AKC offers events in a variety of sports that showcase the dog's’ talents in different areas. Below is a short description of some of the AKC sports that Mattaponi participates in.
Agility
In agility, dogs race against the clock as they navigate an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels, weave poles, and contact obstacles (teeter, dog walk, A-frame). Agility is a popular dog sport across the globe, with over 1 million entries to the AKC’s program each year.
Barn Hunt
Although AKC does not sponsor barn hunt events, this sport is covered by AKC’s Title Recognition Program. Dogs and their handlers work as a team to locate and mark rats (which are always safely held in aerated tubes) hidden in a maze of straw or hay bales. As long as your dog can fit through an 18″ wide by bale-height tall tunnel, he’s eligible! “Barn Hunt tests the nose, speed, agility, and sure-footedness of dogs that have a history of above-ground vermin hunting,” said Robin Nuttall, founder of the Barn Hunt Association.”
CAT
In a Coursing Ability Test (CAT), each dog is timed as it chases after an artificial lure on either a 300- or 600-yard long course.
Conformation
Conformation is the official term for dog shows, with the Westminster Kennel Club show being perhaps the most famous conformation show in the US. In conformation shows, dogs compete with others of their breed to determine the entry that best represents the breed’s standard. The best of each breed goes on to compete with other breeds in its group (sporting, hounds, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding), and finally the seven group winners compete for best in show, searching for the dog that most closely conforms to the standard of its particular breed. Mixed breeds and spayed or neutered purebreds are ineligible to compete in conformation.
FastCAT
In Fast CAT® each dog is timed as it chases after an artificial lure on a straight 100-yard long course.
Herding
In herding the dog must demonstrate the ability to control livestock such as ducks, sheep, or cattle, to move the herd through a designated course.
Obedience
Developed in the 1930s, Obedience is one of the AKC’s oldest sporting events, and it’s open to all dogs. At the beginning level, dogs are judged on their ability to walk in a controlled manner both on- and off-leash, as well as standing still while being examined by a stranger and coming when called. In gradually more difficult levels, the dogs must retrieve, jump, and find an article with its owner’s scent on it. Obedience trials feature dogs that are well-behaved at home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. It is essential that the obedience dog demonstrates willingness and enjoyment while it is working with the handler.
Rally
The handler guides the dog through a course of 10 to 20 signs that are essentially based on obedience exercises. Although each performance is timed, speed is not the primary goal, but rather the dog and handler working as a team while performing a variety of skills.
Tracking
Tracking offers a dog the chance to demonstrate its natural ability to recognize and follow a designated scent. Tracking tests lead the dog and handler over a path with turns and varied terrain.