clarification about USDAA rule

[Ania]

Hi, I am planning on enetering my first USDAA trial this August. Can anyone explain to me what the rule is with contacts? Is it at least one paw in the yellow or two or four...somewhere I read that they changed the rule and it said something about getting all four in

Also, how does it work with pairs - who choses which dog does which part of the relay?

Thank you

 

[corbinam]

Hi!

As for contacts...just need a toenail in the yellow But, keep in mind that both up and downside contacts count.

And when it comes to pairs, you can choose whichever side you'd like. Just talk to your partner ahead of time.

 

[Ania]

Thank you for the quick response. I will enter her in Pairs then

This is what is says about the contacts (this is a direct quote from the USDAA website) Can you explain point #2 about the four paws in on descent?


Contact Obstacles

Ascend, cross and begin descent to have completed the obstacle
Leaving the obstacle prior to beginning descent is a refusal
Special Rules:
1. See-saw not touching the ground before the dog leaving, but after it begins to tilt, is a fly-off penalty
2. Descent is deemed to be begun with one paw in the masters classes and four paws in all other classes

 

[corbinam]

Thank you for the quick response. I will enter her in Pairs then

This is what is says about the contacts (this is a direct quote from the USDAA website) Can you explain point #2 about the four paws in on descent?


Contact Obstacles

Ascend, cross and begin descent to have completed the obstacle
Leaving the obstacle prior to beginning descent is a refusal
Special Rules:
1. See-saw not touching the ground before the dog leaving, but after it begins to tilt, is a fly-off penalty
2. Descent is deemed to be begun with one paw in the masters classes and four paws in all other classes

Hmmm..this is the only thing I can figure (but it's just a guess!)

In order to not get eliminated (E) the dog must complete all obstacles. You can still get a fault, like drop a bar or miss a contact and still get a time and score. Like if your dog goes around a jump and you keep going, it's an E (except in Starters where it is a big fault). But, if you go back and get the jump (in the right order), it's not an E anymore. So I'm thinking it means that as long as the dog starts the descent (4 feet going down) then the obstacle has been completed, even if the dog jumps off. (And jumping off would be a fault). But maybe if they jump off before the descent, it's incomplete and an E.

But really, I have no idea.

I know for sure that all you need is a toe in the yellow to count.

 

[Silaria]

Thank you for the quick response. I will enter her in Pairs then

This is what is says about the contacts (this is a direct quote from the USDAA website) Can you explain point #2 about the four paws in on descent?


Contact Obstacles

Ascend, cross and begin descent to have completed the obstacle
Leaving the obstacle prior to beginning descent is a refusal
Special Rules:
1. See-saw not touching the ground before the dog leaving, but after it begins to tilt, is a fly-off penalty
2. Descent is deemed to be begun with one paw in the masters classes and four paws in all other classes

The way I interpret the specific rule you quoted here is:
If the dog leaves the obstacle prior to the decent side of the obstacle (such as the down side of the A-Frame) it will be judged as a refusal to perform.

Descent is defined, in the "Special Rules" as the Teeter not touching the ground before the dog exits the obstacle and after the dog crosses the apex of the A-frame. Crossing the apex is 4 paws over the top of the A-frame for everything except Master Classes; which is just one paw over the top.

This particular rule doesn't discuss the actual contact performance at the bottom of the A-Frame. From my experience, they only need a toe nail in the yellow for the contact to be considered successfully completed.

 

[ortegah]

Hi!

As for contacts...just need a toenail in the yellow But, keep in mind that both up and downside contacts count.

And when it comes to pairs, you can choose whichever side you'd like. Just talk to your partner ahead of time.

BUT note that the contact area is smaller than AKC so if your dog is one that barely makes it in AKC then there's a good chance he won't touch the yellow in USDAA.