Docna??

I was thinking about doing another Venue, and both USDAA and CPE are out since they are rarely around in my area. But there are a few DOCNA trials every year in PA, which I would be willing to travel to. Its a new org., but I like what I see so far.

Anyone trial in DOCNA? experiences, pros, cons?

Is it a friendly org., like NADAC?

I wanted to do AKC with Rush, but I dont want to spay her until she is around 20 months, to avoid messing with her hormones and growth (articles read, I want to wait :x). But I also wanted to get into agility before that.

Any personal experience on the venue, things to look for, classes explained, all that good stuff. There website doesnt do a good job of explaining the difference of their gamblers classes, or what style their courses are.

Anyway, I am done droning on, personal experience is appreciated!!

Diane

I don't know of anyone personally who has played in the venue.. The few trials that are offered are always in the same places, so it's a little more limiting right now to get new people into it as of yet. Might ask on the agile-L list about it.. it hits huge amount of agility people..

agile-L list people?

What exactly is that? is there a link or something you could send me?

Thanks!

It's an email list..
http://www.lsoft.com/scripts/wl.exe?SL1=AGILEDOGS&H=APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM

I've never heard of DOCNA - I'll have to go hit google and see what it is!

20 months is still pretty young to trial. Don't most groups require you to wait until at least 18 months? If you want to do AKC, it may be worth waiting the extra 8 weeks to get the ILP (I assume that is the issue with spaying?). Most of the 'baby dogs' belonging to my friends won't be debuting until they are probably 3.

18 months is average BB..

18 months for CKC, AAC, USDAA, NADAC
15 months for AKC, CPE
12 months for 'select or junior handler DOCNA, 15 months for competitive

I wanted to debut Smudge in AAC gamblers and jumpers only in October, but he'll be 2 days too young for the trial I had in mind.. So we may not debut till he's 2 in spring.

Wow, that seems so young to me. Maybe it's a regional thing; most of the dogs I see coming out with the top handlers in our area are right around three. I wish I'd held off trialing last year, and waited until this year to bring Meg out, but live and learn, right?

I fully expect that if I get the border collie I want for my next dog, it's going to take me at least three years to learn to run it the way I want to!

There's nothing wrong with waiting. Cider and I trialled too early, but if we hadn't I wouldn't have gotten the outside help i desperately needed.. We had to go back and redo foundation stuff, but we weren't too badly off.

I do know of some top people waiting until their dog is as perfect as possible before trialling.. Fewer things to have to correct later.

Makes perfect sense, I'm just not patient enough for that I don't think I like the 18 months minimum rule... as it is that feels pretty young. But on the other hand I've been waiting since the end of July last year to play play with Smudge. Only been the last month we've really worked on agility..

B.B. I agree 18 mos is young to start trialing, wait a little longer let that body mature and muscle out a little more. DOCNA= Dogs On Course North America. Its all over the place up here but I dont know a whole lot about it, but people love it for bringing out young dogs

I'm just looking into it. I am not sure I would trial her before 18 months. I will trial her when I think she is ready. I am not sure she would be ready at 12 or 15 months either. I like the class descriptions, they look like fun.

I think having the option to trial around 15 months, or a little after would be good. At least I think so. I would love to have the option of running her in like jumpers or something simple, just to help prepare her for the trial scene.

I would never trial her before she was ready. I trialed to early with my first dog and learned the hard way lol.

I am not sure I even want to do AKC, because I do have a working bred BC and I dont support the breeding of conformation BCs. I am still undecided if AKC is worth it.

If there is anything about the Org. that is really bad, or really good, I would love to know!

My puppy is only a little over 5 months...so all in all lol, everything is pretty undecided, except for the fact I will trial her in NADAC (if there is nothing standing in the way of us competing in agility.

Thanks everyone!

Diane