ODX

OPEN LEVEL OBEDIENCE

As of 6/1/2013, you will have two class choices:

If your dog is competing to earn its CDX (Companion Dog Excellent) title, your dog will do the standard five individual exercises* plus the group exercises (out of sight sit - 3 minutes/out of sight down stay - 5 minutes). There have been no changes to the requirements to earn the CDX title.

If your dog is competing to earn its ODX (Open Dog Excellent) title, your dog will do the standard five individual exercises* plus the directed open exercises (as further described below - pictorial/judging/u-tube follow for educational purposes).

NOTE: The "A" division of CDX or ODX will not have mixed order of exercises. The "B" division of CDX may have mixed order of exercises. The "B" division of ODX may have mixed order of the five individual exercises* only - the directed open exercises will always follow the five individual exercises*.

*Five Individual Exercises: Heel Free & Figure 8, Drop on Recall, Retrieve on Flat, Retrieve Over High Jump, Broad Jump

Your dog may enter either ODX or CDX (not both) at any sanctioned trial. Your dog may earn both titles. Earning either title will allow your dog to move up to utility. Only one open title counts towards the Hall of Fame.

EDUCATION

THE DIRECTED OPEN EXERCISES FOR THE ODX

The Directed Open Exercises are broken down as follows: DOE1 (2 exercises) and DOE2 (2 exercises). DOE1 flows immediately into DOE2. There is no break or exercise finished order given until your dog has completed all the directed open exercises or your dog non-qualifies such that it is unable to continue.

DOE1 is broken down into 2 exercises (Exercise 1: Dog is sitting in heel position at handler' side approximately 5' off the short sided ringgate. On order from the judge, handler verbally commands and/or signals their dog to stay while handler crosses the ring, turning 5' from the opposite ring gate to turn and face their dog. When the handler is in position, the Judge sets a cone 2' to 3' to the left or to the right (judge's choice) of the imaginary line half way from dog to handler. While the judge is setting the cone, neither the dog nor the handler should move from their positions.. A NQ (non-qualifying) is given for a dog's failure to stay without an additional verbal command and/or signal or for moving from the place where left before being directed by the handler to move. Minor or substantial deductions depending upon the extent shall be made for whining, sniffing, barking or shuffling of front feet. Exercise 2: Upon order from the judge, handler shall verbally command and/or signal their dog to go to the cone. Handler may at any time tell the dog to sit such that the dog ends up sitting within a 3' radius on any side of the cone w/o their body touching the cone (only the coat or tail may touch the cone). Dog may also automatically sit at the cone. A NQ (non-qualifying) score is given for the dog's failure to respond to the first verbal command and/or signal to go to the cone, failure to either respond to the first verbal command and/or signal to sit at the cone or failing to sit autmatically at the cone, and for failure to remain stationary in a sit until directed to move by the handler. Minor to substantial deductions depending upon the extent shall be made for whining, sniffing, barking, touching the cone with any part of the body (except the tail or coat), or for sitting outside the 3' radius of the cone. DOE1 is worth: 30 POINTS

Reminder: There is no exercise finish after the DOE1 is completed. The dog MUST remain in place for DOE2. If the dog is non-qualifying on DOE1 and/or subsequently not in position to perform the DOE2 w/o handler assistance, the judge will end all directed exercises by stating "Exercise Finish" at which time the handler is notified they have non-qualified. A dog is not permitted to do DOE2 if they have non-qualified on DOE1.

DOE2 is broken down into 2 exercises (Exercise 1: Handler may pivot and face dog if they desire. Upon order from the judge, handler verbally commands and/or signals their dog to stand. Dog must stand within a 4' radius of the cone. Dog must remain in the standing position. A NQ (non-qualifying) shall be given for the dog's failure to stand, for the dog standing outside a 4' radius of the cone, or for a dog moving a major distance from the place where it stood at any time during the stand. Minor to substantial deductions shall be made for sniffing, barking, whining, and/or moving a minor distance away from the place where it first stood. Exercise 2: Upon order from the judge to "return and heel forward," the handler will return around their dog and shall continue to walk at a normal pace w/o pausing when giving the verbal command and/or signal to their dog to heel forward. A NQ (non-qualifying) is required if the dog fails to remain in the stand within the 4' radius of the cone until it is directed by the handler to heel, if the dog never makes an attempt to go to heel position, or if the dog is unmanageable. Substantial deductions, depending upon the extent, shall be made for additional verbal commands and/or signals to heel and failure of the handler to maintain a normal pace while walking behind, approaching, passing the dog or when the dog is falling into heel position and before the judge says "exercise finished." Substantial or minor deductions shall be made if the dog has attempted but not assumed heel position by the time the handler reaches the ring barrier. DOE2 is worth: 30 POINTS

Judge shall say "Exercise finished" when the dog has fallen into heel position or if the dog fails to fall into heel position by the time the handler and dog reach the ring barrier.

BELOW: Where scores were given, these were the consensus of Obedience Judges Sandy Case, Lora Cox, and Cindy Franks

DOE 1:
		Handler and dog line up 5' off the short ring gate side facing the opposite side of the ring. Handler awaits the judge's order to "leave their dog." The handler will verbally command and/or signal their dog to remain in the sitting position and the handler will walk directly across the ring and face their dog, handler's arms at his/her side.



