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The health and wellbeing of all dogs at AKC events is paramount.

After a review of the AKC Discipline Guidelines and in consultation with AKC’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Jerry Klein, the AKC Board of Directors approved two new offenses and associated penalties for individuals that knowingly bring dogs that have been diagnosed or exposed to communicable diseases on AKC event grounds. This change is not intended to punish the individual that arrives at an event with a healthy dog that subsequently becomes ill during the events and immediately removes the dog from the grounds. This change is intended to provide Event Committees with authority and recourse should an exhibitor knowingly bring a dog onto the event grounds that has been diagnosed or exposed to a communicable disease, putting other dogs on the grounds of the AKC event at risk. The Event Committee would need to have proof (e.g., diagnosis from a veterinarian, verbal acknowledgement by the exhibitor) of the diagnosis prior to attending the event in order to uphold the charges. The AKC Discipline Guidelines on the AKC website and in the Dealing with Misconduct at American Kennel Club Events booklet will be updated to reflect the new offenses and penalties listed below:

Inappropriate Treatment of Animals

Knowingly bringing a dog on event grounds within 30 days of displaying the first clinical signs of communicable disease.

Mitigated: 3mo/$300

Standard: 6 mo/$500

Aggravated: Up to life/up to $10,000

Knowingly bringing a dog on event grounds within 14 days of it being in contact with another dog displaying signs of communicable disease.

Mitigated: 1 mo/$100

Standard: 3mo/$300

Aggravated: Up to life/up to $10,000

One of the challenges of handling a dog is determining whether the dog is cheating a factor or negotiating the terrain. Pat Burns' Elite Retrievering Training Blog has an interesting analysis.

You can read more here.