A Look Back at Obedience The History of Golden Retrievers in Obedience by Dee Dee Anderson DD@DDsDogTraining.com A photo from the GRCA Archives of an early obedience trial circa 1940-50. I thought it might be fun to take a look at how well Goldens have done in the obedience ring. It took months of research for me to compile the following information. I apologize if there is any missing information or mistakes. The first Obedience trials took place in 1936, with three classes offered: Novice, Open and Utility. These classes were associated with the following titles: Companion Dog (CD), Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) and Utility Dog (UD). A perfect score then was a 100 in Novice, 250 in Open and 200 in Utility. The Utility class has had some changes over the years. It appears that a perfect score was changed to a 200 for all three classes in 1947. Jumps also have been lowered over the years from one-and-a-half times the dog s height, to one-anda-quarter times the dog s height, and finally to the current height which is equal to the height of the dog at the withers (the actual height of the jump shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of 2 inches). Note: some breeds only jump threequarters their actual height at the withers. A dog that jumps 22 inches now would have jumped 32 inches in the early years of obedience. In 1977, the Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH) title was introduced and the first dog of any breed to earn that esteemed title was a Golden: Moreland s Golden Tonka, owned by Russ Klipple. Goldens have earned approximately 905 OTCH titles from 1977 to 2012. We now have the following collection of titles that can be earned: BN, CD, GN, CDX, GO, UD, VER, UDX, OM, OGM and OTCH. Note: For this article dogs are listed with AKC titles only. PERFECT 200 SCORES FOR GOLDENS A perfect score of 200 is the ultimate goal for dog/handler teams in Obedience and it is very hard to come by. The AKC has tightened up its judging standards since the first obedience trials, with more attention to educating judges and more stringent qualification criteria to be a judge. The AKC judges are more knowledgeable and schooled than in any other registry. But Goldens seem to be able to earn those perfect scores, despite the bar being set higher and higher for a perfect performance. The AKC does not keep records of those dogs that have earned scores of 200, but by going through GRCA yearbooks and GRCA member Helen Smith s statistics, you can find the Goldens that have earned perfect scores. Most of the Goldens in the list earned one perfect 200 score in their lifetime. There are many with more than two, but only seven with more than ten perfect 200 scores. The first AKC OTCH of any breed and four-time Classic winner OTCH Moreland s Golden Tonka with owner Russ Klipple
GOLDENS EARNING 10 OR MORE PERFECT SCORES! (Note: Dates given are years the dogs competed in Obedience.) Number of Perfect Scores Dog and Handler (dates competed) 36 CH Sun Dance s Rusticana UD, Munneke (1958-1967) 25 NOC OTCH DD s Dreams Do Come True VCD1 UDX18 OGM RE TDX JH NA NAJ, Anderson (2005- ) 14 Goldwood Michael UD, Brainard (1945-1949) 14 CH Ben s Major of Sun Dance UD, Lake (1958-1964) 14 OTCH Breakwater Ice Skater UDX JH, Gannon (2001-2008) 12 CH Duckerbird Atomic UD, Frank (1947-1952) 11 NOC OTCH High Times Ris n Above The Tide, UDX15 OGM RE, Rasinowich-Platt (2008- ) AKC NATIONAL OBEDIENCE INVITATIONAL 1995 NOC OTCH Meadowpond s High On Chemo UDX, Lynn Heidinger, IL. 1997 NOC OTCH Sparkle s Keepin Nice Naughty UDX, Terri Arnold, MA. The first AKC National Obedience Invitational (NOI) held in 1995, and the first dog to win it was a Golden Retriever. Goldens have won the prestigious NOI competition, and earned the National Obedience Champion (NOC) title, 10 out of the 17 times it has been held.. NOI GOLDEN RETRIEVER WINNERS 1995 NOC OTCH Meadowpond s High On Chemo UDX, Lynn Heidinger, IL. 1997 NOC OTCH Sparkle s Keepin Nice Naughty UDX, Terri Arnold, MA. 1998 NOC OTCH Colabaugh s Sugar Magnolia, Pierrette Pillone, NJ. 1999 NOC OTCH Sunfire s Toast Of The Town UDX, Lynn Heidinger, IL. 2000 NOC OTCH Sunfire s Toast Of The Town UDX, Lynn Heidinger, IL. 2002 NOC OTCH Wynwood New Direction UDX, John Brooks, AR. 2005 NOC OTCH First String s Cubby Bear UDX22 AX NAJ, Kathleen Rasinowich-Platt, NE. 2007 NOC OTCH DD s Dreams Do Come True VCD1 UDX18 OGM RE TDX JH NA NAJ, Dee Dee Anderson, CA. 2010 NOC OTCH High Times Ris n Above The Tide UDX13 OGM RE, Kathleen Rasinowich-Platt, NE. 2011 NOC OTCH Spirit s Zim Zam Zoom UDX6 OM4, Ward Falkner, BC Canada. 1999 & 2000 NOC OTCH Sunfire s Toast Of The Town UDX, Lynn Heidinger, IL. 2002 NOC OTCH Wynwood New Direction UDX, John Brooks, AR. 2005 NOC OTCH First String s Cubby Bear UDX22 AX NAJ, Kathleen Rasinowich- Platt, NE.
