Obedience: Utility (UD)

Utility is the ultimate set of tests, mixing arm signals, retrieving, and working away from the handler. There are six exercises worth 200 points.

Like Open, there are A and B classes intended for those seeking the UD title, and those that have the title and are seeking the UDX or OTCH titles. Also like Open, the Utility A exercises are conducted in the order below while Utility B can mix the order. All exercises at this level are off-leash.

Signal Exercise – 40 points – This amazing exercise requires the dog to do all commands with signals only. It starts with a heeling pattern, when commanded the handler will “Stand their dog” and “leave their dog.” After leaving they will walk across the ring, turn and face their dog. The judge will use arm signals to tell the handler to down their dog, sit their dog and call their dog. The exercise ends with the finish.

Scent Discrimination Article No. 1 – 30 points – In both scent discrimination exercises the handler “scents” one (handler’s choice to start with metal or leather) of 10 articles (5 are metal, 5 are leather), which is placed with the other articles in the center of the ring by the judge. The dog is sent to the pile and must select the article recently scented by the handler, retrieve it to hand, and complete the exercise with a front and finish.

Scent Discrimination Article No. 2 – 30 points – The other of article (opposite type of first one) is used as the scented article and is conducted the same as the previous exercise.

Directed Retrieve – 30 points – Three gloves are placed at the two corners and middle of a side of the ring. The judge will tell the handler the number of the glove to have the dog retrieve. The handler turns on the judge’s command with the dog and sends the dog to the glove. The dog must go out, retrieve the glove, and return to front. The handler will take the glove and finish the dog when commanded by the judge.

Moving Stand and Examination – 30 points – A variation of the Novice Stand for Examination, this exercise requires the dog to be left in a stand as it is heeling with the owner, and the judge performs a much more extensive examination of the dog.

Directed Jumping – 40 points – The dog is sent to the far middle of the ring between a bar jump and a high jump and must sit when told by the handler. The handler then signals either the bar or high jump, which the dog must then take and do a front and finish. The dog is then sent again and the other jump is taken.

The utility title is represented by a “UD” at the end of the dogs name (Utility Dog), and represents a dog who has achieved a qualifying score in either Utility A or B three different times. As noted about, a qualifying score is a minimum 170 achieved by earning at least half of the possible points in each exercise.