Fast Track to the Field : Doberman on the Line
How to sign up for ASFA Lure Coursing if you are not a sighthound
These are cooling bandanas perfect for summer. Click image for link to bandanas! Code: T&VIBES
Well, I guess technically, none of us are sighthounds…but if you own a Doberman or a dog that isn’t recognized as an eligible breed for lure coursing - this post will hopefully help you skip through the google rabbit hole I got lost in trying to figure this out.
Quick Background : You can skip this if you just want to know how to sign up
AKC Website Screenshot
I know most of the world doesn’t have the patience to read a blog, so scroll down to “handler ready” if you just want to get to clicking, but for anyone that is curious I want to share my experience to either validate what they are going through or share the struggle so they can trust it’s worth at least considering the info I share here.
I kept hearing about “lure coursing” but I realized quickly that fastCAT wasn’t lure coursing and I wanted T’Challa to have a chance at LC. After seeing his success with a straight run, I wanted to increase the challenge for him and I wanted him to have the opportunity to run for longer. So I went to the AKC event site to look up lure coursing events near me. What I noticed was a line that said “eligible breeds” and it always listed sighthounds. (see snippet from the website) I started looking for “all breed” events and realized that wasn’t a thing pretty quickly. One page that kept popping up in my searches was The Hanover Lure Coursing Clubs site, and I noticed they had a few events that did list “all breeds,” but I was unsure at this point if that meant we could participate. I really wanted to find some events for us to go to during the July 4th holiday since we would have a few days off so I clicked on a premium the HLCC had listed for the 5th & 6th. It was being hosted by the same club T earned his CA title so I was hopeful we could attend because I noticed the premium said “all breed field trials.”
What is a premium?
In the context of AKC or ASFA - the premium is essentially the official event announcement or entry information packet. I wanted to know why the heck it’s called a “premium” because the dog community was using this word so casually and I felt like I was missing something. From what I understand it comes from traditional dog show language. The premium used to be a formally printed announcement for the event and it would include prizes, or “premiums” being offered by the hosting club. I don’t think clubs really offer prizes anymore but the word stuck and now it just refers to the document that allows you to register for the event you want to attend.
The premium will generally list the following pertinent information:
Event dates, location, and host club
Eligibility rules
Judge assignments
Entry fees and deadlines
Classes/divisions offered (e.g., Open, Field Champion, LCI)
How to enter (online or mail-in)
Waivers and entry forms
LCI Large Open Run
How to Sign Up : The info you really need
The first thing to know is you will need a registration number to sign-up. For LCI (non-sighthound) entries, you can use any of the following forms of registration:
AKC Registration (limited or full doesn’t matter) - Link to AKC registration page. If I’m honest, this process was a bit confusing for me too - more in another blog one day.
AKC Canine Partners (CP) - Link to AKC CP info page. Select this option if you have a mixed-breed baby.
Purebred Alternative Listing Program (PAL) - Link to AKC PAL info page. Select this option if you have a purebred baby without registration papers.
Foundation Stock Service (FSS) - Link to AKC FSS info page. If you have a purebred dog that isn’t eligible for AKC registration.
United Kennel Club (UKC) - Link to UKC faq’s. If you have CKC, KCGB, IKC or any FCI affiliated registration, you can submit an application for a UKC number.
If your dog has another form of registration, it may not be recognized and I’d recommend reaching out to the event secretary to ask. So what if you don’t have any of those???
Can Your Dog Receive an ASFA Number?
In the event you do not have the registration forms listed above, ASFA will provide you with an entry number for ten dollars. I feel like it may be easier to go down this road if you don’t have an AKC number than trying to figure out which AKC program to try and join. You will need to complete an ASFA Lure Chasing Instinct Registration form and give that to the “trial secretary” at the event. Make sure you keep a copy for yourself. ) The ASFA Records Coordinator will provide you with your number to participate in future events. While I didn’t go through this process, I did notice another young lady that I believe was doing this. I’ll try to chat with the event secretary at the next run we are at to see if I can get some clarity on this particular process. Bonus - it doesn’t matter if they are neutered or intact.
