Dog sports
Our dogs’ work, in the field.
Dog sports help us know our dogs better. Each one progresses at their own pace, guided by their interests, abilities and comfort.
CKC · Sprinter
Sprinter
Sprinter is a 100-metre race in which the dog chases a lure, aiming to reach the finish line as fast as possible. The time is then multiplied by a handicap based on the dog’s height at the withers to calculate the score.
No prior training is needed — the dog’s instinct is enough. Canine fitness work does help build muscle and improve performance. If your dog doesn’t have a strong chase instinct, you can still work with its recall! All breeds can take part. The sport is recognized by the CKC, so titles are added to the dog’s registered name. The AKC equivalent is Fast CAT.
| Height at withers | Handicap |
|---|---|
| Under 12 in | 2 |
| 12 to 18 in | 1.5 |
| 18 in and over | 1.25 |
Our records
- Peca (16 in): 8.3 seconds, 65 points
- Orion (18 in): 8.3 seconds, 52 points
Titles
- Novice Sprinter (NS) — 150 pts
- Sprinter (S) — 500 pts
- Advanced Sprinter (AS) — 1,000 pts
- Sprinter Excellent (SX) — 1,500 pts
- SX2, SX3, SX4… — for every additional 500 pts
Rats! Canada
Ratting sports
The goal is to signal a live rat kept safely inside a tube. These sports are run by Rats! Canada. The dog must alert to the right tube among several empty ones; the number of tubes depends on the level.
Barn Hunt
Hay bales are set against a wall and the tubes are visible. In Novice there are 3 tubes: one with a rat, one with litter, and one empty. The number of rats and tubes increases with each level. The dog has 90 seconds: for the first 60 the handler must stay silent; in the last 30 they may point out tubes. This help time shrinks as levels go up. The handler calls “Rat!” to tell the judge the dog has found it.
Brush Hunt
Hay bales are arranged in several piles with a tube hidden among them, out of the dog’s sight. The handler knows where it is but cannot speak. The dog has 90 seconds: 60 without help, then the handler may silently approach the tube. The judge calls “Yes!” if the alert is clear enough. All help disappears at Master level.
Team Relay
Two dogs take turns in a brush ring to find two rats, with 60 seconds in total.
▶ Watch the video montage (Rats! Canada)
Go to Ground
Coming soon…
Titles
- Instinct: IBAR, IBRH, IGTG
- Novice: NBAR, NBRH, NGTG
- Advanced: ABAR, ABRH, AGTG
- Master: MBAR, MBRH, MGTG
- Champion: ChBAR, ChBRH, ChGTG
- Grand Champion: GChBAR, GChBRH, GChGTG
CKC shows
Conformation
Conformation is a judged sport: a judge evaluates each dog against its breed standard. In Canada, the Canadian Kennel Club standard applies (Basenji standard). There are three main stages: breed judging, group judging, then Best in Show.
Classes
- Baby Puppy (4 to 6 months) — no points, for practice
- Junior Puppy (6 to 9 months)
- Puppy (9 to 12 months)
- Senior Puppy (12 to 18 months)
- Bred by Exhibitor — shown by its breeder, from 6 months
- Canadian Bred — born and raised in Canada, from 6 months
- Open — open to all, from 6 months
- Specials — dogs that are already Canadian Champions
How judging works
Each dog is examined on the table, then gaited down and back to show soundness, and finally around the ring to assess movement. Males are judged first, class by class; class winners return for Winners Dog and Reserve. The same is repeated for females. Finally, Winners Dog and Winners Bitch join the Specials for the final breed awards.
Placements
- Best of Breed (BOB) — best dog of the breed; goes on to represent the breed in Group
- Best of Opposite Sex (BOS) — best dog of the opposite sex to BOB
- Best of Winners (BOW) — best of Winners Dog and Winners Bitch
- Select Male / Select Female — optional awards for high-quality champions
- Best Puppy in Breed — best puppy
- Best Baby Puppy in Breed — best baby puppy, judged at the very end
Titles
- Canadian Champion (CH) — 10 points including a 2-point major, from 6 months
- Grand Champion (GCh) — 20 points after the championship, including two majors (one after 1 year)
- Grand Champion Bronze (GChB) — 50 points
- Grand Champion Silver (GChS) — 100 points
- Grand Champion Gold (GChG) — 200 points
Results
Each dog’s titles.
Complete titles and achievements are listed on each dog’s profile.