Best Friends 4-H Club

Berrien County Youth Fair (BCYF)

"To provide an educational experience to youth who otherwise might be excluded from competition and denied the experience and growth it provides."

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.

       For overall information about Berrien County Youth Fair dog competitions, please see Dog Exhibitors Information and

• Overall information about Berrien County Youth Fair Dog Competitions:

  • BCYF Dog Exhibitors Information

  • BCYF Department 22 – Dogs Canine Regulations

• 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:

  • BCYF Nontraditional Dog Obedience Judging Program and Guidelines

  • BCYF Traditional Dog Obedience Judging Program and Guidelines (Updated 11/4/2021) Please note: The first 29 pages are the BCYF dog department TR OB indexes, regulations, classes and glossary. Pages 30 through 84 pertain to the actual dog exercises and how to perform that particular exercise. Once you have found the class you wish to enter, just print out the exercise pages pertaining to the class you have entered. You don't need the whole book.

• 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:

  • BCYF Nontraditional Dog Agility Judging Program and Guidelines

  • BCYF Traditional Dog Agility Judging Program and Guidelines

• 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:

  • BCYF Rally Inclusive Judging Program, Procedures, & Guidelines

• 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:

  • BCYF Inclusive Junior Showmanship Judging Program, Procedures, & Guidelines

• 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:

  • BCYF Inclusive Scentwork Program, Procedures, & Guidelines

• 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:

  • BCYF Nontraditional Costume Judging Program and Guidelines

  • BCYF Traditional Costume Judging Program and Guidelines

• 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:

  • 4-H Dog Science Notebook Project Instructions (pdf)

  • Berrien County 4-H Youth Program Animal Science & Live Animal Management Notebook Guidelines

  • BCYF Animal Project Record

"Hands and Paws together always in friendship and teamwork." -- L.M. Shannon-Chaillet

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