Pluto

I have to admit, while I'm not real competitive, I'm very "goal" oriented. Our girl L is starting her first intermediate obedience class the instructor mentioned getting her a CD. I came home and looked it up and it looks like it’s a beginning obedience title, which sounds like fun. I looked on the AKC website and there are a few shows in our area in the fall that are open to AKC and “All American Dogs / Mixed Breeds” as well as AKC registered dogs. Our girl looks like a purebred poodle, but as she was a rehome of unknown heritage. Are there any special requirements for competing as a “mixed breed” at a show? Because she looks relatively purebred would they expect for us instead to get her a alternative purebred listing with the AKC?

Any good “obedience for beginners” websites for me to look at?

mvhplank

If I were you, I'd look into getting her a PAL/ILP from AKC (or UKC). This lets you compete in trials as a poodle instead of a mixed breed. When I registered my rescued rat terrier a few years ago, I had to submit pictures--twice (they were pretty fussy)--so make sure you follow the instructions.

Purebred Alternative Listing/Indefinite Listing Privilege

I highly recommend a new venue called CDSP--Companion Dog Sports Program. The web site is CDSP Home Page (full disclosure: I'm a judge in this venue). Check on the web site to see if there are any trial officials or events near you.

CDSP is very dog-friendly (no harsh corrections allowed), there are no group stays (safer for some dogs!), and verbal encourage and treats are allowed under specific circumstances. The exercises are pretty much the same as for other obedience venues, but with a few tweaks here and there. For example, in Novice, the heeling pattern is on-leash while an honor dog is in the ring (also on leash). After the heeling pattern, the honor dog exits, and the figure-8 is off-leash. The stand for exam is a moving stand. Three Qs of 170 are needed for a title (top score is 200).

Once you get your Novice title, you can continue in the C class and earn a championship by getting 10 Qs over 185. Preparing for the Open title adds the challenge of doing a go-out from the middle of the ring. This is to help train the dog for the full-ring go-out in Utility.

Whatever venue you get into--READ THE RULES! Nothing is more frustrating than an NQ that happened because you didn't understand the rules. Ka-ching!

All that said, I think Rally is a very good place to get your dog some ring experience before heading out for an obedience title.

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Marguerite in Gettysburg, PA
Standard Poodle URO1 Piccolo's Niall Delaney ("Neely"), RLP (World Cynosport Rally, Level Puppy)
URX3 UROG UCD ARCHEX CD-CCH Devlin, CGC, RN, CDX-C, AOE-L2, RL1X3, RL2X4, RL3X3, ITD, UKC 2011 and 2012 Rally All Star, Levels 2 & 3 (rescued Rat Terrier, found fending for himself on a farm)
URO1 Bridget, RL1, CD-C (rescued Rat Terrier, a little too anxious to trial, but a LONG way from the foster who hid under the kitchen table, snarling, for days)

lily cd re

Yes for AKC you should do the legwork to get a PAL/ILP registration number. Then you will enter as a poodle and not as an "all American." And yes read the rules.

I haven't done CDSP, but there are people in my obedience club who do a fair amount of it and we have hosted CDSP trials. If you are also interested in rally the venue previously known as APDT is in the process of a name change and getting a new sponsor (cynosport). We also host AKC obedience, rally and agility trials at my club.

I'm not quite sure that I can make any suggestion about learning how to do this online, other than to say I've seen some people have pretty good YouTube videos showing qualifying routines. However, if you have an obedience or kennel club that sponsors trials in your area you might want to join it. I also would suggest watching trials, or better yet if you belong to a sponsoring club helping out with stewarding at trials. There is a big difference between reading on paper and seeing for real. I learned a lot by stewarding before I started trialing. Some AKC trials offer optional titling classes like beginner novice and graduate novice. I didn't find graduate novice to be too helpful as a transition to open with Lily so I stopped after I got one leg, but I did find beginner novice to be really good for my German Shepherd dog who I just don't trust for the group exercises yet. I am also going to continue rally with him (I have one rally novice leg with him) when the weather warms back up (he is happier working outside).

I love working with Lily, it has really created a very special bond between us. She loves to work with me too. There is a special gleam in her eyes and an alertness to her posture when she is working in a trial or at practice that is great to see and share. My friends who don't know much about this sport occasionally ask me when Lily will finish all her titles. I have a hard time explaining that the answer is never because you can just keep going and going (UDX 20, MACH 15, etc.)! I think you will find it very rewarding to work towards the goal of titles no matter which venue you choose or how far you go with it.

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Catherine
Lily AKC: CGC CD HIT CDX RN RA RE RAE NAJ; APDT: RL-1; CPE: CL1-R, CL1-H
Peeves AKC: CGC BN