AKC Studying Different Measurement Method

[HopeShelties]

I posted this to my facebook, but thought I would post it here as well for those not on my facebook.
It looks like they are starting to do some testing for alternative measuring methods. Breeze needed two official measurements, and with the normal measuring, they also measured the upper part of her leg (from elbow to wrist) and recorded that she is intact and her age. It did not affect her recorded measurement, but they are collecting the data. I was told they are looking for something easier for the dog, but I would think some dogs would not like having their legs fooled with. I can see where measurements may be more exact this way. You can't get your dog to stand differently or to duck down to change height, and you don't have the varied measurements different judges may get on the same dog due to how the dog is standing and where they measure.... For example today one vmo measured Breeze for her first measurement at 13" and the next just five minutes later at 13.5". There should be a much smaller variance in measuring from elbow to wrist.
A facebook friend posted that this is the way u-fli handles measuring dogs for flyball. It will help dogs who are short on leg but bigger bodied (think Corgis, Bassets, Valhunds). It will probably also help dogs who are currently borderline on height, but have poor fronts. A dog with a straight front is going to measure bigger than if they had a properly assembled front.
I do not know what the time frame would be of this being implemented, only that the trial secretary/vmo told me it is still in the early stages.

 

[Calliesmom]

very interesting- will be looking around to see what happens with that.
I'll probably get Jocu measured at our next AKC agility trial- he'll be two by then. I know he's under 18 and over 14.....

 

[Jess041]

Yes, that's the way U-Fli measures. My club owner was on the NAFA board when they started investigating different methods of measuring. Ultimately, they decided to stick to measuring at the withers. I think sometimes the problem lies with judges (or whoever measures in agility) who don't know how to measure properly. So far there hasn't been much variance when Missy is measured. She almost always measures 16.5. At CanAm my friend got her at 16 3/8, which is her lowest so far. I find it so frustrating and stressful, I won't get her measured anymore. There was a lot of pressure on me to get her to measure under 16 so they could jump the lower jump height at CanAm. I just don't see it happening, but I'll let my friend(s) take her and try. I realize in agility you have to get them measured for each trial and that wouldn't be a problem for me because she's not on the line for one height or the other.

 

[Calliesmom]

Yes, that's the way U-Fli measures. My club owner was on the NAFA board when they started investigating different methods of measuring. Ultimately, they decided to stick to measuring at the withers. I think sometimes the problem lies with judges (or whoever measures in agility) who don't know how to measure properly. So far there hasn't been much variance when Missy is measured. She almost always measures 16.5. At CanAm my friend got her at 16 3/8, which is her lowest so far. I find it so frustrating and stressful, I won't get her measured anymore. There was a lot of pressure on me to get her to measure under 16 so they could jump the lower jump height at CanAm. I just don't see it happening, but I'll let my friend(s) take her and try. I realize in agility you have to get them measured for each trial and that wouldn't be a problem for me because she's not on the line for one height or the other.

In agility, after the dog is 2 years old they can get their permanent height card with two measurements from two different VMOs (measuring officials).

 

[Jess041]

Ahh is that the case in all the different agility organizations?

 

[HopeShelties]

I believe it is the same across all venues, as far as permanent measurements. I couldn't see any venue expecting all dogs to be measured at every trial. That would be a major time suck.

 

[Silaria]

CPE is the only venue I know of with a rule where a if a dog receiving their first measurement is over two years old they only require one measurement. (I wasn't aware of this until Edan received his P-Card in the mail shortly after our first trial.)

All other venues, that I know of, require two measurements from a judge or CMJ/VMO regardless of the dog's age.

In TDAA, if there is more than one judge present at the trial, the handler can receive both measurements on the same day.

 

[Calliesmom]

USDAA and NADAC require 3 official measurements after the dog has turned 2 years old. the dog has to be 18 months to run in those organizations. Jocu is not quite 2 so this weekend he just had to get measured to run. All Nadac judges can do official measurements so it's not the ordeal that it is in AKC. They also use a pvc wicket and as long as the dog is under the maximum height, they can run in that jump height.
USDAA and AKC use wicket/measuring devices that give an actual height in inches. I believe both have measuring judges so your official measurement has to be by one of those judges which isn't always easy to find.
Cran and Dix were lucky in that there were measuring judges at their first two AKC trials so they got their permanent measurements in two trials.
Jocu and Destin will be able to get their first measurement for AKC at the first trial after they each turn 2 yrs because one of the local judges has become a VMO and will most likely be at the first trials that they go to.
AKC allows dogs to compete at 15 months so between 15 months and 2 yrs, the dog should be measured by the trial judge at each trial until the dog turns 2 and gets the first official measurement. You can then run on that measurement until you get the second measurement and your permanent height card.

 

[Justicemom]

AKC allows dogs to compete at 15 months so between 15 months and 2 yrs, the dog should be measured by the trial judge at each trial until the dog turns 2 and gets the first official measurement. You can then run on that measurement until you get the second measurement and your permanent height card.

Akc allows you to get 1 offical measurement after 15 months you can run on that until they turn 2. You do not need to get measured every trial. Once they turn 2yr, you need 2 measuements. 1 offical by VMO is only good for the weekend, so is the unoffical one until you get the second offical measurement. Until then you meed to get measured every trial weekend.

Birch was measured once under 2yrs and 5 weeks in a row after he turned 2 due to lack of VMOs. The range was ridiculous 15 5/8 at the lowest to 17 7/8 at the highest. The last offical measurement was 16.5" was right as the height I always got him. The VMO was good and could actually locate the dogs shoulders not his neck, back whatever. Had he been a borderline dog the range of measurements he got could have meant a jump height change.

 

[tofu pup]

Birch was measured once under 2yrs and 5 weeks in a row after he turned 2 due to lack of VMOs. The range was ridiculous 15 5/8 at the lowest to 17 7/8 at the highest. The last offical measurement was 16.5" was right as the height I always got him. The VMO was good and could actually locate the dogs shoulders not his neck, back whatever. Had he been a borderline dog the range of measurements he got could have meant a jump height change.

That's terrible! AKC has very strict requirements for conformation judges regarding weights and measures - if they're going to be approved for a measurable breed, they dang well better know how to measure dogs, and they're really grilled about it. But it sounds like the agility VMOs aren't held to the same standard...

Really - a 2 1/8th inch margin of error on 16.5"?!