Some Doggone Good Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions are presented for members to better understand some MBDCA rules and regulations. Rules are subject to change and when changes occur, they are published in the newsletter, Mixed Reviews.

1. So Sits/Downs Judges need to be MBDCA-approved?
   Yes. Make sure your Sits/Downs judge is approved, or give a questionnaire to that judge to complete.
   

2. My local club is hosting a show that is an "MBDCA sanctioned show." What does this mean?
   This designation means that your club has sought and received approval from MBDCA to hold this show. It means that all the judges are MBDCA-approved so you don’t need to take judges questionnaires with you to the match. (It also means that you do not need to send in an ENF to the Awards Secretary and you do not have to mail in the Judge’s Certification form after the show.) But you must pre-register with the local club. A two-week pre-entry deadline is required by most host clubs. Walk-in registrations are not allowed.
   

3. I showed at a fun match but the judge was not MBDCA approved. The judge filled in my questionnaire. Do I mail in the questionnaire to the Awards Secretary along with my Judge’s Certification form?
   No. Send completed Judge’s Questionnaires to the Judges Secretary.
   

4. At a local fun match, the judge was an AKC judge. Does this judge need to fill out an MBDCA judge’s questionnaire?
   Unless the judge is already on the MBDCA list of approved judges, then the judge will have to fill in a questionnaire.
   

5. Do Tracking, Lure Coursing, and Retriever Instinct Judges need to be MBDCA-approved?
   Yes. Whenever you are going for a leg or a title, the judge must always be MBDCA-approved.

6. I’m going for my first Novice leg. Can I also register for Pre-novice?
   No, if you are going into the Pre-novice ring first. This would constitute a "practice run" which is prohibited. Likewise, if you are going for a leg in Open, it is not permissible to first have a "practice run" in Novice.
   

7. If obedience rings are divided into "A" and "B," which should I be in if I’m going for a leg?
   Unless the host club has different rules, generally you may enter either (or both) for a leg. For example, if you’ve never earned a Novice title before, you may go into either A or B. Even if you previously have earned that title on another dog, you may still enter A or B, although by convention, most people would enter B. Here is an important exception: if the club is providing a placement ribbon or a prize of any nature, and you are competing for a prize or ribbon, then your choice between A and B is limited. At the novice level, you must enter B if you have previously earned a novice title on any dog.
   
   Once a dog has earned the Novice title, it may compete for prizes in neither Novice A nor B.
   
   If you have earned an Open or Utility title on a dog, you may subsequently compete for prizes in the A class with another dog as long as that dog doesn’t have that title.
   
   If you are a judge or you have earned an Obedience Trial Champion title, you must compete for prizes or ribbons only in the B classes at all levels.
   
   Even if you are not eligible to compete for prizes in a particular class, you may still earn a leg in that class by entering on an "Exhibition Only" basis (see question # 13).
   

8. A local training club is having a match, and the same judge is judging both the A and the B rings for the same obedience class. Can I try for two legs with my dog under this judge?
   No. Members may only make one showing with a dog under the same judge for the same class on the same day.
   

9. If I show under a judge and NQ, can I attempt another leg under this judge at a later show?
   Yes.
   

10. I already have a Novice title on my dog from another club. Can I start my dog in Open with MBDCA?
    No. You would first need to earn your MB-CD. Likewise, you would need to first earn the MB-CDX before attempting the MB-UD, and you would need to MB-UD before attempting the MB-UDX.
    

11. Exactly what does "Exhibition Only" and "Workshop Only" mean?
    Exhibition Only means that the person is attempting a leg (and needs to mail in the Entry Notification Form) but is not competing for any prize or placement ribbon. This person is scored like any other competitor and a qualifying score could count as a leg. Workshop Only means that the person is using the event merely as "practice." This person is not attempting a leg, may correct his dog, and receives no score. You may not enter a show "Workshop Only" if you’re also trying for a leg later in the same show (see question # 8).
    

12. I’m going for my third Novice leg at a match. May I also enter the Open ring for a leg at the same match if my dog earns its third Novice leg?
    No. You must first receive official notice that you’ve been awarded your MB-CD (see General Obedience Regulations # 11).
    

13. What portions of the Judges Certification form am I supposed to fill out?
    You should fill in all spaces except the judges’ signatures/date, the score, and the placement. Be certain that you print the judge’s name where indicated. Be sure to sign your name where indicated and make a copy for your records before mailing the original to the Awards Secretary.
    

14. Our chapter hosted a Specialty Show. I’m not sure if the fee to be paid to MBDCA is based on the number of dogs or the number of entries.
    Although a dog may be shown in several events or activities, the fee is based on the number of dogs entered for the show.

They come in a wide variety of colors. Their coats can be short or long, curly or straight, silky or wiry. They can weigh eight pounds or eighty.

Mixed breed dogs are as diverse as the purebreds from which they originate. Each one is unique. Their roles are as varied as their backgrounds. Mixed breed dogs are used in herding and pet-assisted therapy, as rescue and hearing dogs, and in obedience and tracking competition. But their most familiar role is as a much loved family pet and companion.

Technically, a Mixed Breed is the offspring of two different purebreds. The mating of a purebred and a mixed breed results in a litter on Mongrels. And, if both parents are either mixed breeds or mongrels, the pups are Mutts.

But none of this is important. It's the dog's inner self that we love, not the length of his coat or the caliber of his pedigree.

Whether you call your dog a mixed breed, mongrel, or mutt, you're welcome in the Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America.

If you have any questions or would like more information on MBDCA, please contact:

Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America
Linda Lewis, National Membership Secretary
13884 State Route 104
Lucasville, OH 45648-8586
(740) - 259 - 3941
E-Mail
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