Obedience Events at BACM
Upcoming Dates for Obedience Events
Watch this space or follow our Facebook group for information about the 2025 Obedience season at Beartooth Agility Club of Montana.
Our Obedience events will be open at half price to Junior Handlers who have a Junior Handler Certification.
Trial Secretary
Catherine LeCours
7130 Sagebrush Drive, Helena MT 59602
[email protected]
406-227-1131
Judges
Our judges in August 2024 were Bonnie Lee (Judge’s number 17781) and Susie Osburn (Judge’s number 18649), from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Obedience Regular and Optional Titling Classes Offered
NOVICE A, NOVICE B, BEGINNER NOVICE A, BEGINNER NOVICE B, GRADUATE NOVICE, PREFERRED NOVICE, OPEN A, OPEN B, GRADUATE OPEN, PREFERRED OPEN, UTILITY A, UTILITY B, PREFERRED UTILITY, VERSATILITY
New Exhibitor Orientation
Mark “new exhibitor” on your entry form, then watch your email. We will be happy to help you prepare and know what to expect at our trial. We want you to feel welcomed and not overwhelmed.
Practice Sessions
Please check back or follow our Facebook group for announcements about upcoming Obedience Practices.
About Obedience Competition
Does your dog enjoy working with you and refining her skills? Training for Obedience is an excellent way to establish good communication skills between you and your dog. The outcome is a happy, well-behaved dog who functions well at home, in public places, and around other animals.
A Bit of History
Obedience is one of the oldest American Kennel Club sports. In 1936, the first official regulations and standards for field trials were published. Further, the first trials took place in New York City that same year.
Obedience trials demonstrate the dog’s skill in following specified routines and “emphasize the usefulness of the dog as a companion to humankind.” The latter is why, in addition to a precision performance, judges look for evidence of the dog’s willingness and enjoyment and naturalness in the handler’s demeanor. Additionally, you may be interested to read more about the AKC history of the sport.
Get Ready for Obedience
Each level of competition requires mastery of a specific skill set before advancing to the next level. While the challenge increases at each level, top teams work their way up to an Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) title. A single dog each year has the honor of receiving the National Obedience Champion title. If you are not sure which class is best for you, please see the AKC Class Eligibility Chart and information on various titling paths.
All dogs six months or older with an AKC registration may compete in AKC Obedience. Presently, this includes AKC full registration, AKC Canine Partners, Purebred Alternative Listing program, or Foundation Stock Services. Dogs can range from small to large. The dogs must be physically sound and may not compete if either they are blind or they have anything attached for medical purposes (including bandages or tape). For obvious reasons, females may not compete when they are in season.
Juniors and adult handlers may participate in his sport. Junior Showmanship offers youth ages 9 to 18 a chance to develop their handling skills and learn about the world of dog sports.
Opportunities for Volunteers
There is almost always a way for volunteers to help. Ring stewarding may be an option. Moreover, there are dozens of little things that need to happen to make a successful obedience event, tasks ideal for volunteers. If you would like to pitch in, even if you are quite new to the scene, please let the Trial Committee Chair know.
Practice Opportunities
Members of the Beartooth Agility Club of Montana generously offer peer-guided practice sessions in Obedience several times during winter to early spring. This can be a wonderfully informal way to become acquainted with the sport and get to know some club members. Follow our Facebook group for announcements.
Our Venue
Yellowstone Dog Sports
(8 miles south of Roberts, Montana)
7753 Hwy 212, Roberts, MT 59070
Contact: [email protected]
The BACM Obedience events take place indoors on rubber mats. Our Agility and Rally events also take place indoors on artificial turf with rubber infill. Please remember to wear indoor shoes, socks, or bare feet when on the indoor turf.
This spacious facility is pleasant, well-maintained, and newly renovated. We ask that you bring indoor shoes, separate from your normal shoes, to wear whenever you are on the turf. Wearing covers on your shoes when outside is an alternative, as is walking barefoot or in socks on the indoor turf. We want this flooring to last a long, long time. You can help by not tracking in dirt, sand, gravel, snow, mud, or grit.
The building will open for exhibitors at 6:30 on Friday morning. Indoor crating is available; ex-pens may be used with two or more dogs. Crates or ex-pens — not dogs — may be left in the building overnight during an event at the owner’s risk. A warm-up area, consisting of a regulation agility jump, is to be used exclusively for warming up the dog, never for training or relieving the dog. All dogs must be on a leash, crated, or in an ex-pen at all times when on trial grounds except when in the designated warm-up area or competing on the course.
For those competing in the Rally Ring and those crating their dogs on the agility turf, please read the following information carefully.
- No muddy, wet, or dirty shoes are allowed on the turf. We suggest you have a set of clean and dry shoes set aside for wearing on the turf and in the Rally Ring. When you are going outside, please wear your outside shoes. You do not need to remove or change your shoes as soon as you enter the building. The entry mats and black mats are there to collect most of the outside dirt and mud. However, we do ask that you change into dry and clean shoes before walking on the turf both inside the Rally Ring and outside it.
- Most judges do not allow you to compete in socks, so having a clean pair of shoes is important if you compete in Rally.
- Some people wear overshoes or boots when they go outside to potty their dogs. Then they can slip off the overshoes when they enter the turf area. YDS has paper booties also; however, these booties wear out after one or two outings in mud or snow.
- The new turf is very nice, and we want to keep it that way for a long time. YDS appreciates your cooperation in wearing only clean and dry shoes on the turf.
One last thing: Please potty your dog before you enter the Competition Ring. A $10 “accident fee” will apply to the turfed area.
Previous Events
2023 April Obedience and Rally Premium (for reference only)
2023 August Obedience and Rally Premium (for reference only)
2024 April Obedience and Rally Premium (for reference only)
2024 August Obedience and Rally Premium (for reference only)