THE CLASSICS Before the AKC National Obedience Invitational there was the Illini Classic later called the Gaines Classic, then Cycle Classic then the Pup-Peroni Classic. This was the only competition event that brought the top Obedience dogs in the country together. There were also regional events and all events had Novice, Open and Super Dog (Open and Utility) classes. The Classics were not sponsored by the AKC. To win the silver dumbbell and be crowned Super dog for the year was the win to shoot for! It was the Super Bowl of dog obedience and if you won, you were called the best behaved K9 in the country. The first Gaines competition was held in 1975. It was Jack Godsil who said, Any dog can get hot and win once in awhile, but it s that consistent dog that s in the ribbons time after time, who is really the best dog! Sounds like a Golden Retriever s kind of competition. The first winner of the Classic would be a Golden Retriever, and Goldens would go on to win 20 out of 26 times! 2007 NOC OTCH DD s Dreams Do Come True VCD1 UDX18 OGM RE TDX JH NA NAJ, Dee Dee Anderson, CA. 2010 NOC OTCH High Times Ris n Above The Tide UDX13 OGM RE, Kathleen Rasinowich- Platt, NE. Golden Retriever Classic Winners 1975 Moreland s Golden Tonka, Russ Klipple 1977 Moreland s Golden Tonka, Russ Klipple 1978 OTCH Meadow Pond Happy Valentine, Ron Roberts 1979 OTCH Moreland s Golden Tonka, Russ Klipple 1980 OTCH Moreland s Golden Tonka, Russ Klipple 1981 OTCH Meadowpond Fem De Fortune, Diane Bauman 1983 OTCH Meadowpond Fem De Fortune, Diane Bauman 1985 OTCH Splashdown Tess Of Culynwood, Dee Dee Anderson 1986 OTCH Meadowpond Stardust Reggie, Alfred Einhorn 1987 OTCH Meadowpond Stardust Reggie, Alfred Einhorn 1988 OTCH Stardust Ruby Slippers, Laurie Rubenfeld 1989 OTCH Stardust Ruby Slippers, Laurie Rubenfeld 1990 OTCH Meadowpond Stardust Reggie, Alfred Einhorn 1991 OTCH Meadowpond Keepin In Stride, Terri Arnold 1992 OTCH Stardust Rainier Rocky, Andrea Vaughn 1996 OTCH Sparklin s Instant Recall UDX, Marilyn Donlon-Higgins 1997 OTCH Shoreland Rainier Rambo UDX, Andrea Vaughan 1998 OTCH Sparklin s Instant Recall UDX, Marilyn Donlon-Higgins 1999 OTCH Shoreland Rainier Rambo UDX, Andrea Vaughan 2000 OTCH Shoreland Rainier Rambo UDX, Andrea Vaughan 1985 Classic Winner OTCH Splashdown Tess of Culynwood, Dee Dee Anderson 1991 Classic Winner OTCH Meadowpond Keepin In Stride, Terri Arnold 1992 Classic Winner OTCH Stardust Rainier Rocky, Andrea Vaughn
AKC OBEDIENCE DOG OF THE YEAR The AKC gives out a top Obedience Dog of the Year award (once called the Ken-L Ration Dog of the Year award in Obedience). This award goes to the top dog earning the most OTCH points within a calendar year. You can only earn OTCH points in the Open B and Utility B classes. Goldens have won this award 17 out of 30 times. 