If you would like a copy of the BCYF Obedience and/or Agility Judging Guidelines and Procedures Guidebooks for Exhibitors w/ disability please click HERE and scroll down to Canine Exhibitor with Disabilities Guidebooks.

    Berrien County Youth Fair   

Welcome to the Berrien County Youth Fair Dog Department 9 - Division 2; Canine Exhibitor with Disability! This division was set up in nineteen eighty-eight for the canine exhibitor with "different abilities".  You may recognize the term "different abilities" as "disabled" or "handicapped" or maybe even "life challenged".  However you state it, the results remain the same.  These were the exhibitors who were being omitted from exhibition in the canine world because as canine handlers they could not perform to the standards of canine exhibition in agility and obedience. Yet, you put these same "life challenged" exhibitors into the canine therapy world at an American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Program level, working one on one with a Team Instructor and these same exhibitors thrive and blossom!  The reason?  The exhibitor is accepted as being normal.  That's right...normal.  It is normal for the exhibitor to have a life challenge.  It is normal for the exhibitor to perceive his or her realm differently from our own perception.  It is normal for the exhibitor to find another way of communication with his or her own or volunteer team canine.  It is normal for the exhibitor to adapt or to "believe the terrain" in a fashion that may or may not be fully understood by the "normal" world. If ever the adage "Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." penned by Murial Strode was more true, it was never more so than with the BCYF's Canine Exhibitor with Disabilities.  These men and women were pioneers of a whole new area in the canine therapy world. In 2001, the Berrien County Youth Fair Dog Superintendent, Margaret Russell, gave a group of special needs canine exhibitors 4-H leaders and team instructors the go ahead to developed a canine therapy judging program for a small group of children with disabilities who wanted to show off their canine skills in obedience and agility but could not meet the existing standards in canine competition.  For five years, these same 4-H leaders and team instructors researched, wrote, edited, experimented with techniques and worked with special needs children with disabilities of Best Friends 4-H Club, finally developing a lasting canine procedure and judging program in dog obedience and agility.  The modules for this endeavor were Best Friends 4-H Club Mission Goals The American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Program Therapy Dog International Program The Newfoundland Club of America Draft Test The Newfoundland Club of America Water Rescue Test The American Kennel Club Obedience Rules and Regulations The American Kennel Club Agility Rules and Regulations Setting a "high bar"  of standards, the Mission Statement for providing a dog judging program on Canine Sportsmanship, Obedience, Agility and Anatomy Competition/Evaluation for Exhibitors with disabilities is as follows: To provide an educational experience for exhibitors that otherwise might be omitted from competition and denied the experience and growth it provides. To provide exhibitors an opportunity to learn about canine training and handling in a safe, supportive environment by using the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Program as a goal. To focus on building positive relationships between the exhibitor and his or her own or volunteer canine through teamwork. To provide canine therapy and motivation with physical and mental stimulation while having fun! The Purpose of judging a Canine Sportsmanship, Obedience, Agility and Anatomy Competition/Evaluation for Exhibitors with disabilities is as follows: The Canine Sportsmanship, Obedience and Anatomy Competition/Evaluation are a series of exercises designed to demonstrate the working relationships and abilities of the exhibitor and his or her canine in a controlled performance and natural independence exercise. These exercises are not a test, but rather demonstrate the exhibitor's team ability and skill acquired through training and bonding with his or her canine. Each team will be evaluated on the progress of his or her comprehension aptitude and his or her ability to physically execute the verbal exercise commands given by the judge. The exhibitor and his or her canine will demonstrate their confidence in each other, as well as, his or her temperament, willingness and enjoyment of working with each other. The Pioneers were Linda Shannon-Chaillet; Berrien County Youth Fair Dog Assistant Superintendent, Best Friends 4-H Club Coordinator, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, Berrien County 4-H Spring Achievement Canine Evaluation Chair Jane Evans; Best Friends 4-H Club Co-Coordinator (1995-2007) Sue Hayes; Best Friends 4-H Club Secretary, Berrien County Youth Fair Dog Show Secretary Rosie Meister; Best Friends 4-H Club Anatomy Class Instructor Vicki Williams; Berrien County Youth Fair Dog Department Assistant Superintendent, Best Friends 4-H Club Co-Coordinator and Obedience Class Instructor, Berrien County 4-H Spring Achievement Canine Evaluation Co-Chair Betsy Farrell, Best Friends 4-H Club Agility Class Instructor Linda Pries;  Best Friends 4-H Club Good Sportsmanship and Figure Eight Class Instructor Annette Traywick; Best Friends 4-H Club Team Instructor Jim Farrell, Best Friends Best Friends 4-H Club Team Instructor Linda Reimers;  Best Friends 4-H Club Team Instructor Sue Corliss;  Best Friends 4-H Club Team Instructor This site was last updated 03/23/10 Website and all its contents are copyright © Linda M. 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