Frequently Asked Questions
Topics:
I. Getting Started in Racing & Lure Coursing
II. Equipment
I. Getting Started in Racing & Lure Coursing
Q: Does your club host CA Tests (CAT) through either AKC or UKC?
A: No. We get asked this question a lot, and the reason we do not offer CATs is because our club is focused on providing COMPETITIVE events; not just pass/fail tests. We feel that this is what distinguishes our running program from anything else currently available, and we are committed to setting the bar as high as possible for all breeds in that respect.
Q: My dog has successfully run CATs before. Can I enter him/her in your race meet/lure coursing trial?
A: While CATs are a good place to begin, it is only a start, and in most cases the dog will require additional schooling before he/she is ready to enter one of our events. At the very least, all RACE events require dogs to run in a muzzle and blanket. At most, our events require dogs to run muzzled, blanketed AND in the company of other dogs (most likely dogs that your dog doesn't know or live with). CATs do not require any of those things, and as such most dogs will require additional training to become accustomed to these sorts of distractions.
Q: My dog has done a few "fun runs" before and loved it! Can I enter him/her in your race meet/lure coursing trial?
A: Fun runs are a great start, but most likely your dog will need additional training before he/she is ready to compete in one of our events. At the very least, all RACE events require dogs to run in a muzzle and blanket. At most, our events require dogs to run muzzled, blanketed AND in the company of other dogs (most likely dogs that your dog doesn't know or live with). Most "fun runs" offered informally by various dog clubs do not require any of those things, and as such most dogs will require additional training to become accustomed to these sorts of distractions.
Q: My dog has never done this before. What should I do?
A: This is probably the number one question that we get. If your dog has never encountered a lure before, the best way to get him or her started is with practice runs. A practice run is whatever you want it to be, but we strongly suggest that you start your dog off running a short distance alone without a muzzle or any other distracting devices. Once your dog is reliably running under those conditions, then you can gradually increase the distance and add other elements like a muzzle and a running buddy. The key is TAKE IT SLOWLY. There is plenty of time to get your dog into competition, so do not rush them. You want to give your dog the best possible start in the sport so that they can succeed in the long run :-)
Q: What equipment will I need?
A: If you are new to this, you will need two leashes, a flat collar, and some form of containment for your dog while you wait your turn to run. For practice runs, you do not need a muzzle or racing blanket for your dog. In fact, we recommend that you don't use a muzzle or blanket if your dog is just getting started (see above).
Q: When and where can my dog practice?
A: Practice runs are offered at all of our events throughout the day, as time allows. Depending on how large our event is, we may not have a lot of time to practice during the middle of the day. As such, the best time for you to arrive if you would like to run a practice is anytime after noon. By that time, the busiest part of the trial/meet will have passed and the wait time for practice will be shortest.
Q: Okay, do I need to sign up for practice ahead of time?
A: No, you don't need to sign up for practice ahead of time. Due to the nature of these kinds of events we cannot guarantee specific times for people to practice, nor can we guarantee a specific number of runs for each dog. As such, our approach to practice is mostly a first-come, first-served system. We start making a list of dogs wanting to practice in the morning, then go down that list until every dog has had at least one turn to run. If we have more time then we will allow for second and third runs.
Q: Do you offer classes?
A: No. Due to the amount of time it takes to set up the equipment and the cost of renting venue space for our events, we are not in a position to offer classes at this time.
Q: My dog has done several successful practice runs. What do we do next?
A: Once your dog is reliably running the entire distance of the race track or course with a muzzle on, he or she is ready to take the next step, which is to do a qualifying run. All dogs must pass one qualifying run in order to enter regular race meets or lure coursing trials in the open stake. To pass a qualifying run, your dog must run the entire length of the track or course in the company of another dog of equal size or breed without interfering with the other dog, with a muzzle and blanket on. Once your dog has successfully completed a qualifying run, he or she may then enter regular competition.
Q: Okay, my dog successfully passed his/her qualifying run! What now?
A: Congratulations, you now have a race-ready dog! :-) Your dog is now eligible to run in regular race meets and/or the open stake at lure coursing trials. By now, you should have purchased a properly fitted muzzle and a complete set of racing/lure coursing blankets.
Q: My dog did not pass his/her qualifying run. What now?
A: If your dog did not pass their qualifying run, that means he/she either needs more training, or most likely is not suited to be running in competition with other dogs. If the latter is true, then your dog is welcome to participate in Singles. Singles racing and Singles lure coursing was created to meet the needs of dogs who, for whatever reason, are not able to run in the company of other dogs.
Q: What is Singles?
