AAC questions!

krissy · Apr 1, 2014

Ok Canadian agility peeps... help a newbie out!

I want to start entering Kili in some fun runs/FEO runs. I've found a few. One is CKC so that's no problem because she's CKC registered already. But the other is an AAC trial.

1. I assume she needs an AAC ID in order to participate in FEO runs?
2. Do I have to actually physically have the card at the time of the trial? It is April 24 and the AAC website suggests it can take 6 weeks to process the application?
3. Do I have to have an AAC membership as well? Or can I just register my dog?

So exciting! She's ALMOST there! hee hee.

yv0nne · Apr 1, 2014

You have to physically have the AAC card there.. granted. If you know the people, they will sometimes bend the rules. They are pretty strict now though that you can't have an AAC number pending

thankfully, it also never really takes six weeks to get your card. B& Penn both took two weeks!

You do need a number to FEO runs, yup! You don't need to register for an AAC membership to run though

Hope that helps!

Sekah · Apr 1, 2014

I thought you could run any AAC course FEO? I might be mistaken, or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

Getting an AAC number is pretty fast I find. Just do it now, online, and you'll likely have it with plenty of time to spare.

Also, AAC trials around here tend to have lots of room, so if you want to wait a bit longer 'til you sign up for a trial to ensure you have a number, that should be fine. (Though, any trials shortly before regionals will likely be packed.)

You'll want the card for measuring too of course.

No, you don't have to register yourself. Just your dog.

You're thinking of going to Red Barn?

yv0nne · Apr 1, 2014

You can't be measured and signed off though until the dog is over 2yrs! And you can't FEO any AAC run, the trial has to allow FEOs. And you need a number to run them... the requiring AAC number doesn't make sense to me but rules are rules I guess aha

krissy · Apr 1, 2014

Thanks guys! I did an online application just now. Fingers crossed I get it in 2 weeks.

Jess, yes, we just discovered Red Barn a few weeks ago. I signed up for their membership for a month and that's really awesome. But it's almost 2 hours away from us so... trying to double up some fun runs on top of drop in times. Are you planning on going?

Seems silly you need an AAC card for FEOs. I mean... they don't count. They're just for fun/practice/exposure/puppies... right?

Sekah · Apr 1, 2014

I wasn't planning on going, but I could be convinced to drop by...

I had it marked in my calendar and everything...

krissy · Apr 1, 2014

Sekah said:

You should! I'll let you know what they say about my AAC card situation/if my card arrives in the next couple weeks. Even if I don't get my card I may go anyway, just for the exposure to a busier environment... play tug, work on focus and stuff.

yv0nne · Apr 1, 2014

Yeah FEO runs don't count so I'm not sure why an AAC number is required. All I know is when I wanted to run Penn FEO, it was at someone I know wells trial and they still wouldn't let it slide because they need a number to give the judge. So even FEO number pending doesn't work! They want their money I guess aha

Get video

Have fun! Enjoy! Aim for more success than I had with Penny ahahah

Sekah · Apr 1, 2014

krissy said:

It sounds like you have a good plan. Let me know. I may try signing up, but the odds are probably slim since I'm doing a lot of dog stuff this month and my husband is annoyed that some of it is falling on the long weekend. It may be a better choice to stay home and... not obsess about dogs. But that's not as fun.

krissy · Apr 1, 2014

Poo. Well, hopefully my card arrives before then. I guess I'll ask them next week when I go to drop in what they would recommend doing... because the closing date is 10 days before the trial... who knows when I'll get my card.

In the mean time... gonna have to drill, drill, drill the pup. She LOVES the footing at that venue. I took her yesterday and we basically had the agility ring to ourselves for 2 hours. She was an absolute monster speed machine. So much enthusiasm. It was great... but didn't make for great contacts. We can work on that though. And I'm hoping I can really drill her weave poles with an extra practice a week though! So maybe the only thing she won't really be able to do at the practice runs is the teeter since that's not at full height yet.

adojrts · Apr 1, 2014

I always recommend to my students that they become a member and then have a hard copy of the rule book. Read it and also take it with you to the trial. I can't tell you how many people I have met over the years that missed a Q because they didn't read the rules

Good luck and have fun.

krissy · Apr 2, 2014

Good idea. I'm not super up on the rules yet. I know the basics... don't touch the dog, don't leave the ring until the dog is on leash. But I know there's lots of others I'm not even aware of.

krissy · Apr 2, 2014

Awesome. Apparently they will accept a pending AAC card status, and if need be I can contact AAC for my number if the card hasn't arrived. So I guess the FEO runs are a go.

Now, with FEO runs... since they're run at the same time as the regular folk who are competing... does that mean you can't use training aids in the ring? I want to at least be able to use a toy, but I'd prefer to have the option of using food if needed since I don't know what she'll be like in a hyped up atmosphere.

Sekah · Apr 2, 2014

I can't speak for toys, but food is a no-go. They can't run the risk of you dropping cookies unnoticed in the ring. I think you need to play by the same rules as everyone else.

yv0nne · Apr 2, 2014

Awesome! Lucky you guys.. pending numbers aren't allowed here!

I think you would have to contact venue... I would say they would probably allow toys but not food. In all FEO runs I've seen, I've never seen anyone bring training aids in but that may just be that they didn't want them.

krissy · Apr 2, 2014

I tried to ask but I had a million other questions and she didn't answer about toys/food.

Kili's not really ready to run without reinforcement. Maybe I can do a sequence then run her back to the entrance to get her something, then do another sequence. I really just want to train in an environment that is more trial like. But it's hard to find that unless it actually is a trial. We shall see. Hopefully I can use a toy. I'll check on Monday when we go in to train. I wish I could go every day. I started counting down the time on the drive home. A week is such a long time!

Sekah · Apr 2, 2014

krissy said:

Maybe fun matches would be better suited to you? If you can reinforce in the ring, that's great, but if she's not ready to run a full course you don't want to over face her and possibly poison the experience.

MandyPug · Apr 2, 2014

FEO runs are no toys or treats in the ring but you could touch your dog in the ring if you wanted.

Fun matches might be your speed.

krissy · Apr 2, 2014

Sekah said:

I can't find any fun runs, that's been the problem. My trainer normally holds some in the summer, but not in the winter/spring months. They said MAYBE in May the weekend before their first outdoor trial.

And the CKC trials list "fun runs" but I'm not sure that it's different from FEO in regards to food/toys in the ring.

Either way, I will not be making her run a whole course. There's no way. And she can't run a true standard course yet anyway because her teeter isn't up to full height. I MAY be able to get weaves finished up in the next 3 weeks. But regardless. If I can't use a reinforce in the ring for FEO I will pick a segment of the course to run that I think she can easily handle, run it, and then run her to her jackpot. In fact, I think I'm going to start working her for jackpots so it becomes a norm for her. Either a run out of the ring and tug or run out of the ring and get a food jackpot.

Laurelin · Apr 2, 2014

With summer's first run I decided to just run in, do a sequence of about 6 obstacles, then run out and thank the judge.

This last trial I entered chances which was way too much distance work for us at this point so I just rna past the line.

I think the important thing is making it a positive experience.

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