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BCYF Registration Instructions
* BCYF Registration Form
BCYF Department 22 – Dogs Canine
Regulations * BCYF Online Registration
 All of our 4-H'ers --
both Nontraditional and Traditional -- will complete their yearly dog project
by entering the Berien County Youth Fair (BCYF). The Berrien County Youth Fair
dog competition dates for 2023 are Tuesday, August 15th; Wednesday, August
16th; and Thurdsay, August 17th.
Nontraditional members will enter BCYF's "Canine
Exhibitor with Special Needs" Canine Competitions in Dog Science
Notebooks, Rally, Obedience, Agility and Costume categories, which are held on
the Tuesday and Wednesday of fair week.
Traditional members will enter BCYF's Dog Competitions
in Dog Science Notebooks, Rally, Jr. Showmanship, Agility and Obedience, which
are held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
All of the
competitions our 4-H'ers enter are much much more than just an opportunity to
show off how well the dog takes orders and obeys commands. Instead, they are
designed to underscore the teamwork between the 4-H'er and the canine
(with aid from the Team Instructor as needed), and the joy the 4-H'er and
his/her canine find in working with each other.
Dog Obedience: The
Dog Obedience competition highlights the teamwork between the 4-H'er and the
canine in the everyday world. Each team performs the same set of exercises that
demonstrate the canine's ability to behave well in the home, in public places,
and with other humans and canines, as well as the team's enjoyment of working
together. For details, please see:
 Agility: The Agility competition highlights the
teamwork between the 4-H'er and the canine in negotiating an obstacle course.
The dogs will run, jump, go through tunnels, navigate between weave poles, and
perform other exercises, with the guidance of their 4-H'er team mates. For
details, please see:
Rally: The Rally
competition highlights the teamwork between the Traditional or Nontraditional
4-H'er and the canine (with aid from the Team Instructor as needed for the
Nontraditional 4-H'er) as, side by side, they navigate a course of 10 or so
different signs. Each sign tells the 4-H'er which obedience exercise the dog is
to perform at that station. Rally is all about working as a team while
performing the skills. For details, please see:
Junior Showmanship:
The Junior Showmanship competition highlights the teamwork between the
Traditional or Nontraditional 4-H'er and the canine (and Team Instructor) as
the 4-H'ers demonstrate their handling skills in an event similar to a
conformation dog show. In this event, the handler will be judged on canine
presentation (proper stance and movement), breed knowledge, canine anatomy,
proper grooming (for both the canine and the handler) and the handler's
"ring etiquette." For details, please see:
NEW FOR 2023 -- Nose Work (aka
Scent Work): The Nose Work competition highlights the teamwork
between the Traditional or Nontraditional 4-H'er and the canine (and Team
Instructor) as the 4-H'ers instruct their dogs to search, seek, and find an
assigned scent (fragrance) that has been hidden. (Please note: since the BCYF
is not an AKC-sanctioned dog show, AKC scent work titles cannot be earned. For
details, pelase see:
 Costume: The Costume competition is just for fun.
The 4-H'er chooses a theme, then creates matching costumes for him/herself and
the canine to illustrate the theme. For details, please see:
Dog Science
Notebook: "The paperwork" that completes all projects and
an essential part of our program, the 4-H Dog Science Notebook contains each
4-H'er's Canine Career in writing -- containing resource material, homework,
records of his/her own and dog's accomplishments, and special memories.
Completed 4-H Dog Science Notebooks are evaluated at the Berrien County Youth
Fair Animal Science Notebooks competition. For details, please see:
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