Canis Major General Rules
All competitors (who must be club members) must sign & date the Entry Form/Score sheet prior to competition. Parents must sign for minors competing.
All competing dogs must have current proof of vaccinations.
All competing dogs in Open and Super-Open Freestyle divisions must be a minimum of 18 months of age at their first Canis Major event.
Competitors are responsible for the safety and welfare of their dogs at all times. All canines should be properly supervised and under the care and control of their owner at all times.
Competitors must walk their dog on leash to the On - Deck area. When not competing, dogs must be leashed, kenneled or secured accordingly. Warm ups should be done away from the competition field to avoid any distractions.
If a non - competing dog runs onto the field during a competitors round, time out will be called immediately and the interrupting dog returned to its owner & properly secured. At that point, the competitor may continue with their round of competition with the remaining time left for the round.
Dog owners are required to clean up after their dogs if the dog takes a Nature break. If this occurs during competition, no time out will be called and the competitor must clean up after their dog at the end of their round of competition.
Expectant female dogs or female dogs in heat are not permitted to compete, as they may pose a potential safety hazard to themselves and other competing dogs.
Boisterous challenges of contest officials, abusive language, or any other inappropriate or unsportsmanlike conduct may result in a competitors Disqualification from the competition.
A dog & handler team can only compete in one division.
A competing dog may run no more than 2 times at a competition.
Two people may compete with the same dog in competition in the same division, the scores are counted separately.
A handler may compete with more than one dog in a division.
Approved discs to be used in Canis Major competition are: Hero - model 235, Xtra Hyperflite - K-10, Competition Standard, Jawz, Frostbite, Softflite, K-10 Pup, Whammo - Fastback Frisbee, Flex, Super Flex and Eurablend model discs.
In the Sport division, a second handler may be present with the primary handler behind the Throwing Line to visually assist with a dogs return. The second handler cannot coach the primary handler and dog .
If necessary, a Sport division competitor may have more than one disc present to encourage a new dog, as opposed to having treats on the field which could distract other competing dogs if left on the field. However, if the handler throws with the second disc that throw will not count for score.
Teams in the Super-Sport, Open and Super-Open teams are not allowed to have a second handler with the handler present at the Throwing Line (aka double - handling).
Canis Major Distance / Accuracy Rules
Teams participating in the Sport and Super-Sport divisions will compete in two (2) rounds of Distance/Accuracy. Teams must use one (1) disc to make as many throws and catches in one (1) minute. The field is a diamond-shaped trapezoid: 50 yards long x 20 yards wide at its mid-point, with scoring zones in ten yard increments. Scoring is based as follows: 0 - 10 yards = 0 points, 10 - 20 yards = 1 point, 20 - 30 yards = 2 points, 30 - 40 yards = 3 points, 40 - 50 yards = 5 points. A 1/2 point bonus is awarded to teams that successfully catch the disc with all four paws off the ground in a leaping effort by the dog.
Sport division handlers may take one (1) practice throw, with or without their dog prior to the start of their round.
The dog & handler must be behind the throwing line at the start of their round. The dog can go anywhere on the field after the first throw, but the handler must remain behind the throwing line when attempting a throw to their dog. If a handler steps on or over the throwing line, the line judge will call a foot fault, and no score will be awarded for that throw.
Catches are to be scored at the leading edge of the disc where the dog lands. Dogs making leaping catches along the sidelines must have all four paws remaining in-bounds in order for the catch to count for score.
When the competing team is ready to start, the Announcer will ask; "Judges ready? The Field Judge must indicate to the announcer that the judging crew is ready for the next team to compete. The announcer will then ask, Competitors ready? The competitor must indicate to the announcer that they are ready. The announcer will then say On your mark, Get Set, GO! The competitor's time will start when the disc leaves the thrower's hand.
The Announcer will call 45 seconds, 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 10 seconds remaining, then a five second countdown (5,4,3,2,1,TIME). If the disc leaves the thrower's hand before time is called, that throw will be counted for score.
If the handler feels that their dog significantly damaged the disc (broken rim, split, hole, etc.) the handler may exchange the disc for a replacement from the Line Judge by giving their broken disc to the Line Judge, who gives the handler the replacement disc.
