Disclaimer: This is not a UKC sanctioned document. It is not meant to be definitive, exhaustive, nor authoritative. This information is provided by me as a convenient resource only. It is not to be considered official. You should contact the UKC directly for official information from them: UKC United Kennel Club 100 East Kilgore Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49001-5598; (616) 343-9020.
New! Website at http://www.ukcdogs.com/. The HRC page is at http://www.hrc-ukc.com/.
Another source of UKC info on the net (also unofficial) is kept by Pat Kalbaugh, pkalbaug@ptialaska.net, at: http://www.ptialaska.net/~pkalbaug/ukcindex.html. Anot
Thanks to: Chris Barnes, Gail E. Brookhart, Terri Hardwick, S. Mudgett, Dianne Schoenberg, Kathy Vineyard, marvinw, and Pamela & the happy pack.
Today, the United Kennel Club provides an alternative to the more widely known American Kennel Club in the United States and performs many of the same functions: registry, shows, and stud books. The UKC has grown rapidly in the last few years and is worth looking at. If your dog is registered with another registry (AKC, CKC, etc), it is easy to register your dog with the UKC as well. UKC recognizes 166 breeds, including some that the AKC does not. UKC offers breed, obedience, agility and hunting trials. Because of their initial start with game and hunting breeds, they are primarily performance oriented, although they have shown signs of changing this in recent years (for example, with the advent of all breed conformation shows in 1995).
The UKC is willing to explore the addition of more sports and events and is in need of parent breed clubs for the work of adding to the conformation shows held by UKC.
There are no professional handlers allowed in UKC conformation or obedience events. Certified Handlers are allowed by either in person permission of the registered owner or by written permission of the registered owner.
It is very easy to start a club and to get approval for putting on UKC sanctioned events. At shows, there are no Premium Lists, no catalogs, no worry about timing - for example the obedience trials are always at one ring and the order is always Utility B, Utility A, Open B, Open A, Novice B, Novice A, non-regular classes (Grad Novice or Pre-Novice [veterans?]). There is usually a price break for preregistering for a show. The pre-registered dogs are judged first.
100 East Kilgore Road
Kalamazoo MI 49001
Phone:
The UKC also publishes a number of informational magazines on its activities and upcoming events. These include:
100 East Kilgore Road
Kalamazoo MI 49001-5596
1 yr $12USD (7 issues)
Bloodlines is UKC's offical publication, and it lists all shows, etc). Each January issue is the Rules booklet for all its events for that year. You can get a copy of the most recent January issue at any time.
100 East Kilgore Road
Kalamazoo, MI 49001-5592
Hunting trials are covered by the Hunting Retriever Club newsletters.
Such dogs and some of their offspring are ineligible for the Purple Ribbon pedigree (see below).
AMBOR may be contacted through:
President: Linda Readman, PO Box 7841, Rockford, IL 61126;
amborlcr@aol.com
Membership Coordinator: Michele Sanders, RD 3 PO Box 297, Hanover,
PA, 17331; michelemut@aol.com.
In 1996, the UKC started a DNA registration program. Dogs that have been identified by DNA analysis are marked on papers; dogs whose parentage has been proven by DNA analysis are also marked on their papers and where appropriate, their pedigrees. They are the first Kennel Club in the United states to incorporate this information into their stud books.
There are 167 breeds recognized by UKC. Some notable exceptions to the AKC list: many coonhound breeds, American Pit Bull Terrier, Appenzeller, Ariegeois, Azawakh, Belgian Shepherd Dog (includes Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois, Tervuren as in the European manner), Border Collie, Boykin Spaniel, Chinook, Entelbucher, German Pinscher, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Havanese, Jagdterrier, Leonberger, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Polish Owczarek Nizinny, Toy Fox Terrier, and Xoloitzuintlis
Dogs are weighed and measured for height at every show to determine if the dog fits within the requirements of the standard. Dogs need only be measured once when the same club is offering more than one event in a weekend
Grooming is not allowed in the ring and includes grooming tools, spray bottles and wiping cloths.
Owners or handlers may not use any means of attracting the dog's attention such as food, keys, or squeakers. You may speak or snap your fingers to your own dog. If you bait in the ring you are excused.
The classes are:
Dogs shown in variety classes: American Eskimo, Belgian Shepherd Dog, Collie, Dachshund, Fox Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, Manchester Terrier.
