News and updates

Dogs Australia Canine Grooming Committee

19-03-2024

Following discussions with the President of the FCI Grooming Commission, Mr Chua Ming-Kok, the Dogs Australia Board of Directors have resolved that a National Canine Grooming Committee be formed to conduct FCI Grooming Competitions.

Mrs May Wong who is a Dogs Victoria Member / Exhibitor and is currently the organiser of the Canine Grooming Competitions at the Sydney and Melbourne Royals was appointed Chair of the Committee by the Board. May is a professional groomer herself and highly respected in the sport. The Committee Members will be appointed by the Dogs Australia State and Territory Member Bodies.

In the coming months, the Committee will be formulating Competition Rules and Judges Approval Regulations for consideration by the Dogs Australia Board. In the future we will be offering a Dogs Australia Groomers Certification Program.

Currently there are approximately 5,000 canine groomers in Australia. To participate in FCI Competitions a canine groomer must be member of a Dogs Australia Member Body, the introduction of Canine Grooming will see an increase in our membership. and bring the list of Competitive Sports that we offer to our members to fifteen.

Our Competitive Sports are Agility, Dances with Dogs, Trick Dog, Draft Test, Earthdog Test, Endurance, Flyball, Herding, Lure Coursing, Obedience, Tracking, Retrieving and Field, Scent Work and Sled Sports.

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Approved Canadian Judges' Applications

15-03-2024

Dogs Australia advise that approvals already provided for CKC Judges for upcoming events are currently being reviewed and updated and will be processed in order of the date of the show they have been invited to judge at.

Please click here for further information in respect of the approval of Canadian Kennel Club Judges.

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FCI Breed to be added to the National Business System: PORCELAINE

14-03-2024

Dogs Australia has advised that an application has been received for re-registration of the following FCI recognised breed:2952614.jpg

PORCELAINE

Dogs Australia are currently arranging for this breed to be added to the business system and for their website to be updated with the relevant breed standard.

In addition, the Dogs Australia Group listing will be updated with this breed being allocated Group 4 (Hounds) as confirmed by the National Breed Standards Coordination Group.

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Dogs Australia Regulations Part 5 - Conformation Shows - Amendment

13-03-2024

At its February 2024 Special Board Meeting, the Dogs Australia Directors resolved to amend its Regulations Part 5-Conformation Shows as follows:-

Section  7:  Order of Judging

Insert

7.1.5(h) Where an All Breeds Championship Show is not concluding at General Specials as defined in 7.1.7 all in Group awards are to be signified as Best in Group, Runner-up in Group and Classes in Group as offered.

7.1.6(h) Where an All Breeds Championship Show is not concluding at General Specials as defined in 7.1.8 all in Group awards are to be signified as Best Neuter in Group, Runner-up Neuter in Group and Neuter Classes in Group as offered.


Section 8:  Alternative In-Group and in-Show Placing System:-

8.3.7 General Specials is to be offered at all Alternative in-Group and in-Show Placing System Championship Shows

It was agreed that a recommendation be inserted that the following procedure be adhered to:-
 
Where an affiliate is conducting more than one show on the same day and General Specials are not to be offered, it may only be at on the last show on that day.

These amendments are effective from 1 April 2024.

Click here to view and download the updated Regulations.

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FCI Circular 6/2024 - C.I.B.-J & C.I.B.-V International Beauty Champion Titles

11-03-2024
Attention: All DOGS NSW Committees and Affiliated Clubs conducting FCI International Shows

FCI now require a separate sheet provided in the Winners spreadsheet file which accompanies the digital catalogue and is sent to FCI after an FCI International Show is held.  The following information is to be included in the sheet:

​Catalogue number, name of the dog, studbook and studbook number, sex, breed and variety, date of birth, name of the owner, name of the judge and class in which the FCI-CACIB-J and FCI-CACIB-V were awarded.


The breeds will be listed according to their name in one of the four FCI working languages followed by the name normally used in the country in which the show takes place.


For further information please refer to the FCI Circular 6/2024
- C.I.B.-J & C.I.B.-V International Beauty Champion Titles dated 8 March 2024 by clicking here.
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National Obedience & Tracking Committee  - DOGS NSW Motions

07-03-2024
At the Dogs Australia February 2024 Special Board meeting the Directors resolved that the following motion from the October 2023 Board meeting be rescinded, and all Member Bodies to be advised:

It was unanimously RESOLVED on the motion of B Murfet/B Parker that the October 2022 motions submitted by DOGS NSW in Items 5.14 and 5.15 be approved.

[Note: As no effective date was included in the rescission motion, the effective date will be 1 July 2024 in accordance with our current policy.]

The two motions from the October 2022 Board meeting agenda are noted below for reference.

Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials – Glossary – Amendment (Item 5.14)

THAT the Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials – Glossary – be amended as follows:-


Page 3 Fouling
Present Rule:
A dog which fouls at any time while it is under the control of the Judge must be disqualified 
Change to:
A dog which fouls at any time while it is under the control of the Judge must be disqualified and removed from the ring immediately.

Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials – Glossary – Amendment (Item 5.15)

THAT the Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials – Glossary – be amended as follows:-

Page 4 Disqualification

Present rule:
No points awarded. The dog is disqualified from all Trial Competition on the day and the Judge must provide a written report to the Member Body within 14 days – the only exception being in the instances where the disqualification was incurred for continual barking, a correction penalty, fouling the ring or for handlers bringing training aids into the ring.

Change to:
No points awarded. The dog is disqualified from all Trial Competition on the day and the Judge must provide a written report to the Member Body within 14 days. The only exception being In instances where the disqualification was incurred for continual barking, a correction penalty, fouling the ring or for handlers bringing training aids into the ring, handlers will only be disqualified from that class and no report is required.

The Dogs Australia Board agreed the motions were incorrectly submitted and should have been received from the National Obedience & Tracking Committee and not directly from a Member Body and requested these motions to be referred to the National Obedience & Tracking Committee for their recommendation.

All Member Bodies State Representatives on the National Committee are requested to review and provide their recommendation to Dogs Australia office by no later than COB 12 August 2024.

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SUMMARY OF THE DOGS AUSTRALIA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING HELD VIA ZOOM VIDEO CONFERENCING ON 10 FEBRUARY 2024

06-03-2024 Read more

Rules of Conduct for Dances With Dogs Competitions & Trick Dog Tests

06-03-2024

The National Dances With Dogs/Trick Dog Committee Chairperson, Barbara Murfet has confirmed the committee has identified a number of typographical and consequential errors in the Rules for the conduct of Dances With Dogs Competitions & Rules for the conduct of Trick Dog Tests.

 

These have been rectified and the updated rules as well as the Summary of Dances With Dogs changes to titles are now available from our website under Dances With Dogs and Trick Dog at: https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/rule-regulations/rules/

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Rules & Guidelines for the Conduct of Track & Search Dog Trials - CORRECTION

05-03-2024

The National Obedience & Tracking Committee Chairperson, Raelee Hedger has confirmed the committee has identified an error in the Rules & Guidelines for the conduct of Track & Search Dog Trials which were effective from 1 January 2024.

The error occurred in dot point (g) under Safety where the word “may” should read “must” to be consistent with paragraph 2 under Safety.

Currently reads:

SAFETY
The safety of competitors, tracklayers, officials, other persons, and dogs at a trial is of paramount concern. As track and search tests are conducted in urban environments where there are likely to be hazards including moving vehicles and uneven surfaces all reasonable steps to protect safety must be taken.  

A competitor who does not comply with safety requirements must be disqualified.  Before commencing judging a test the judge must check that the dog and handler have on the necessary equipment. A judge may abort or suspend a track at any time if they consider it necessary to do so for safety.
 
(g) The Judge may disqualify any Handler who does not comply with safety requirements.

Amended to read:

(g) The Judge must disqualify any Handler who does not comply with safety requirements.

Please note the updated Rules & Guidelines for the conduct of Track & Search Dog Trials are now available from the Dogs Australia website under Tracking. Click here to view.

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Rules for the conduct of Retrieving Ability Test for Gundogs (RATG) - CORRECTION

05-03-2024
The National Retrieving & Field Trial Committee Chairperson, Ron Jackson has confirmed the committee has identified an error in the RATG rules which occurred at the last rule review with the rules being effective from 1 January 2024.  The error occurred in Rule 2.4 pertaining to the eligibility to enter the Open Stake of RATG.  Refer below.

Currently reads:
2.4. To be eligible to compete in an Open Retrieving Ability Test, a dog must not have gained any of the following Titles as defined in the Rules for the Conduct of Retrieving Trials for Gundogs (effective 1 Jan 2010) – RRD, AARD, RT CH, Nat RT CH, Grand RT CH.  

Amended to read:
(The committee has agreed the rule should read as follows as the correct interpretation.)
2.4 To be eligible to compete in an Open Retrieving Ability Test a dog must have gained its Novice Retrieving Ability Test (NRA) title or gained any one of the following titles as defined in the Rules for the Conduct of Retrieving Trials for Gundogs – Qualified Novice Dog (QND) or Novice Retrieving Dog (NRD).
Dogs are ineligible to compete in an Open Retrieving Ability Test if they have have gained any of the following Titles as defined in the Rules for the Conduct of Retrieving Trials for Gundogs: QRD, RRD, AARD, RT CH, Nat RT CH, Grand RT CH or been awarded a CM (Certificate of Merit) or DM (Diploma of Merit).

Please note the updated RATG rules are now available from the Dogs Australia website under Retrieving & Field Trial. Click here to view.
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