A: Singles racing and Singles lure coursing was created to meet the needs of dogs who, for whatever reason, are not able to run in the company of other dogs. IT IS NOT THE SAME AS PRACTICE. Dogs participating in Singles are expected to be fully schooled, meaning that they will reliably chase the lure for the entire length of the track/course, wearing a muzzle and a blanket. In Singles racing, the dogs are timed using a high-tech digital timing device that can record a dog's time down to a hundredth of a second. At the end of the day, each dog is ranked using the mean average of their recorded times, and is awarded accordingly. In Singles lure coursing, each dog is judged subjectively using several different categories including: speed, agility, endurance, honest pursuit, and enthusiasm. The judge will give each dog a numerical score (maximum score is 100), and that score will be used to determine placements at the end of the trial.
Q: Does my dog have to wear a muzzle and/or a colored blanket in Singles?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I enter my dog in Singles and practice, or Singles and the regular meet?
A: Generally speaking, no. The reason for this is twofold. First, is simply a matter of time constraints. We only have so much time in the day and we usually have a long list of dogs who want to practice, and most of those dogs actually need that time to learn the game. Therefore, it is only fair that those dogs who are new to racing/lure coursing be given priority when it comes to running practice. If your dog is entered in Singles, he/she is already guaranteed to run at least twice. There is only so much daylight available, particularly in the winter months, so the need to streamline our events is very important. Second, if your dog needs to practice then he/she should not be entered in Singles. Singles is meant for dogs who are 100% schooled on racing/lure coursing.
II. Equipment
Q: My dog is new to this, does he/she need a muzzle?
A: No, not right away. We recommend starting inexperienced dogs without a muzzle, then introducing the muzzle later once the dog has shown keen interest in chasing the lure.
Q: What kind of muzzle do I need?
A: You will need a basket style muzzle that allows the dog to open its mouth and pant while wearing it. There are many different styles of basket muzzles available for purchase on the internet; there are muzzles made of plastic, vinyl, wire, or mesh. You will just have to find a style that works for your individual dog.
Q: Where can I buy blankets?
A: The internet is the best resource for these items. Simply do a Google search for "racing blankets" "lure coursing blankets" or similar, and you will find several options.
Q: I want to make my own blankets. How many do I need, and in what colors?
A: You will need a complete set of blankets. A set includes four blankets in the following numbers and colors: red (#1), blue (#2), white (#3), and green (#4). In lure coursing, we use the colors red, white, and blue; so you can easily flip your numbered blankets over to their blank side and they will double as lure coursing blankets.
I. Getting Started in Racing & Lure Coursing
II. Equipment
I. Getting Started in Racing & Lure Coursing
Q: Does your club host CA Tests (CAT) through either AKC or UKC?
A: No. We get asked this question a lot, and the reason we do not offer CATs is because our club is focused on providing COMPETITIVE events; not just pass/fail tests. We feel that this is what distinguishes our running program from anything else currently available, and we are committed to setting the bar as high as possible for all breeds in that respect.
Q: My dog has successfully run CATs before. Can I enter him/her in your race meet/lure coursing trial?
A: While CATs are a good place to begin, it is only a start, and in most cases the dog will require additional schooling before he/she is ready to enter one of our events. At the very least, all RACE events require dogs to run in a muzzle and blanket. At most, our events require dogs to run muzzled, blanketed AND in the company of other dogs (most likely dogs that your dog doesn't know or live with). CATs do not require any of those things, and as such most dogs will require additional training to become accustomed to these sorts of distractions.
Q: My dog has done a few "fun runs" before and loved it! Can I enter him/her in your race meet/lure coursing trial?
A: Fun runs are a great start, but most likely your dog will need additional training before he/she is ready to compete in one of our events. At the very least, all RACE events require dogs to run in a muzzle and blanket. At most, our events require dogs to run muzzled, blanketed AND in the company of other dogs (most likely dogs that your dog doesn't know or live with). Most "fun runs" offered informally by various dog clubs do not require any of those things, and as such most dogs will require additional training to become accustomed to these sorts of distractions.
Q: My dog has never done this before. What should I do?
A: This is probably the number one question that we get. If your dog has never encountered a lure before, the best way to get him or her started is with practice runs. A practice run is whatever you want it to be, but we strongly suggest that you start your dog off running a short distance alone without a muzzle or any other distracting devices. Once your dog is reliably running under those conditions, then you can gradually increase the distance and add other elements like a muzzle and a running buddy. The key is TAKE IT SLOWLY. There is plenty of time to get your dog into competition, so do not rush them. You want to give your dog the best possible start in the sport so that they can succeed in the long run :-)
Q: What equipment will I need?
A: If you are new to this, you will need two leashes, a flat collar, and some form of containment for your dog while you wait your turn to run. For practice runs, you do not need a muzzle or racing blanket for your dog. In fact, we recommend that you don't use a muzzle or blanket if your dog is just getting started (see above).