Breeds with Height Disqualifications: Akita, Australian Cattle Dog, Basset Hound, Beagle, Belgian Shepherd Dog, Briard, Brittany Spaniel, Canaan Dog, Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Havanese, Irish Wolfhound, Kerry Blue Terrier, Kuvasz, Miniature Pinscher, Miniature Schnauzer, Papillon, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Puli, Shetland Sheepdog, Shiba, Siberian Husky, Standard Schnauzer, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Whippet.
Dogs with Weight Disqualifications: Boston Terrier, Chihuahua, French Bulldog, Havanese, Irish Wolfhound, Manchester Terrier, Pekingese, Toy Fox Terrier.
In 1996, a fourth, competitive, title was recently added: the U-OCH.
In UKC the jump is the dog's height at the withers to a maximum of 24" (lower than the AKC's maximums). They also allow warmups on the grounds (including jumping), and some clubs will set up a ring specifically for warming your dog up.
Brown ribbons may be awarded for qualifying scores in obedience events.
Jump heights: minimum 8 inches to a maximum 24 inches. The height is set at even 2 inch increments. A dog 17 1/2 inches jumps 16 inch high. A dog must jump twice its shoulder height for the Broad Jump in one inch increments.
Honor (Long Down in opposite ring
corner while other dog doing
Heel on Leash) 35 pts
Heel on Leash and Figure 8 35
Stand for Exam 30
Heel off Leash 35
Recall over Jump 35
Long Sit (1 min) 30
----
200
Honoring (out of sight) 30 pts
Heel Off Leash and Figure 8 40
Drop on Recall 30
Retrieve on Flat 20
Retrieve over High Jump 30
Broad Jump 20
Long Sit (3 min out of sight) 30
----
200
On the Heel Off Leash the steward walks the same pattern
as the handler/dog team. Also after the dog drops on the
Drop on Recall the steward walks from the handler's side
past the dog to the other side of the ring.
Signaling and Heeling 30
Scent Discrimination (metal) 30
Directed 'Marked' Retrieve
(from handlers side) 30
Directed 'Signal' Retrieve
(sent from handler, then
directed) 30
Consecutive Recalls
(one with and one without
Down) 40
Directed Jumping 40
----
200
Like AKC hunting tests, there are 3 tests designed for different levels of ability of the dog. The dogs are judged against a standard for that level of test (ie. not against each other). The 3 levels of tests are called Started, Seasoned, and Finished, and are basically equivalent to the AKC levels of Junior, Senior, and Master. While not always true, it is generally agreed by people that run both AKC and HRC tests, that a HRC test is slightly easier than it's AKC counterpart.
Unlike AKC tests, titles are awarded based on the total number of points a dog has accumulated. Three titles are possible (they are "name prefix" titles - ie. the title goes before the name of the dog on the pedigree). They are: HR (Hunting Retriever), HRCH (Hunting Retriever Champion), and GRHRCH (Grand Hunting Retriever Champion).
The point requirements for each title are: HR - 40 points, HRCH - 100 points, GRHRCH 300 points (more on this in a moment). Points for each stake are broken down as follows: Started - 5 points (max of 10 may be earned at this level), Seasoned - 10 points (max of 40 may be earned at this level), Finished - 15 points (no maximum). There is one additional test level equivalent to the the AKC's National Master. It is called the "Grand" -- a series of tests over 4-5 days which include quartering. To qualify for entering, the dog must earn 100 points. A dog earns points for each Grand pass; for a dog to earn its GRHRCH a dog must have at least two Grand passes.
There are no restrictions as to breeds that may enter an HRC test (as long as it's UKC registered). The HRC program aims to simulate, as realistically as possible, actual hunting conditions.
The HRC tests pay perhaps more attention to gun safety than other hunt tests. At the Started level, the handler has the OPTION of handling a gun. Usually a Started handler does NOT handle a gun, as their dog is not required to be steady and the handler cannot both handle a gun and have their dog on lead at the line. Thus gun line. The judges strongly discourage Started handlers from handling a gun, unless the handler is certain the dog will be steady. If a gun is handled at the Started level, the judges will evaluate the handler on gun safety, and hence, can fail the dog/handler team for poor gun safety. At higher levels, steadiness and good gun handling practices are required.
The requirements for each stake are as follows:
UKC-recognized coonhounds include: American Black and Tan Coonhound, Bluetick Coonhound, English Coonhound, Plott Hound, Redbone Coonhound, and the Treeing Walker Coonhound.
For all show titles there must be at least one win over competition (unlike AKC, UKC will award points in some cases where there is no competition).
Beagles offer bench classes, BUT the dog either has to have run in the trial the same day or PLACED in a hunt.
Titles for coonhounds only: