them reputable -- passing the ACK's CGC won't weed out temperamentally problematic dogs) and many require a certain number of supervised visits before teams can gain full certification. That's the basics of getting started. If I've missed anything please ask and I'll try to answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 I trained for therapy work without a class. I went with Alliance of Therapy Dogs because they had local testers. UKC has a nosework program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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