Page 25 - Chow LIfe - Winter 2018

Coursing Ability and FastCat 101

Does your Chow move like a tornado in the backyard chasing squirrels? Do you dread walking with your
Chows when an unsuspecting bunny pops up? If so, your Chow may be hard-wired for a coursing ability
test (CAT’s).
While CAT’s and its’ offspring, FastCat, are growing in
popularity, this is a relatively new official sport for our
Chows. Whereas lure coursing was once the purview
of sight hounds, many other breeds exhibit coursing
ability. Now, any AKC registered dog may compete at
various CAT’s and FastCat events held throughout the
U.S.
The coursing ability test consists of a “lure”, white plastic
bags strung on a course that is 600 yards in length.
There is a lure operator, who actually runs the lure
through the course, a hunt master who is responsible
for giving the “Tally Ho” for the dogs and an inspection
committee that is responsible for checking all dogs for
soundness and for bitches in season prior to the start of
“Ozzy” each test. Unfortunately, our intact gals are ineligible to
compete while they are in season.

Dogs are run singularly and must complete the
course without interruption and within the given
time limits. Chows, due to AKC regulations, are
only required to run a 300 yard course within a 90
second time frame. The title of CA is awarded to a
dog that passes the CAT three times under at least
two different judges. So, if your local club offers
morning and afternoon tests for an entire weekend,
it is possible to finish your CA title in a weekend!
FastCat is basically the 100 yard dash for dogs.
Someone holds the dog at the start line and the dog
chases the lure for 100 yards where someone else
is waiting to leash your dog. Points are awarded
based on miles per hour calculated for each dog. “Barkley”

Handicaps are given based upon the dog’s height at the
withers. Titles are earned by the number of accumulated
points with the first FastCat title, BCAT, requiring 150
points.

Additional information regarding the coursing ability
tests and FastCat can be found on the AKC website:
https://images.akc.org/pdf/rulebooks/RELURE.pd.
Enjoy the fun of allowing your Chow to chase to its heart
content and the glow of hearing other competitors say “I
never knew Chows could run that fast”!

“Sushi”
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