The time clock will continue during a disc exchange.
The Tie-Breakers for Sport and Super - Sport divisions will be the completion percentage from both rounds (catches/misses). If a tie still remains, the team with the most number of 40 yard scores. If a tie still remains, then the team with the fewest number of attempts will be the next tie - breaker criteria.
Canis Major Freestyle Rules
Teams participating in the Open and Super - OPEN divisions will compete in one round of Freestyle. Teams may use up to seven (7) discs in their Freestyle routines. Teams using more than 7 discs will be penalized one (1) point per extra disc used in their Showmanship category. Time begins on the first attempted trick with the dog making an attempt to catch the disc.
Open division teams will have 90 seconds for their routines, Super -OPEN division competitors will have 2 minutes for their routines.
For the Open division, the Announcer will call 60 seconds remaining, 30 seconds, 10 seconds, and a five second countdown (5,4,3,2,1 and Time).
For the Super-Open division, the Announcer will call 90 seconds remaining, 60 seconds, 30 seconds, 10 seconds and a five second countdown (5,4,3,2,1 and Time).
Roller throws (where discs are thrown on edge along the ground) will not be counted as catches but may be considered as a component of the showmanship score if used.
While entertaining, the use of vaults (where competitors use their body as a launch pad for their dogs) must be tempered with the safety and welfare of their dog at all times. Excessive heights or frequent repetition of vaults will not increase the likelihood of a higher score.
While also entertaining, the use of costumes and adornments must be tempered with the safety and welfare of the competing dog and handler. Physical props; (I.e., hoops, poles, etc.) are not allowed in competition.
If competitors have ANY questions regarding costumes, competition format, etc., please contact the Chief Judge or Tournament Director prior to the beginning of the competition, or at the Player's Briefing before competition.
Teams competing in the Open and Super-Open divisions will use as a tie-breaker the highest Freestyle score.
If a tie still exists, the team with the highest combined Difficulty and Drive & Athleticism score will be declared the winner.
If a tie still exists, the judges will then use the highest EXECUTION score as a tie-breaker.
If there is still a tie, then the Distance/Accuracy round scores will be used, with the winner being the highest score, or the highest completion percentage as a final tie-breaker.
Freestyle Scoring Method
The Canis Major Championship series will use the following Freestyle scoring method. The categories are:
DRIVE AND ATHLETICISM - Where judges look at the overall athletic ability of the dog with consideration for the dog's level of leaping ability, prey drive, control while in the air and during landings, and consistency while catching discs with varying spins and orientations.
DIFFICULTY - Judges look at the overall creativity and throwing ability of the handler with consideration given for the consistent placement of discs, ability to deliver a variety of throws with varying spins, and the overall difficulty of the routine. Emphasis is placed on variety, not repetition.
SHOWMANSHIP - Judges look at the overall teamwork and crowd appeal of the routine with consideration given for disc management, smooth transitions between moves, interaction between dog and handler, and overall flow of the routine.
EXECUTION - A mathematically determined number based on the percentage of throws completed versus throws missed, calculated by dividing the number of completions by the number of attempts, multiplying it by 10, then rounding to the next highest half point (.5) Judges award scores based on a 1 -10 scale in all four categories.
*PENALTIES - Dogs that vault in an awkward manner ("flailing") or that collapse ("crash" ) upon completing a vault may receive a 1 to 3 point deduction of their Freestyle score, pending the severity of the landing as determined by the Chief Judge and /or majority vote of the Freestyle judging staff.
Schedule of Events
1 Hr. Prior to start time: Registration, all divisions
15 Mins. Prior to Start - Registration Closes, Player's Briefing, All competitors
Start Time - Opening Ceremonies, National Anthem
Round 1 Super-Open division Freestyle
Round 1 Sport division Distance/Accuracy
Round 1 Open division Freestyle
Round 1 Super-Sport division Distance/Accuracy
Round 2 Sport division Distance/Accuracy
Round 2 Super-Open division Distance/Accuracy
Round 2 Open division Distance/Accuracy
Round 2 Super-Sport division Distance/Accuracy
Awards Ceremony
Distance / Accuracy Field Layout