Handler crosses the ring and faces dog. The Committee has added visuals for instructional purposes only - caution tape for the imaginary line from handler to dog, and paint to indicate the 3' radius on the cone. The light pink circle to the left of the caution tape is where the cone will be positioned by the judge in the next frame. We did the entire circle for this demo so you could clearly see the 3' radius. (A Judge may use pieces of tape or chalk or golf tees, as they do for jump lines or the figure eight, here-and-there on the radius of the cone as they deem applicable for their needs in judging the radius boundary.) The cone may be placed by the judge either to the right or to the left of the direct path from handler to dog. A handler going crooked from their dog could positively or negatively affect the direct to the cone. A judge's positioning of the cone 2' or 3' to the left or right from the imaginary line of path from dog to handler can positively or negatively affect the direct to the cone. A Judge may order an exhibitor to re-position themselves if they have positioned themself such that they are aiding their dog going to the cone.

		In this frame, the judge sets the cone 3' off the imaginary line from dog to handler. The judge then positions themselves on the opposite side of the cone placement. In other words, if the cone is positioned to the left of the path, judge will move to the right for judging purposes. If the cone is positioned to the right of the path, judge will move to the left for judging purposes. A judge may move around at any time to view if a dog is within the 3' radius of the cone.

Meanwhile the dog is supposed to be remaining in the sitting position on a stay. The following dog was naughty in each frame.

Stood up from the sit. Score: Substantial points off	Laid down instead of remaining sitting. Score: Substantial points off	Scooted forward but remained sitting. Score: Minor to Substantial Points off

Upon order from the Judge, the Handler is now going to verbally command and/or signal their dog to go to the cone. Handlers who utilize the recall (fail to verbally command and/or signal their dog to go to the cone) will risk their dogs not coming straight and missing the 3' radius, or causing their dog to anticipate doing a drop on recall. Dogs should be directed to go to the cone.

Note the scoring on the following.


Dog moves directly towards their handler instead of the cone and sits outside the 3' radius. Score: Non Qualifying	Dog sits inside the 3' radius. Score: No points off	Dog stands instead of sits but is inside the 3' radius. Score: Non Qualifying


Dog downs instead of sits but is inside the 3' radius. Score: Non Qualifying	Dog sits right at the cone. Score: No points off	Dog sits but is outside the 3' radius. Score: Non Qualifying


Dog sits but knocks the cone over. Score: Substantial Points off	Dog sits but the right foot is on the cone base. Score: Minor points off	Dog sits on command and front feet are outside the 3' barrier. Score: Substantial Points off


DOE1 is now completed. You and your dog are now ready for DOE2. If your dog is qualifying and is in position to do DOE2 (does not need handler assistance to be placed into a sit at the cone), you and your dog may continue. REMEMBER: THERE IS NO EXERCISE FINISHED following DOE1. You and your dog must remain in position for the next order. DOE 2:

The judge will order "stand your dog." You may pivot (turn in place - you may not move forward or to the side) to face your dog, or you may remain in position. You may give a verbal command and/or signal to direct your dog to stand.
The Pivot to face.		No Pivot to face

Dog shall stand on handler's directive and dog shall remain in place on that stand. Dog should stand within the 4' radius of the cone. Remember the circle drawn for your visual benefit indicates a 3' radius so this dog has another 12 inches of room outside the circle to be within the 4' radius.

Score: No points off		Score: Minor points off

After your dog stands, you may signal and/or verbally command your dog to stay (dog must remain in the standing position).

Judge will next order you to "return and heel forward." You may again remind your dog to stay by signal and/or verbal command if you so desire. You must do this BEFORE you begin to return to your dog. You will return to your dog and upon walking around your dog at a normal pace and without pausing upon reaching heel position, you will verbally command and/or signal your dog to heel forward. You and your dog must move forward into heel position prior to reaching the ring barrier.







Handler cannot stop or hesitate when picking up their dog to heel forward.		Judge will call "Exercise Finish" when handler and dog are moving in heel position or when the dog and handler reach the ring barrier. Score: No points off

The DOE1 and DOE2 exercises help prepare your dogs for utility. Dogs begin learning to work away from you and take directives when doing so. Please note it is very easy to lose a lot of points doing the DOE1 and DOE2. Your dog may become easily confused from drop on recall to the directive to sit at the cone and then to stand on command, so train and proof. REMINDER: You may enter EITHER CDX or ODX at an ASCA trial. You may not enter both. Your dog may, however, earn both open titles. Earning either title (the CDX or the ODX) allows your dog to move up to Utility. To earn the CDX title, three qualifying legs are required (two of which must be under two different judges). To earn the ODX title, three qualifying legs are required (two of which must be under two different judges). Clubs MUST offer both ODX and CDX beginning June 1, 2013.
Laurie Sasaki demonstrating ODX DOE1 and DOE2. Laurie Sasaki has a 600 average (3 perfect scores) in CDX and was kind enough to demo the new open class. Thank you, Laurie. As always, you and your dog share with obedience lovers everywhere another exemplary performance and a great demo of the ODX.

EDUCATION

Score: No points off

Clubs MUST offer both ODX and CDX beginning June 1, 2013.