# AKC Agility - Triple Q and RAD



## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Oh jiminy christmas, AKC clearly is grasping for ways to make money. I find all the agility titles absolutely dizzying. Can people actually afford to enter all of this? Isn't it just the same old thing, but called something different? Are clubs not already at their limit for workers and time?


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

Will entry fees be lowered at AKC trials? Personally I love having 3-5 runs a day at a USDAA trial, but I get all those runs for about the same price as two per day in AKC. 

We also don't go to many trials that offer FAST and AKC trials with only the two classes are just about as long as a USDAA trial with so many more runs, so I can't imagine how having 4 runs at an AKC trial will work.

I'm interested to see how it plays out, but we've run 4 FAST courses since it was introduced so I'm not sure how many opportunities we'll have to run the others.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I had the same thought as Anney about AKC looking for more entry fees....but then I feel that way about RAE, too.....and the new master obedience title.....


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I doubt the runs would be any cheaper... From what I remember when FAST is offered the pricing was like $20/$15/$13 or something like that... That was one of the reasons I did not enter much. With two dogs, I just could not afford it!

As far as time, I was thinking the same thing. The trial I was at this weekend was still running Novice classes at 4:00pm That was just with Std and JWW. It was a one judge trial though...


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Sounds like XF entries must have taken a dive. I'd bet that's behind the Triple Q program. I did up through OF and then stopped entering the FAST class. 

I've never done USDAA b/c I don't like the jump heights, but we do run ASCA and NADAC and both of those groups offer lots of fun games. Entry fees are way less than AKC, though. I can do a full weekend (2 days) of ASCA - l like 8 runs for $90 whereas I'll pay more like $75 for four runs in AKC.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

And I just paid $20 per time to enter dock diving, 4 events in one day....yes, $80 so my dog can jump off a dock into the water....ya gotta wonder what we're thinking sometimes....that's groceries for a week....


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Yeah, I went up through OF and then found out I am really really bad at math (or just lazy). I went though Open and Novice FAST without ever doing the math to find out how many points I was earning and how many I needed. At Excellent twice I went out and finished without enough points! Got the gambles though... For the most part I did not really like many of the courses as it was hard to make things flow...


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

hotel4dogs said:


> And I just paid $20 per time to enter dock diving, 4 events in one day....yes, $80 so my dog can jump off a dock into the water....ya gotta wonder what we're thinking sometimes....that's groceries for a week....


Yup, Dock Dogs costs $$$$!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

But that quivering, whimpering dog that can't stand the wait....priceless!




sammydog said:


> Yup, Dock Dogs costs $$$$!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

hotel4dogs said:


> But that quivering, whimpering dog that can't stand the wait....priceless!


True 'dat! OMG - I just found out the Splash Dogs will be in town for FIVE WEEKS at the LA County Fair. Quiz better get a paper route to cover some of his own entries.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

oh oh oh Tito and I are SOOOOO jealous!!!!




FlyingQuizini said:


> True 'dat! OMG - I just found out the Splash Dogs will be in town for FIVE WEEKS at the LA County Fair. Quiz better get a paper route to cover some of his own entries.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I see it as MUCH longer days! I don't run fast, I won't with Belle, I probably will not do the new class. I don't need to do "more" runs. I want my dog to stay sound. 

I do know around my area, the entries have been VERY low. We have not seen a canceled trial yet but the last one I went to only had 85 excellent dogs. Not all the trials around here offer fast either because it is always a SMALL class, and it takes SO much time to set the course. Most of our events are one ring shows. So I do see this as a reach to pull in others, and increase revenues. Personally the lower attendance I see as a sign of economic times. People have to cut back and recreation is where they do it. 

I am curious how much larger trials will become when the mixed breeds can join. I think this is a good thing. I understand they are judged separately but so am I because I run preferred. 

So we have 4 classes per division (novice, open and excellent) not just 3 when offered? Sigh I see novice people going elsewhere. It makes for a LONG day to hang to the end of a trial. I have an excellent and open dog, I usually have to stay all day, these will not make me happy. I guess I do want Chloe to move up to excellent even if she is not ready.


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## hawtee (Nov 1, 2006)

I know I personaly will not run RAD, as far as fast we got our FX and are not going to try for the Triple Q. Heck we have a hard enough time trying to get the Db Q lol..

Due to the economy I now have to really think about where I will spend my money and what event is closer. I used to have no thought about driving 6.5 hours to trials and entering every class. Now I look for only the ones that are closer to me . And the ones where I get more bang for my buck.
I find myself being drawn to NADAC and ASCA as well not only because I can run more events but because the courses FLOW and that is a heavy consideration for me. I want to keep my dog having fun as long as possible. USDAA tried it didn't like those jump heights 26" no way....


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

hawtee said:


> I know I personaly will not run RAD, as far as fast we got our FX and are not going to try for the Triple Q. Heck we have a hard enough time trying to get the Db Q lol..


You have such nice distance work! I bet you could get that Triple Q 

I agree though, money is tight, and I don't see myself signing up for tons of classes.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

It's nice to record/recognize the triple-Q for the people who actually do enter excellent FAST, but I don't think that's going to get many more entries. No one really likes FAST around here, for a while it was really messing up the schedule causing really long days, and then most clubs just stopped offering it within a few months. The clubs that do offer it usually run it at the end of the Excellent classes or the end of the day (because no one else wants to wait around for them to run FAST, or do their regular runs in the midday heat if FAST was in the morning). And not many people care enough to stick around for something completely pointless. Might as well give the people who do a triple-Q for their efforts, since I don't know of anywhere that offers enough FAST to get the FTC title.

I was at one trial where they were testing out RAD (they were calling it Time to Beat) and basically everyone's eyes glazed over by the time the rep was halfway through the briefing. Way too many rules and you couldn't really get excited about whether you got points or anything (it's not like you can just look at the electronic timer display, check the SCT and cheer over getting X number of points). I think it's dumb to put the teeter in that kind of course - I understand they're trying to not be an exact copy of Steeplechase, but it's not very safe to get dogs really amped up with a nice flowing course and then throw in a teeter. Also how many points you get is based mostly on whether you live somewhere with lots of good agility people, and I thought AKC was trying to move away from so much geography-based variation (whispers of removing MACH point multipliers and all that) ... I think RAD isn't going to be as popular as even FAST was at the beginning, because at least having a game in AKC was a novelty that most people wanted to at least try out. Now we're used to AKC coming up with these dumb games, and RAD is just like an Open JWW course with a contact, so it's not as exciting as something with a gamble.

People do USDAA/NADAC games because they're woven into the titling system and have been there from the beginning. Even back in the day when you didn't need games Qs for the AD or AAD, people usually still entered the Starter/Novice and Advanced games because that's what you do in USDAA, you need to practice for Masters, etc. AKC doesn't have the history of games being valued or involved in their big titles. And they're not going to lure any NADAC/USDAA people over because most NADAC people think AKC is the antichrist and most USDAA people think AKC is a joke for fancy purebred poodles. So I think they should just stop wasting their time coming up with these games.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

How do you guys keep all the agility titles and classes straight? I have trouble with Novice, Open and Utility. One day, I would like to try agility but I have other irons in the fire....obedience, field, and rally.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I keep an excel spreadsheet of all the orgs and titles... Each dog has a page for each sanctioning org... So Barley-AKC, Barley-CPE, Barley-NADAC, then I track every run. But other than AKC I only do limited NADAC and CPE.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

The computerized dog(s)! I love it. Would you be willing to share your spreadsheet?


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Sure, it's not very sophisticated  send me an PM with your email


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