CGC now allows body harnesses

[maryellen]

AKC CGC Position on Body Harnesses in CGC Testing as of November 4, 2010

1.As of November 4, 2010, body harnesses MAY be used in the CGC test.

If body harnesses are used during testing, they should be standard body
harnesses. These will usually have the leash clipped to a ring (in the harness) on the dog's back. For the purpose of the CGC test, the dog should not be tested in a no-pull or no-jump harness that is basically a management and control device.

[RealPitBull]

GOOD! I still think they should ban choke chains in all tests and competitions, but......

[maryellen]

here is the full article i got in my email:

THE RESULTS AND AKC'S POSITION FOLLOW.

SURVEY RESULTS
We were quite surprised by the results.

92% of the evaluators who responded felt that evaluators should be permitted to test dogs in body harnesses (with certain conditions-see Page 3-4).

The main reasons for wanting to test dogs in harnesses included: 1) owners of small dogs take the class and then refuse to participate in CGC testing because of the collar requirement, 2) evaluator/instructors are seeing a number of dogs who have been well-trained wearing harnesses, and
3) an increasing number of veterinarians are recommending body harnesses for small and brachycephalic breeds (such as Pugs, Bulldogs).
__________________________

8% of the evaluators who responded to the survey did not believe dogs should be tested in body harnesses.

The main reasons for not testing in harnesses were:
1) skilled instructors can get the dog transitioned to a regular collar in a short time with no harmful pulling on the collar,
2) having a collar on the dog was thought to be safer (easier to grab for an out of control dog), and
3)there is more of a tendency to pull on a harness.
__________________________________

AKC CGC Position on Body Harnesses in CGC Testing as of November 4, 2010

1.As of November 4, 2010, body harnesses MAY be used in the CGC test.

If body harnesses are used during testing, they should be standard body
harnesses. These will usually have the leash clipped to a ring (in the harness) on the dog's back. For the purpose of the CGC test, the dog should not be tested in a no-pull or no-jump harness that is basically a management and control device.
____________________

2. Evaluator/instructors can choose to use only the equipment of their choice in their classes and CGC tests (provided it is on the list of approved equipment for the CGC test).

This means if you are an evaluator who is teaching a class and you don't want to allow body harnesses in your class or CGC tests, you have the right to say, "In my class and test, we will only use (for example) buckle collars."

If you open the test to the general public (such as at a dog fair where you advertise in the newspaper), we ask that you allow all equipment that is approved by AKC for members of the general public who may have read the collar requirements on the AKC web page.
_____________________________

3. Head collars may NOT be used in the CGC test.

We recognize that head collars may be useful as management tools and in some special training situations, however, we feel the dog is ready to be tested at the point at which it is under good control on a collar or body harness.
____________________________

4. Collars that may be used in the CGC test include well-fitting slip and buckle collars, Martingales (some people call this a modified slip collar), and as of 11/4/2010, body harnesses.
Electronic (e-collars) collars and pinch collars are not permitted in the CGC test.
__________________________


Thanks again for your input--let us know if you have any questions.

[e-mail]

[RealPitBull]

How come I am an evaluator and never received this email ???

[RealPitBull]

Gonna move this to training, btw

[maryellen]

did you give them your email? i had to update my email with them a few months ago as they never changed it when i moved in november.. i got this one yesterday . maybe too since i renewed my evaluator for december they used my new email too

[RealPitBull]

They have my current Gmail address and I've gotten emails in the past. I wonder if somehow stuff ended up in spam. Gonna have to check.

[maryellen]

it might have been in spam, that happens to me sometimes with their newsletters it winds up in my spam folder

[loverocksalot]

Ok this is good news was the same for the TDI test however when I asked an evaluator if I could use a harness that clicked in front she told me no harness or martingale only regular collar. Even after I explained his harness which clicks in front is not considered a training or no pull harness still the answer was no. Would this be up to discretion of evaluator?

[maryellen]

per the newsletter it cant clip in the front. only the clip in the back ring harness type is allowed. evaluators cant use their own discretion as most front clip harnesses are no pull ones. martingales are allowed now

[loverocksalot]

Well i disagree with the clip in front are no pull especially the sensation and sensible the dog can still pull just not as hard. but not going to argue. However I am glad they allow martingale I actually went to a TDI test that allowed the martingale and did not consider it a training tool. Reason is Rocky easily slips out of a collar his head and neck are same size. I would have used a regular collar but I did not have any. LOL

[maryellen]

its ok to disagree, however its the AKC that makes the rules on what we can test dogs with. they werent going to allow harnesses to be used but everyone voted and the majority of votes was FOR harnesses that clip in the back, not the front..
each CGC evaluator can use their own discretion per the email info, if they dont want to test on a harness they dont have to in a private class. if they are doing the test at a local event then they have to allow back clip harnesses.


the sensation and sensible harnesses ARE geared to prevent the dog from pulling- so they are not allowed to be used.. harnesses that clip in the back are not training tools that prevent the dog from pulling hard so they are allowed.