Obreedience Qualifying Heats For Crufts 2017

12 Obreedience heats which will enable dogs and their owners to qualify for the Obreedience competition at Crufts 2017 have been announced by the Kennel Club.

The heats, held throughout the year at various dog shows around the country, including breed club shows, General Championship shows and obedience shows, will enable teams to compete to accumulate points at as many heats as they choose. The ten breed teams with the highest number of points will qualify to compete at Crufts 2017.

The Kennel Club is encouraging as many teams, comprising four dogs and four handlers, as possible to enter the heats and demonstrate the obedience skills of their respective breeds. Teams can be made up of dogs of any level of obedience ability, but a good foundation in obedience will be particularly beneficial.

The 12 heats for 2016 are:

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: "Obreedience is a fun competition which showcases the obedience abilities of any breed, so we would encourage as many teams as possible to enter for their chance to qualify for Crufts 2017.

"Previously we've seen breeds such as Samoyeds, Newfoundlands, Greyhounds and Chihuahuas taking part in Obreedience and we are excited to see which breeds will be forming teams and entering the heats this year. It's a great opportunity for dog lovers to form a team with friends, have fun and showcase what their chosen breeds are capable of.

"We have a fairly even geographical split of heats throughout the remainder of 2016 so would encourage interested parties to check the Kennel Club website to find their nearest one. Teams can compete in as many heats as they like to accrue points, with the ten teams with the most points qualifying to compete at the world's biggest and best dog show, Crufts, in 2017."

Mixing the best aspects of obedience with the camaraderie found amongst breed clubs, the aim of Obreedience is to encourage more breeds to have a go at some of the tasks associated with obedience in a less formal but none the less competitive environment. Obreedience is a team event and highlights the obedience competencies of each breed in a fun and exciting way

Each team comprises four handlers and four dogs who take part in two rounds of competition. The first round sees the dogs complete a round of heelwork together as a group. The dogs will be assessed on their ability to complete different moves whilst remaining synchronised with their team mates. Round one will be marked out of ten points. 

Round two features four set exercises and each team member will need to successfully complete one of the exercises to secure as many points as possible for their team. The exercises will include a Retrieve (handler's own article), Send to Bed, Stop the Dog and Scent Over Articles. Round two will be marked out of 40 points (10 per set exercise). 

Once the teams have completed the heats the scores will be added up and the winners and runners up will be announced.

To enter a heat, interested parties should contact the host club directly.

Read more information on Obreedience qualifying heats, including the competition rules and FAQs for secretaries and competitors.