People

• Conduct - participants have a duty both to their dogs and to others to make licensed events friendly and welcoming, and are expected to be co-operative and above all to create a safe environment, so all can enjoy their time at licensed events.

• Sportsmanship - participants should conduct themselves at all times in an appropriate fashion and should display good manners and respect towards other participants, show officials and to the judges.

• Any verbal communication with a judge should take place after judging has taken place and must be conducted in a polite and professional manner.

• Abusive or aggressive behaviour towards anyone at the show – including the judge, other participants, show management or other officials - will not be tolerated under any circumstances (further information appears later in this publication regarding harassment).

• Do not interfere with any dog whilst it is being judged.

• Smoking is not permitted whilst exhibiting or whilst a dog is under test or in breach of the law.

• Mobile phones should be turned off whilst exhibiting or whilst your dog is under test.

• If you have children, do not allow them to touch any dogs unless you have the permission of the owner for them to do so. Be aware of where your children are, and what they are doing, at all times. Take special care around benching areas where dogs may react to an unexpected approach.

Dogs

• All dogs must be of the correct temperament to enable the judge to examine the exhibit, independently of the exhibitor’s assistance.

• Sparring between dogs is discouraged.

• Dogs are not permitted to wear muzzles of any kind whilst being judged.

A zero tolerance approach
No-one should be subject to intimidation or made to feel alarmed or distressed or put in fear of reprisal. Harassment is a criminal offence. To that end, The Kennel Club and The Otterhound Club adopt a zero tolerance approach towards all type of harassment activity. Harassment may be defined as causing alarm, distress and anxiety and fear of physical violence or other threat, offensive statements, verbal abuse and threats. Conduct may include speech, obstruction and so on. As such conduct may involve a criminal offence, the police may be involved and it may be that The Kennel Club will defer any action pending the outcome of such investigation and/or prosecution.

It goes without saying that The Otterhound Club expects courtesy and co-operation to be shown towards all members and attendees at any event licensed by The Kennel Club. Whilst the pressures and tensions which arise at competitive level are understood, any aggression or abuse towards those who are simply undertaking their jobs for the benefit and interest of the exhibitor/competitor and the audience and ultimately the dog itself cannot be tolerated.