Changes to Rules Applying to Dog Shows

Chapter 2, Section 4 Effective: January 1, 2012
Applications for Conformation and Obedience events must be received by the American Kennel Club at least EIGHTEEN weeks before the closing date for entries of the event. This rule changes the submission deadline from twenty-four weeks to eighteen weeks to coincide with the deadline for the judges panel.

Chapter 3, Section 23 Effective: January 1, 2011
Winner of the Best in Miscellaneous Class will be awarded points towards a Certificate of Merit based upon the total number of dogs that competed in all of the Miscellaneous Class breeds.

Chapter 10 Effective: January 1, 2012
Clarifications were made to this chapter to update the requirements for show veterinarians to better accommodate on-call veterinarians and to require clubs to inform them of their duties.

Chapter 15, Section 1 Effective: January 1, 2012
This rule change requires the Event Committee’s involvement in the process of removing dogs form the show. The requirement to complete a form has been eliminated.

For disclosure of the full text of amendments to the Rules Applying to Dog Shows, visit this page.

Changes to Dealing with Misconduct

Section X, SUSPENSION Effective: Immediately
An Event Committee may only grant a stay of a suspension if the following conditions exist:

• The Event Committee has classified the conduct of the suspended individual as a violation that, pursuant to the AKC Discipline Guidelines, has a mitigated penalty that includes a reprimand.

• The Event Committee is recommending that the AKC impose the mitigated penalty.