Neutered? Never heard of him : How to stay intact and eligible
What is the point of this section??? Well, AKC CP and PAL programs require your pup to be fixed and they require proof with the application. They have this in BOLD RED on their requirements list. This is something I’ve wanted a better explanation on, but haven’t found any resources that explain it. I don’t know for FSS or UKC, but I do know that ASFA does not have a requirement for intact or neutered to receive your ASFA LCI number. I feel like this is one of the biggest barriers for a lot of folks that want to participate in AKC events. I know so many folks that don’t have AKC papers, but do not want to neuter their dogs just to get a CP or PAL number. I really do wish I had a better understanding of this requirement, and if I ever get a clear answer I’ll make sure to share. So come one come all and get an ASFA LCI number lol!!!
Handler Ready! Time to commit to the chaos!
Sorry I’ve written so many words when this is the section you actually googled for. I found the run we participated in by accident if I’m honest. I went down a crazy rabbit hole, but to avoid that, you can go to the ASFA schedule page (linked here). In the event that link breaks, go to asfa.org and navigate to the “field trials” grey box, hover over that box and a drop down will appear. From that drop down, select “trial schedule.” The column all the way to the right of the spread sheet has a little red button that says “go” - click on that and the premium for the event will open in a separate tab.
Full disclosure, and no shade to anyone, but I wasn’t sure the website was legit because it looks so old. I was worried I was being scammed so I navigated away from the page, but this is the official site.
1. OPEN THE PREMIUM
Here is a sample of what the premium will look like. This is for an event coming up this weekend. This document will tell you where the event is (sometimes with directions), who to contact if you should have questions, information about the club hosting the event and the link to actually register. It is never a super long packet. Typically a couple of pages or so, but the next page of this specific document provides info on when entries will be accepted, which judges will be assigned to the event, and the committee or staff that will be organizing the event. You will notice one major difference between an AKC fastCAT premium and an ASFA premium, which is the course map. This is important to pay attention to as a Doberman owner or non sighthound owner because our pups, while capable and agile in their own way, aren’t nearly as agile as a sighthound. The course will be different each day so it’s worth reviewing to make sure the course works for you and your baby.
2. CLICK THE JOTFORM LINK
While it is important to read through this document, I tend to do that after I click the “jot form” link. Jot form seems to be the official sign up tool for all dog sports haha! I don’t know if that is true, but every event I’ve signed up for has been via jot form link. This was once again my first time clicking a link like that and I was a little nervous, but it is fine. When you click that link, a form will pop up on your screen and you can begin the actual sign up process.
Screenshot of sign-up
3. FILL OUT TRIAL INFORMATION
To sign up you will select the days you plan on participating, then select your dog’s breed in a drop down or possibly write it in. This next selection was confusing to me, as a doberman owner, we had to select “LCI-Large” from that drop down because we aren’t a sighthound breed. The dropdown will only show the breeds of sighthounds and every other breed falls into the LCI category. This selection option derailed me completely LOL! The next selection also threw me off - this is the selection of the “stake” you will participate in. Skip sighthound stakes and go to LCI stakes. Being a brand new dobie in the sport, we needed to pick “Large Open.” The various categories are described in the premium and the ASFA website. The Excellent and Veteran categories are for once your LCI runner has titled in the Open category so don’t select those.
4. FILL OUT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
The next section of the form is where you need your registration information. You will need to fill out some basic information and in some cases upload an image of your registration so make sure you have that handy. I have a folder on google drive where I keep up with all of my paperwork.
5. QUICK PAYPAL DIVERSION
Once you fill out that form, you will get redirected to a portal for payment. Again…I thought it was all a scam, but it’s not. The paypal account might be connected to a really random aol email address…don’t be alarmed.
6. GET READY TO RUN
And that is it!! Not so bad in the grand scheme of things, but I never know how strict different clubs will be if I make a mistake. My personality is fear of mistakes. That is a conversation for another day. I was going to continue on and explain what we like to have at the runs, but I think that needs to be a separate post. I was so sure this was going to be a brief post. I hope you feel prepared to join a run now and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions, there is a form at the bottom of this page! I’m no expert, but I’m happy to help find a solution with you!
Link to cooling collars if you’re interested! They really come in handy during these outings!
LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!!!
