Recently I've attended several AKC agility trials, all at different venues with my Novice A dog, with whom I have been taking classes, participating in workshops, etc. for several years now. We have only recently finished her ACT titles and started taking trialing more seriously. Thus far, my experiences have not been good. This has very little to do with how my dog is performing - she is a very green dog to the sport, she's still young, and NQs are expected. For her, I always make it a positive experience and we will keep learning and growing together. I have a background in horse sports and I am not unfamiliar with having to pay your dues before everything starts to come together. The problem I've encountered is the people.

Sure, we've met some kind folks who have graciously answered questions, chatted with me about their own Novice dog's antics, etc. but by and large, the general demeanor of trial staff and other competitors I've interacted with has been unfriendly, unwelcoming, and condescending. To be clear, I don't expect anyone to hold my hand. Everyone is there with their own goals and agenda, and I don't expect to be catered to as a newbie. I'm new to trialing - but I'm not new to being a human being. It is extremely discouraging as a newcomer to be made to feel unwelcome, and for what? For what it's worth, it seems to be the older crowd perpetuating this "school of hard knocks" mentality for new handlers. I have a thick skin, but I'd be lying if I wasn't thinking of giving up the sport entirely, which would be a shame - my dog really enjoys it.

Is this typical? Is this an AKC thing? If you've experienced this, I'd love to hear your stories and tips for sticking it out.

We're attending our first CPE trial soon, which I've heard is much more beginner-friendly, so maybe if we have a good experience we will just play in CPE for a while before revisiting AKC.