Companion Events Help You to Build a Bond with Your Dog

If you follow our Facebook page, you already know that we are celebrating Riley's new Obedience Title. We participated in the Columbus All-Breed Training Club's Winter Obedience & Rally Trials this past weekend and earned our third leg for Beginning Novice. We are very excited about this accomplishment and look forward to moving onto the next level in our training.

The Labrador Retriever is a breed of many talents. Not only are they extremely accomplished at being a champion couch potato, they are also just as brilliant in field work, as well as in the competition ring. While they make wonderful companions, their intelligence and eagerness to please makes them remarkably trainable and excellent candidates for the world of AKC Companion Events.

Who Can Participate?
The AKC Companion Events consist of four different specialty areas: Obedience, Rally, Tracking, and Agility. Anyone of any age can participate in these events as long as their dog is either registered with the AKC, enrolled in the AKC Canine Partners Program (registration for mixed-breed dogs),enrolled in the PAL Program (Purebred Alternative Listing), or a member of a FSS recorded breed (Foundation Stock Service). 

How Do We Prepare?
Competing in these companion events offer more than an opportunity to show off your dog's athleticism and intellect. The time spent training with your dog creates an unbreakable bond and many hours of fun for both of you. In order to prepare for these events, the first step is to find a local dog-training club that offers classes that will help you and your dog develop the skills and understanding necessary to be successful. Visit www.akc.org to find a training club near you.

What are the Companion Events?
As noted above, the AKC Companion Events consist of four specialty areas: Obedience, Rally, Tracking, and Agility. Here is a brief description of each:

• Obedience Trials: As one of the AKC's oldest events, the Obedience Trials offer you and your dog a dedicated opportunity to demonstrate her ability to behave in the home, in public, and in the presence of other dogs. 

• Rally Trials: Similar to Obedience; however, slightly more easy-going, Rally is a great opportunity for new dogs and handlers to get started in Companion Events. A rally course includes anywhere from 10 to 20 stations, depending on your level, and demands an equal amount teamwork and enthusiasm between you and your dog in order to be successful.

• Tracking: While Obedience and Rally is a demonstration of the dog's ability to respond to his handler's commands, Tracking is centered solely on the dog's ability to detect and follow a scent. Success in the Tracking sport lies directly in the dog's nose! 

• Agility Trials: One of the most energetic canine sports, Agility Trials provide the dog an opportunity to demonstrate his athletic nature by following the commands of his handler through a timed obstacle course. 

To gather more detailed information about about each of these and how to participate in an AKC Companion Event please visit  www.akc.org/events. 

Whether a title is your goal, or you are simply looking to provide an additional outlet for your dog to learn knew skills, participating in training classes and companion events will be a rewarding experience. It is also another way for you to develop and nourish the everlasting bond between you and your dog.  

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