Emmi (Ch Lumiturpa Emmi (Imp Fnl)) begin awarded Runner Up Best in Group at the Perth Royal Show 2007 under Finnish judge Paula Heikkinen-Lehkonen
Photo:S Waho

Kulta (Ch Theldaroy Best Treasure) competing at the Melbourne Royal Show 2007
Photo: Smart Snaps

Conformation, or "dog showing", is where dogs are judged against their breed standard, in competition with one another. In Championship shows challenge points can be earned toward the title of Champion. In Open shows, there are no challenge points awarded. Only entire dogs registered on the main register are eligible to enter. Breeders will usually choose very carefully which of their puppies will be registered on the main register and be eligible to enter dog shows. If you are interesting in showing you will need to have that conversation with the breeder of your puppy prior to purchasing him or her, and you will usually have to pay more for the puppy.

In each of these shows, judges are determining how well the individual dog meets the standard for that breed, looking at both the dog's type and their structural soundness to be able to perform the function for which they were bred. They do this by looking at the dog in a standing position, by feeling the dog's structure, and by watching the dog trot from a variety of angles.

For each "class" (usually an age group) for each gender the judge will choose a 1st and 2nd place winner. All of the male winners of each class will then compete for Best Dog (or Dog Challenge at a Championship Show) and Runner up Dog (Reserve Dog Challenge). The same will happen for all of the female winners of their classes for Best Bitch (Bitch Challenge) and Runner Up Bitch (Reserve Bitch Challenge). Then the Best Dog and Best Bitch will compete to be awarded Best of Breed. Whichever wins, their Runner Up will return to the ring and either they or the dog remaining in the ring will be awarded Runner Up Best of Breed. First place males and females of each class will them compete for class awards.

All Best of Breeds are then eligible to compete against each other in the Group for Best of Group. There are seven Groups in Australian conformation, and the winners of those seven compete for the much coveted Best In Show. The Finnish Lapphund belongs to Group 5, or the Working Dog Group. Class winners for each breed also compete for Class in Group and Class in Show awards.

In Australia, Challenge Certificates are given with a number of challenge points awarded on the basis of the number of dogs competing. A judge will only award a Challenge Certificate if they assess the dog being of sufficient quality to earn the Champion title. Five challenge points will be awarded as a base, and then 1 point for every dog competing. So, for example, if there were four male Finnish Lapphunds entered in a Championship Show, the Dog Challenge would be awarded 9 challenge points. The Best of Breed winner also gains an additional point for every dog of the opposite sex that was competing. The most number of points that can be earned in any one show is 25. To gain the title of Champion, a dog must have earned 100 points (25 of which must be after they are 12 months of age). The Grand Champion title is awarded to a dog who has earned 1000 points.

Dogs can enter shows from 3 months onward, in Baby Puppy class. However, Baby Puppies do not compete against the older dogs and cannot earn Challenge points until they are 6 months old and entered into the Minor Puppy class.

The most commonly available classes in a show are: Baby Puppy (3-6months), Minor Puppy (6-9months), Puppy (6-12months), Junior (9-18months), Intermediate (18-36months), Australian Bred (any age but imports are not eligible), and Open (all ages).

Schatje and I competing in the Novice Class in Mildura in 2003. You can see that he is paying attention waiting for my next direction, with the judge in the foreground watching, scoring and giving me instructions. He received Best in Trial on this day.
Photo: M Lincoln

Kulta practising his dumbell retrieve
Photo: J Lincoln

Obedience competitions, referred to as "Trials", have been designed to test and "demonstrate the usefulness of the dog as the companion and guardian of man". There are a number of levels or classes in obedience trials, each of which need to be passed through progressively to become eligible for the next class, and each can earn the dog an obedience title. There are a variety of different exercises in each class, which progressively become more difficult. All dog breeds can compete, including unregistered pure-breeds and cross-breeds if they are desexed and registered on the Associate Register of your State's Canine Body.

At an obedience trial, each dog enters individually with their handler, with the exception of the "group exercises" which are conducted after each dog in that class has completed their individual exercises and with all of the dogs in the ring together. They follow through each exercise in sequence, under direction from the judge. The judge will give points for each exercise, determined by taking away points for errors from the full marks possible. The addition of all of the points for each exercise will determine if the dog has passed or failed, and in what place they have come in competition with the other dogs competing.

The rules, some of the classes, and exercises, are changing for obedience trialing on 1 July 2006. The description of these below is therefore based on these new rules.

There are five levels (classes) of competition, with titles that can be earned, each of which replaces the title preceding. These titles are all suffixes after the dogs name. The classes are: Community Companion, Novice, Open, Utility and Utility Dog Excellent.

