AKC Agility Judges Guidelines

CHAPTER 1
JUDGES RESPONSIBILITIES, PROTOCOL,
AND PROCEDURES
Remember: You make it work!
As an American Kennel Club Agility Judge, you are an essential part of the
program. The AKC ® agility system needs your dedication and expertise to
function properly. We, the AKC Director of Agility and Field Representatives,
believe these judging guidelines will make it easier for you to do your job and
to contribute to the sport of agility in a positive manner.
This set of guidelines is meant to supplement and provide further explanation
of the agility regulations. It does not repeat the regulations, nor is it intended
to change or alter the regulations in any way; however, its contents are a valid
extension of the regulations and should be adhered to as such. You should be
thoroughly familiar with these guidelines, as well as all of the AKC’s rules,
regulations for agility trials, and policies if you:
• Are an approved or provisional judge
• Have accepted match judging assignments
• Plan to attend an AKC Judging Seminar
Section 1. Responsibilities as a Judge
Responsibilities to the Sport of Purebred Dogs: Approval to judge carries
with it the full endorsement of the American Kennel Club. Whether judging
at a licensed trial or sanctioned match or engaging in any dog-related activity
(including but not limited to exhibiting), judges must be cognizant of their
responsibility to the sport.
Judges have a responsibility to work with the AKC staff and its Field
Representatives to ensure that the standards of the AKC agility program are
maintained. As a judge, you are required to meet these key criteria:
1. Knowledge: Through experience and continuing study, you must
demonstrate sound knowledge of the sport of agility. Good judges
never stop learning about the sport of agility. To ensure that all judges
are knowledgeable, agility judges are required to attend and meet the
requirements of a continuing education seminar at least once every 3 years.
Excellent sources of information for agility judges to stay current include:
• The AKC Gazette (the official journal for the sport of purebred dogs)
• The AKC web site (www.akc.org)
• Judge’s Newsletters
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