Q: When and where can my dog practice?
A: Practice runs are offered at all of our events throughout the day, as time allows. Depending on how large our event is, we may not have a lot of time to practice during the middle of the day. As such, the best time for you to arrive if you would like to run a practice is anytime after noon. By that time, the busiest part of the trial/meet will have passed and the wait time for practice will be shortest.
Q: Okay, do I need to sign up for practice ahead of time?
A: No, you don't need to sign up for practice ahead of time. Due to the nature of these kinds of events we cannot guarantee specific times for people to practice, nor can we guarantee a specific number of runs for each dog. As such, our approach to practice is mostly a first-come, first-served system. We start making a list of dogs wanting to practice in the morning, then go down that list until every dog has had at least one turn to run. If we have more time then we will allow for second and third runs.
Q: Do you offer classes?
A: No. Due to the amount of time it takes to set up the equipment and the cost of renting venue space for our events, we are not in a position to offer classes at this time.
Q: My dog has done several successful practice runs. What do we do next?
A: Once your dog is reliably running the entire distance of the race track or course with a muzzle on, he or she is ready to take the next step, which is to do a qualifying run. All dogs must pass one qualifying run in order to enter regular race meets or lure coursing trials in the open stake. To pass a qualifying run, your dog must run the entire length of the track or course in the company of another dog of equal size or breed without interfering with the other dog, with a muzzle and blanket on. Once your dog has successfully completed a qualifying run, he or she may then enter regular competition.
Q: Okay, my dog successfully passed his/her qualifying run! What now?
A: Congratulations, you now have a race-ready dog! :-) Your dog is now eligible to run in regular race meets and/or the open stake at lure coursing trials. By now, you should have purchased a properly fitted muzzle and a complete set of racing/lure coursing blankets.
Q: My dog did not pass his/her qualifying run. What now?
A: If your dog did not pass their qualifying run, that means he/she either needs more training, or most likely is not suited to be running in competition with other dogs. If the latter is true, then your dog is welcome to participate in Singles. Singles racing and Singles lure coursing was created to meet the needs of dogs who, for whatever reason, are not able to run in the company of other dogs.
Q: What is Singles?
A: Singles racing and Singles lure coursing was created to meet the needs of dogs who, for whatever reason, are not able to run in the company of other dogs. IT IS NOT THE SAME AS PRACTICE. Dogs participating in Singles are expected to be fully schooled, meaning that they will reliably chase the lure for the entire length of the track/course, wearing a muzzle and a blanket. In Singles racing, the dogs are timed using a high-tech digital timing device that can record a dog's time down to a hundredth of a second. At the end of the day, each dog is ranked using the mean average of their recorded times, and is awarded accordingly. In Singles lure coursing, each dog is judged subjectively using several different categories including: speed, agility, endurance, honest pursuit, and enthusiasm. The judge will give each dog a numerical score (maximum score is 100), and that score will be used to determine placements at the end of the trial.
Q: Does my dog have to wear a muzzle and/or a colored blanket in Singles?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I enter my dog in Singles and practice, or Singles and the regular meet?
A: Generally speaking, no. The reason for this is twofold. First, is simply a matter of time constraints. We only have so much time in the day and we usually have a long list of dogs who want to practice, and most of those dogs actually need that time to learn the game. Therefore, it is only fair that those dogs who are new to racing/lure coursing be given priority when it comes to running practice. If your dog is entered in Singles, he/she is already guaranteed to run at least twice. There is only so much daylight available, particularly in the winter months, so the need to streamline our events is very important. Second, if your dog needs to practice then he/she should not be entered in Singles. Singles is meant for dogs who are 100% schooled on racing/lure coursing.
II. Equipment
Q: My dog is new to this, does he/she need a muzzle?
A: No, not right away. We recommend starting inexperienced dogs without a muzzle, then introducing the muzzle later once the dog has shown keen interest in chasing the lure.
Q: What kind of muzzle do I need?
A: You will need a basket style muzzle that allows the dog to open its mouth and pant while wearing it. There are many different styles of basket muzzles available for purchase on the internet; there are muzzles made of plastic, vinyl, wire, or mesh. You will just have to find a style that works for your individual dog.
Q: Where can I buy blankets?
A: The internet is the best resource for these items. Simply do a Google search for "racing blankets" "lure coursing blankets" or similar, and you will find several options.
Q: I want to make my own blankets. How many do I need, and in what colors?
A: You will need a complete set of blankets. A set includes four blankets in the following numbers and colors: red (#1), blue (#2), white (#3), and green (#4). In lure coursing, we use the colors red, white, and blue; so you can easily flip your numbered blankets over to their blank side and they will double as lure coursing blankets.