Community Companion is a new non-compulsory class (ie you can go straight into Novice if you wish to skip this step and title). The exercises in this class are: (1) Heeling Pattern on Lead with all turns, speeds and positions, (2) Stand for Examination on Lead where the dog must stand still while the handler moves in front of them and the judge examines them physically, (3) a formal Recall exercise, (4) 1 minute sit stay (group exercise) with the handlers on the other side of the ring, (5) 2 minute drop stay (group exercise) with the handlers on the other side of the ring. Points are earned out of a total of 100, and 75 is required for a pass. The dog must earn three passes to earn the title of Community Companion Dog (CCD).

Novice is the first class which is compulsory to compete prior to moving into the next classes. The exercises in this class are: (1) Heeling Pattern off Lead with all turns, speed and positions, (2) Stand for Examination off Lead, (3) a formal Recall exercise, either (4a) a formal Retrieve exercise or (4b) a Change of Position exercise, (5) 1 minute sit stay (group exercise) with the handlers on the other side of the ring, (6) 3 minute drop stay (group exercise) with the handlers on the other side of the ring. Points are earned out of a total of 200, and 170 is required for a pass. The dog must earn three passes to earn the title of Companion Dog (CD).

Open is where things really start to get fun, and where retrieving and jumping ability become necessary. The exercises in this class are (1) Heeling Pattern off Lead with all turns, speed and positions, (2) Stand for Examination off Lead, (3) a formal Drop on Recall exercise, (4) a formal Retrieve exercise, (5) and formal Retrieve over a Jump exercise, either (6a) a formal Broad Jump exercise or (6b) a formal Distance Control exercise, (7) 3 minute sit stay (group exercise) with the handlers out of sight, (6) 5 minute drop stay (group exercise) with the handlers out of sight. Points are earned out of a total of 200, and 170 is required for a pass. The dog must earn three passes to earn the title of Companion Dog Excellent (CDX).

Utility separates the mice from the dogs!! The exercises in this class are (1) a Seek Back exercise where the dog on command must find an article previously scented by the handler and dropped by the Steward somewhere on their track during a heeling pattern, (2) Directed Jumping (conducted twice) where the dog must go to a prescribed area on command, and then take the correct jump out of two indicated by the handler and return, (3) Scent Discrimination (conducted three times) where the dog must find an article which has been scented by the handler from amongst a group of similar unscented articles, (4) a Signal Exercise which is a heeling pattern with some additions conducted with only hand signals ( no voice commands) from the handler, either (5a) a Speak on Command exercise, (5b) a Food Refusal exercise, or (5c) a Directed Retrieve exercise, (6) Stand for Examination conducted as a Group Exercise with the handlers on the other side of the ring, and (7) 7 minute drop stay (group exercise) with the handlers out of sight. Points are earned out of a total of 200, and 170 is required for a pass. The dog must earn three passes to earn the title of Utility Dog (UD).

After Utility, you may choose to continue to compete in that class. Five additional passes of at least 185 points, will earn the dog the much coveted prefix title Obedience Champion (O CH).

Utility Dog Excellence is a new advanced class. The exercises in this class are (1) a Seek Back exercise with a Decoy article also placed on the track, (2) a Positions in Motion exercise, (3) a Scent Discrimination exercise which involves finding the correct cloth article scented by the judge, (4) a Directed Sendaway and Recall Exercise, (5) a Distance Control Exercise, (6) a Multiple Retrieve Exercise, and (7) a Temperament Test (group exercise) which is similar to the Stand for Exam in Utility but with the handlers' backs turned to the dog. Points are earned out of a total of 200, and 170 is required for a pass. The dog must earn three passes to earn the title of Utility Dog Excellent (UDX). This title can be held by the dog at the same time as the O CH title.

My Emmi's mum Fin Ch Lumiturpa Kylmänkukka "Mimmi" competing in Finland in 2004 in the maxi-2 class
Photo:  ?

Fin Ch Lumiturpa Kylmänkukka " Mimmi" competing with her handler Johanna Ollila in Finland in 2004 in the maxi-2 class
Photo: ?

Agility Trials involve the traversing of the dog across an obstacle course in sequence and as directed by their handler. Both speed (completing the course within a time frame set by the judge, and as fast as possible) and accuracy (completing the course with no errors or refusals) are important. Agility is enormous fun for most dogs and requires a high level of fitness (for both dog and handler!). Like with obedience, there are a number of levels or classes, each of which need to be passed through progressively to become eligible for the next class, and each can earn the dog a particular title. All dog breeds can compete, including unregistered pure-breeds and cross-breeds if they are desexed and registered on the Associate Register of your State's Canine Body.

