AKC GUIDELINES AKC COURSE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRONIC TIMERS: The start and finish lines shall be the plane of the first and last obstacles when using electronic timing. Therefore, course measurements to determine Standard Course Time (SCT) are taken from the first obstacle to the last obstacle and not from separate start and finish lines. Timers are to be placed at the judge's discretion. They may be placed either on the approach side of a single bar jump, the backside of a spread jump, or the approach side of a tunnel, if it is the first obstacle on the course. Timers may be placed at the exit side of a tunnel if it is the last obstacle on the course. Only jumps or open tunnels are permitted as the first and last obstacle. Courses must be designed so that the first and last obstacles are not the same one. AKC JUDGING GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRONIC TIMERS: The judge should acknowledge to the timer (who will be starting the handler/dog) that he/she is ready to judge. For example, a thumbs-up or a nod can indicate readiness as is currently done. Dogs that run past the first obstacle will incur a refusal/ run-out fault. Likewise, dogs that run past the last obstacle will incur a refusal/run-out fault. click on "next page" for more guidelines