Height Cards

[aussielover]

What do you do if your dog is borderline though? Obviously it is almost impossible to accurately measure within 1mm (which is why 546mm is a bit ridiculous as a cut off!!!) so the dog could vary on any given day it was measured depending on how it holds itself, if it wriggles etc.

Someone was saying to me that it only really matters if you're going to win- that's the only time there will be a challenge.

So it may be better to have my borderline lab measured as a 500 dog as we aren't realistically ever going to win and although she is a leaner build than many labs she is still a labrador.

But then, I don't know if i would feel like this is cheating (although I do see plenty of dogs that look like they should be in the next height class!).

Obviously I want to do what is best for my dog's health though.

[ness]

You go with what the height card says. Kenz was trained at 500 when she started as it was easier training 2 dogs in the same height class and she also jumps better at 500 (and I presumed she would probably end up a 500 dog as you do when you have a BC ).

Under the last version of the rules prior to the latest version there was also the option of jumping your dog up a height class if you wished. This option was removed with the latest rule change.

Edited May 28, 2012 by ness

[J...]

What do you do if your dog is borderline though? Obviously it is almost impossible to accurately measure within 1mm (which is why 546mm is a bit ridiculous as a cut off!!!) so the dog could vary on any given day it was measured depending on how it holds itself, if it wriggles etc.

Someone was saying to me that it only really matters if you're going to win- that's the only time there will be a challenge.

So it may be better to have my borderline lab measured as a 500 dog as we aren't realistically ever going to win and although she is a leaner build than many labs she is still a labrador.

But then, I don't know if i would feel like this is cheating (although I do see plenty of dogs that look like they should be in the next height class!).

Obviously I want to do what is best for my dog's health though.

You rarely hear anything about it even if a dog is really borderline. There are a few kicking around who are close but no-one really says much, and what can they do anyway? If you have a height card then that's all that needs to be said :)

I would highly recommend getting any dog used to being measured though, no matter how bombproof they seem, especially if they are likely to be close. Darcy (who I would've said was totally bombproof!) was measured pretty easily for agility but had a real objection to the obedience measuring frame and was quite difficult to measure. Luckily she is clearly in at 520 mm.

Edited May 28, 2012 by Jess.

[Sayreovi]

ETA. Sorry tollersowned I didn't mean to make it sound like you would be dishonest. Thanks for clarifying what you meant.

Not offended at all Ness, just wanted to clear it up.

In the end I opted not to get his height officially approved anyway so would be interesting what he might be remeasured at!

Glad that my other two that I have/will trial are clearly 500/400 dogs

[Kavik]

I would highly recommend getting any dog used to being measured though, no matter how bombproof they seem, especially if they are likely to be close. Darcy (who I would've said was totally bombproof!) was measured pretty easily for agility but had a real objection to the obedience measuring frame and was quite difficult to measure. Luckily she is clearly in at 520 mm.

That is a good point! Kaos was a bugger to get measured, he wouldn't cooperate at all!

[sheena]

I had Cricket measured today by a judge just for practice & he came in at 495 How could that be...he is a monster & towers over Bindi who was measured at 510. Thinking maybe I should just get a few judges to practice measure him, then choose the one that suits :laugh: This judge first measured in front of his shoulder bones then behind them, I thought it had to be on his withers which I thought was the hump above his shoulder.

[smisch]

Lol I had the opposite issue with Den JUST measured in as a 500 dog lol! And then had judges even one who measured him question that he was too small for 500... Remeasure AGAIN lol nope still a 500!

[sunnyjohn]

Does a 600 dog need a height card to trial?

[wuffles]

I get a lot of people question my dog's measured height (she seems smaller than her measurement). But she's clearly a 500 dog (500mm) and I don't mind her jumping 500 in obedience so I accept it :laugh:

[aussielover]

Does a 600 dog need a height card to trial?

I think all dogs need a height card to trial (in ANKC agility anyway)

I just measured Mindy myself and she is 57cm so well over the 54.5 cm required for a 500 dog.

I don't know why people keep telling me she is "borderline"

[sheena]

I had Cricket measured today by a judge just for practice & he came in at 495 How could that be...he is a monster & towers over Bindi who was measured at 510. Thinking maybe I should just get a few judges to practice measure him, then choose the one that suits :laugh: This judge first measured in front of his shoulder bones then behind them, I thought it had to be on his withers which I thought was the hump above his shoulder.

Found out today that the judge should have added an extra 50 mm for the base of the measuring stick...so all dogs yesterday had to get a new card. That makes him 545 mm with still two months to go till he can be officially measured.