Each dog and handler complete the course individually, and places as well as passes are granted within each class. A pass gains the dog a Title Certificate and requires no faults, either time faults (ie not finishing in the Standard Course Time set by the judge) or course faults (eg refusing an obstacle, knocking a bar off a jump). There are two types of competitions and titles, Agility and Jumping.

The rules, and some of the classes, are changing for agility trialing on 1 July 2006. The description of these below is therefore based on these new rules.

There are four classes for both Agility and Jumping. These are Novice, Excellent, Masters and Open. In each of these classes, dogs compete only against those dogs in their height category, and jump heights (and widths) vary for each of the height categories.

The difference in the classes have mostly to do with the number of obstacles that will be included in the course, and the degree of difficulty in the course design.

Obstacles included in Agility competitions include: Broad Jump, Dog Walk, Hoop, Hurdles, Spread Hurdles, Scramble, See Saw (Excellent Class and up only), Table, Collapsible Tunnel, Flexible Tunnel and Weave Poles.

Obstacles included in Jumping competitions include: Broad Jump, Hoop, Hurdles, Spread Hurdles, Collapsible Tunnel, and Flexible Tunnel.

Titles can be earned for each of the classes. These have a different number of Title Certificates required. Three Title Certificates in the Novice Class under at least two different judges is required for the Agility Dog (AD) or Jumping Dog (JD) titles. Five Title Certificates in the Excellent Class under at least two different judges is required for the Agility Dog Excellent (ADX) or Jumping Dog Excellence (JDX) titles. Seven Title Certificates in the Masters Class under at least three different judges is required for the Agility Dog Masters (ADM) or Jumping Dog Masters (JDM) titles. Five Title Certificates in the Open Class under at least three different judges is required for the Agility Dog Open (ADO) or Jumping Dog Open (JDO) titles.

Under the new rules Masters level and Open level can earn multiplier suffix titles. For example, meeting the requirements for the Agility Dog Masters title 3 times will earn the dog the title ADM 3. Also newly introduced will be the Agility Champion (AG CH) prefix title, which requires 20 additional Certificates in Masters Agility and 20 additional Certificates in Masters Jumping after these titles have been earned - included in these must be at least 10 first places, and another 10 1st, 2nd or 3rd places!!

Also to be introduced for the first time in ANKC Agility are three Agility Games - Snooker, Gamblers and Strategic Pairs. Each of these have the levels Novice, Excellent and Masters, with various qualifications required for the earning of titles under each level. The new titles available to be earned are Snooker Dog (SD), Gamblers Dog (GD) and Strategic Pairs Dog (SPD) each requiring three qualifications at Novice level; Snooker Dog Excellent (SDX), Gamblers Dog Excellent (GDX) and Strategic Pairs Dog Excellence (SPDX) each requiring five qualifications at Excellent level; and Snooker Dog Masters (SDM), Gamblers Dog Masters (GDM) and Strategic Pairs Dog Masters (SPDM) each requiring seven qualifications at Masters level.

There are other organisers of Agility competitions in Australia other than those auspiced under the rules of the Australian National Kennel Association, and these have different rules and possible titles which can be earned.

A Finnish Lapphund at a herding day in Denmark
Photo: Birte Jensen

A Finnish Lapphund at a herding day in Denmark
Photo: Birte Jensen

A Finnish Lapphund at a herding day in Denmark
Photo: Birte Jensen

Herding Tests and Trial in Australia, are for the purpose of testing, developing and maintaining the herding instinct in herding breeds. For this reason, they are only open to dogs in Group 5 - Working Dogs, with a few specific exceptions from the other groups (including the Keeshond). Test and trials can be conducted with sheep, cattle or ducks, although sheep are the most commonly used stock.

There are three levels of Herding Test which must be completed in order before dogs are eligible to compete in Herding Trials. The first of these is the Instinct Test which needs to be passed twice, under two different judges to obtain the Instinct Certificate. As of 2005, there is no longer a title awarded to dogs who pass this test. This test requires the dog to show instinct for working the stock and control in being able to be stopped and recalled away on command by the handler.

Once the dog has its Instinct Certificate it may enter a Herding Test. Again, the dog must pass this Test twice under two different judges to gain the suffix title Herding Tested (HT). This test involves the dog moving the stock in a figure eight pattern around two pylons, and requires two changes of direction and controlled movement of the stock as well as control by the handler. The final test is the Pre-Trial Test. Two passes under two different judges of this test will gain the suffix title Pre-Trial Tested (PT). It involves controlled herding of the stock across a course, including through four gates and into a pen.

