Axcium Miniature Schnauzers excel in Performance, Companion Dog and Family Dog Sports! They have participated in the STAR Puppy and Canine Good Citizen programs, trick dog, agility, barn hunt, Fast CAT, CAT, Dock Diving, Obedience, and Rally. Let’s take a look at what these sports are all about!
S.T.A.R. Puppy: AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an exciting program designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is an excellent first in-person training class for puppies. S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsibility. Training classes teach you how to best communicate with your puppy. Organized training classes also provide an opportunity for your dog to socialize with other dogs. In classes aimed at earning the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy distinction, you’ll be able to get information on all of your puppy-raising questions including housetraining, chewing, and the most effective way to teach practical skills such as coming when called. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy training is a natural lead in to the AKC® Canine Good Citizen® Program. (from the AKC.org website)
Canine Good Citizen (CGC): an expert-made training program designed to help you and your dog be the best you can be–together. Canine Good Citizen is a 10-skill test that teaches good manners to dogs and responsible dog ownership to their owners. (from the AKC.org website)
Trick Dog: From the 1920’s and 1940’s when trick dogs such as Rin Tin Tin and Lassie won peoples’ hearts, trick dog training has become one of the most exciting new areas in dog training today. There are 5 different titles that dogs can earn from performing tricks. The dog performs 10 skills from an approved list for each title.
Dog Agility: Agility is a growing dog sport in the United States, with over 1 million entries to the AKC’s program each year. Dogs race against a clock as they navigate an obstacle course with strong concentration and speed. Whether you just want to have fun exercising with your dog, or want to go further and enter an Agility competition, get ready for a fast-paced, rewarding experience that will get you and your dog in the best shape of your lives! (from the AKC.org website). Dogs work towards earning their MACH (Master Agility Championship) or PACH (Preferred Agility Championship) titles. In addition to AKC competitions there is UKI, USDAA, NADAC, and CPE agility competitions.
Barn Hunt: Barn Hunt is based on the traditional roles of many breeds in ridding farms, barns, crop storage areas, and homes of destructive vermin. Some breeds were specifically created to fill this role, and for many of those breeds, Barn Hunt provides their first true opportunity for responsible breeders to test proper working traits in their dogs. Barn Hunt is also open to any dog of any breed or mix who wishes to play the game and can fit through an 18" wide by bale-height tall tunnel. Barn Hunt has titles, levels of increasing difficulty, and championships…We're a great sport for older dogs, and older people too! Tripod dogs can compete, and so can deaf dogs. Blind dogs and dogs in wheeled carts can compete in Line Drive. (from Barnhunt.com)
Fast CAT/CAT: All dogs have skills and instincts that come naturally, whether it’s running, hunting, or chasing. If you’ve ever wondered how good your dog’s natural abilities are, you might consider a low-stress, non-competitive test where each dog runs individually to measure performance. One of the easiest ways to get involved in the world of dog sports is with a Coursing Ability Test (CAT). Designed specifically for newcomers, each dog chases after an artificial lure on either a 300- or 600-yard long course and must finish in less 1 ½ minutes and 2 minutes, respectively. Think of Fast CAT® – which stands for Coursing Ability Test – like measuring a track star’s speed: Dogs run individually in a timed 100-yard dash. (from the AKC.org Website).
Dock Diving/Diving Dogs: Diving Dogs is a fun, exciting but easy to do sport with simple rules: You throw your dog’s favorite toy into a pool while he waits on a dock about 40 feet long. On your command, he runs along the dock, flings himself off the end of it, lands in the water and grabs his toy. The goal? To have the longest jump possible, which could be as short as two feet for beginners, but could be as much as 30 feet for those more experienced! (from the AKC.org
Website) In addition to AKC’s Diving Dogs there is NADD diving as well.
Obedience: Developed in the 1930s, Obedience is one of the AKC’s oldest sporting events, and it’s open to all dogs. From walking on- and off-leash to retrieving and jumping, or demonstrating your dog’s ability to stay, 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. (from the AKC.org website)
The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title is the first step to Rally: Think of an AKC Rally event as any team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with the dog under control at the handler’s left side. There is a clear sense of teamwork between the dog and handler both during and between the numbered
signs. Although each performance is timed, having a good race time is not the goal; it’s all about working as a team while performing the skills, with the dog under control. (from the AKC.org website)