1997, 1999, 2000 Classic Winner OTCH Shoreland Rainier Rambo UDX, Andrea Vaughan Golden Retriever AKC Obedience Dog of the Year Winners 1977 OTCH Moreland s Golden Tonka, Klipple 1978 CH OTCH Sunstreak of Culynwood TD, Bluford 1979, 1980, 1981 CH OTCH Meadowpond Dust Commander, Brown 1982, 1983 OTCH Topbrass Ric O Shay Barty, Long 1986,1987, 1988 OTCH Glorybee Amber Arthur s Honor, D. Platt 1989 OTCH Shoreland s Big Harry Deal**, Mayborne 1990 OTCH Tanbarks Bristol Creme UDX, Brown 1991 OTCH Locknor B Fifty-Two Bomber, Patton 2001 NOC OTCH Sunfire s Toast Of The Town UDX45, Heidinger 2004 OTCH High Times Belvedere s Duck Soup UDX14 MH*** MX MXJ, Carlsen 2005 OTCH Breakwater Ice Skater UDX JH, Gannon 2006 OTCH First String s Liv n On The Edge UDX20 OM6 NA NAJ, Rasinowich-Platt 2007 OTCH Tanbark s Something s Burnin UDX12, Piefer 1978 AKC Obedience Dog of the Year CH OTCH Sunstreak of Culynwood TD, Bluford How well do Goldens do in Obedience trials overall? No other breed has attained the results that Goldens have. They are almost in a league of their own. Below is a chart with results from 1994 to 2010. In 2010, there were 2,490 Obedience trials where Goldens won 712 High In Trials and 630 High Combined awards. *Note: A High In Trial comes out of Novice, Open or Utility. It is the highest score earned for that trial. A High Combined award is limited to Open B and Utility B classes. It is the highest combined score for the trial. 1982, 1983 AKC Obedience Dog of the Year OTCH Topbrass Ric O Shay Barty, Long 2004 AKC Obedience Dog of the Year OTCH High Times Belvedere s Duck Soup UDX14 MH*** MX MXJ, Carlsen 2005 AKC Obedience Dog of the Year OTCH Breakwater Ice Skater UDX JH, Gannon
Year High In Trials High Combineds Perfect 200 Scores 2006 AKC Obedience Dog of the Year OTCH First String s Liv n On The Edge UDX20 OM6 NA NAJ, Rasinowich-Platt 1994 516 428 12 1995 522 488 10 1996 542 489 16 1997 547 452 14 1998 468 462 16 1999 513 494 13 2000 551 480 5 2001 590 534 19 2002 620 551 24 2003 587 494 21 2004 559 493 18 2005 607 518 21 2006 637 556 9 2007 687 602 29 2008 628 583 22 2009 658 578 22 2010 712 630 29 TOTAL 9944 8832 300 In summary, it s readily apparent that Goldens not only do well in Obedience they excel. And even more importantly, they do very well at high stress tournaments like the Classic and the NOI. The reasons why might be obvious to some. Goldens love to please, and they love to be with their owners. They are game for just about anything that is asked from them, and they do not mind repeating behaviors even if there is not a cookie involved. Of course, some dogs are better at performing than others, and some handler/trainers are better at teaching and showing than others. But all in all, Goldens have done better then any other breed in the Obedience ring. So, there is no excuse for not putting an obedience title on your Golden. 2007 AKC Obedience Dog of the Year OTCH Tanbark s Something s Burnin UDX12, Piefer Happy Training! Classic Winners: 1988 & 1989 OTCH Stardust Ruby Slippers, Laurie Rubenfeld; 1986, 1987 & 1990 OTCH Meadowpond Stardust Reggie, Alfred Einhorn; 1981 & 1983 OTCH Meadowpond Fem De Fortune, Diane Bauman