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CCA questions

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7.2K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  LibertyME  
#1 ·
I'm very excited that there is a CCA event in my general area in a couple of months. I have long wanted to have my girls evaluated but have some questions about CCAs. I'm probably worrying for nothing-we probably won't get picked in the drawing, but I can hope.

#1: Ruby didn't develop 4 premolars (1 in each quadrant). I know that is a fault but not disqualifying. I also had to remove her left upper fouth premolar about a month ago (it had a slab fracture). Are missing teeth just one deduction or do you get additional deductions for each missing tooth?

#2a: Piper is a midget. She will be 22 months old at the time of the evaluation (so I don't think there's any chance she will continue to grow). I had her measured for a temporary agility height card this past weekend. The VMO had her at 20" on the dot. Now I will say that this particular VMO is known for getting dogs to measure shorter than some other VMOs. I realize that a bitch under 20.5" is disqualified. But reading the rules, it looks like she would still be evaluated (dogs are only dismissed from the evaluation if they are aggressive?). Can anyone confirm that? I know it would be a close call for her to hit 20.5" and I'm totally OK with her getting disqualified for height (I mostly want to learn from the evaluations). I waste more money than the entry fee for the CCA on other dog things, so the "wasted" entry fee wouldn't bother me either as long as she was still evaluated.

#2b: What's the best way to make a dog measure as tall as they can? Head level with the withers or slightly lower? Head up (I think that would cause the back to dip, but maybe the measurer would be a bit farther up on the neck???)? Piper did not have any problems letting the agility VMO measure her, so I don't think she will shrink away from the judge measuring her. Anyone know how to teach a dog to stand on her tiptoes?!?
 
#2 ·
I waste more money than the entry fee for the CCA on other dog things, so the "wasted" entry fee wouldn't bother me either as long as she was still evaluated.
I wouldn't consider it wasted.

I almost entered Jacks last year and may do it this year if I can somehow wrangle it (the club that will probably do it usually has events on Sunday mornings... when I have other committments). From the sounds of it, it is worth the $65 for the education about the breed. And of course it is personal because that is your dog being criticized.

One thing I wondered last year when I almost did it with Jacks...

Should your dog be on a long thin leash and conformation chain?
 
#3 ·
Leash and collar type don't matter.

I can't answer the missing teeth question but I would look at the evaluation form. I think it is on the web somewhere.

As to height, I would just keep her up (in energy to get her to measure taller). However since they are not interested in getting her to measure lower they usually won't take a lot of time to get it lower. Selli measured at 22" for agility but she measured at 23" for her CCA.
 
#8 ·
That gives me hope for Piper, but then makes me think Ruby will measure a lot taller too (she measured 22" for agility too!).

No problem getting Piper to be UP, she was born up!
 
#5 · (Edited)
I agree with Carolyn on the height question. Having the dog stand erect, head up with attitude will give you the best chance to reach that 20.5". But be aware 1/2 inch does not sound like a lot but it actually is. And if the measurer at the CCA gets the dog within .25" then one of the category 1 evaluators must remeasure the dog and that is the measurement that is used. If you are a member of the hosting club offer to help out and see if you can get your dog in as the test dog. That will give you an idea of whether or not you would measure in or not. Then iif you do measure in you can enter for real at the next available CCA.

As for the teeth it is only part of the "Head" category but some evaluators may place more weight on multiple teeth missing. Is the "bite at all affected by the missing teeth or is it still a scissor bite?

Here is a link to the Evaluator score sheet
http://www.grca.org/pdf/events/cca/CCAEvaluatorScoreSheet.pdf
 
#7 ·
I know 1/2" is A LOT! I am not particularly hopeful that she would make it, but at least she's a bitch and not a 20" male, so maybe we would measure OK. Unfortunately I am not a member of the host club and since this is the first CCA I've know about within about 4 hours of home in the 3-4 years I've been watching, I don't feel like I can wait for the next one (unless of course we don't get drawn).

The rest of Ruby's bite is lovely, the missing premolars don't effect it at all.
 
#6 ·
For obedience showing, we always held the head down a little to make them smaller. When the wicket comes out in conformation, the head gets pulled up. When the wicket comes out, they are not judging the conformation they are measuring height.
 
#9 ·
I have a male that is actually 21 3/4, so when I had him getting measured for the CCA, I held him very upright in the front, and then he measured 22 1/2. He is a perfromance dog, so I actually like him being smaller:)

We made the CCA on points, but failed 1 judge by 1 1/2 points, so we didn't pass, since you need to pass 3 judges.

I didn't know much about it before hand, but it was very informative! They judge on so many different things about the dog, and you learn so much about them! I was still glad I went, even though I didn't pass!
 
#11 ·
My girls are performance dogs too and very much field bred. I like them smaller too. I'm not really expecting to pass but it would be really neat to pass so that they can be VC and VCXs (someday, well Ruby would be a VC immediately and she'd be very close to VCX).
 
#12 ·
Oh did you decide to go to Indy after all? We're dog #15....

It sounds like I wrote this....

We're entered for one next month, I think my boy is just tall enough. And I have questions about his hair...but I know I need to take pictures to share on that.
 
#16 ·
Team Tito will be there, too! We get to meet you, and RedDogs, that's so cool!
 
#17 ·
I am late on this one... but I thought that is you are over or under height (they measure first) they do not do the rest of the evaluation... At least I remember being told that... Hopefully that is not the case for you! Can't wait to hear about it afterwards!
 
#18 ·
No, they still do the evaluation if the dog doesn't make height
 
#20 ·
You will get the written assessments--your dog just cannot qualify if it DQ's on height or bite.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Sure wish there were more CCAs available. They are worth waaaay more than $65.00...

It must make it difficult for clubs to offer them when they make 1560.00 (assuming they limit themselves to 24 entries @65.00 each)

I assume that the clubs have to pay for evaluators and their expenses out of the $1500+/- they make from entry fees??
 
#24 ·
The clubs pay for the evaluators traveling expenses, usually at least one night accommodations sometimes two depending on the length of travel, ribbons and rosettes, fee for a place to hold the event. It is rarely a money maker, at least for my club.
The problem that is arising now is that all the clubs try to get the evaluators that are "local". Between a limited source of local evaluators and multiple clubs in the area using the same evaluators it gets tough to have new and different evaluators. My club this year will be bringing in evaluators from a distance which will in turn increase our costs and we will raise our entry fee to $75 to counteract some of that loss.
 
#22 ·
Do I need to try to tame the "Ruby-fro"? Is she more than "wavy"?

Image


This isn't a great picture, but you can see how her hair is (it's not that way just because it's damp!). Just in case anyone is wondering, we were fishing and had just thrown one back. Ruby was very disappointed!

Image


Here's another one where you can really get the idea that from her shoulders forward, her hair has a tendency to orient towards her head.
 
#23 ·
If a dog measures "out" you should be allowed to have the dog evaluated anyway, but as stated you will not be awarded a CCA no matter what the score.
The other thing you can do is if there is a dog present that is on the wait list you can give up your spot so they get in and you would not lose your entry fee.
 
#25 ·
IMO - it should make the club a bit of money...
Hank I would pay double just to meet you! ;-)