A dog that has received the PT title is eligible for entry into Herding Trials. There are three levels of trials: Herding Started, Herding Intermediate and Herding Advanced. Each level increases in complexity. Dogs are awarded both qualifying scores toward titles and places in herding trials. There are three types of courses that clubs running a herding trial may choose to have available, A, B & C, designed for different types of herding styles. Course A is an "all-around farm" course, Course B is an open field course, and Course C is designed for movement of stock to various grazing areas.

To earn a title, each of the classes require three qualifying scores under three different judges for the same type of stock and course. The suffix titles are Herding Started (HS), Herding Intermediate (HI), Herding Advanced (HX). Each of these titles will be followed by the indication of the course and stock type. So a dog that earns the Herding Started title on Course A with sheep will have the title HSAs. A dog earning Herding Intermediate titles on Course B with ducks and also with cattle would have the title HIBdc. Multiple herding trial titles are possible.

A dog who has the HX title can continue to compete in the Advanced class for championship points. Fifteen championship points each on two different types of stock at the Advanced level is required for eligibility for the Herding Champion (HC) prefix title.

Finnish Lapphund Leemax Herra "Loki" tracking with his handler Gail Blair as part of his training for Working Trials in the UK
Photo: J Blair

Finnish Lapphund Fin Ch BH PEHA Lumiturpa Kylmänkukka "Mimmi" (Emmi's mum) doing some Search & Recue training (Mimmi is a volunteer Search & Rescue dog in Finland)
Photo: Niina Nyrhinen

Tracking trials in Australia test the dogs ability to follow a scent track left by a human and find the person at the end of the track. All breeds of dogs and Associates are eligible to compete.

Prior to entering a Tracking Trial, a dog must pass a Tracking Qualification Test. This involves a short track of approx 300m with one 90degree change of direction, laid by a known tracklayer between 10 and 30 minutes before the dog commences. This test only needs to be passed once.

There are 6 tracking tests which follow, all of which have to be passed once, in order, to progress to the next test. Each will be awarded a score of Fail, Pass, Good, Very Good or Excellent.

Test 1 involves a track of 800m with two turns and two articles (one of which must be indicated by the dog), laid by a known tracklayer between 30 and 60 minutes before the dog commenced. Test 2 is the same as Test 1 except the tracklayer must be unknown. Successful completion of Test 2 will gain the dog the suffix title Tracking Dog (TD).

Test 3 involves a track of 1000m with four turns and two articles (at least one of which must be indicated), laid by an unknown tracklayer between 1 and 2 hours prior to the dog commencing. Test 4 is the same as Test 3 except a diversion track will be made by a known person crossing over the track to be followed about 30 minutes after the tracklayer has passed. Test 5 involves a track of 1200m with five turns and three articles (two of which must be indicated), laid by an unknown person between 1 and 3 hours prior to the dog commencing, and crossed twice by unknown people. Successful completion of Test 5 will gain the dog the suffix title Tracking Dog Excellent (TDX).

Test 6 is for the prefix title Tracking Champion (T CH). It involves a track of 1100m with six turns (two of which must be acute) and three articles (two of which must be indicated), laid by an unknown person between 90 and 180 minutes prior to the dog commencing, and crossed twice by unknown people. This track involves the dog starting 30m from the start of the track, aided by a scented article.

There are a number of other dog sports in Australia that attract competitors. These include:

• Endurance. This is a test where the dog must run with their handlers (who may jog or bike-ride) a 20km course, divided into three sections with a short rest and vet check inbetween. All breeds are eligible to compete.

• Flyball: This is a relay race between two teams of four dogs, where each member of the team races against its competitor side by side, over four hurdles, triggers a flyball box pedal to catch a tennis ball, and returns over the hurdles to release the next member of the team. All breeds are eligible to compete.

• Retrieving Trials: These are competitions where gundog breeds are tested for natural retrieving and hunting ability. Only registered gundog breeds may enter. Finnish Lapphunds are therefore ineligible to compete.

• Field Trials: These are competitions where gundog breeds are tested for natural hunting ability under normal hunting conditions. Only registered gundog breeds may enter. Finnish Lapphunds are therefore ineligible to compete.

• Lure Coursing: This is a fun non-titled, non competitive activity where dogs chase a lure which is controlled mechanically to change direction and speed. All dog breeds are able to participate.

• Lure Racing: This is a fun non-titled activity where dogs race by chasing a lure over a straight track. This has been designed for small terriers and other dog breeds and Finnish Lapphunds are ineligible to compete.

• Earthdog: This is an instinct test for dog breeds who were bred for hunting quarry underground. Dogs use scent to track down an artificial quarry through dug out tunnels covered in soil. Finnish Lapphunds are ineligible to compete (and wouldn't fit in the tunnels anyway!).