New to Fast CAT? A Complete Beginner's Guide

Fast CAT is the AKC's most accessible performance event, and it's grown faster than any sport in the AKC's catalog over the past decade. If you've watched a friend's dog do a single 100-yard sprint and thought "my dog could do that" — you're right. Almost any dog can do this, and most dogs love it.

This is the start-to-finish guide for handlers who've never been to a Fast CAT trial.

What is Fast CAT, exactly?

Fast CAT stands for Fast Coursing Ability Test. It's a timed 100-yard straight-line sprint where your dog chases a lure (a white plastic bag, sometimes a squawker) pulled along the ground by a motorized line. There's no judging of form, no obstacles, no turns — your dog just runs in a straight line as fast as they can.

It was introduced by AKC in 2016 as a sprint-only complement to the older CAT (Coursing Ability Test), which uses a longer, turning course. Fast CAT's appeal is that every dog gets a clean shot at a number, and AKC's height handicap system means small dogs can outpoint big ones.

Is my dog eligible?

Yes, almost certainly. Fast CAT is open to:

AKC-registered dogs (purebred or AKC-recognized breed)

Dogs in AKC's Foundation Stock Service (FSS) program

Mixed breeds enrolled in AKC Canine Partners (yes, "All-American Dogs")

Dogs with foreign or domestic registry accepted by AKC, plus PAL/Conditional/Limited registrations

The hard requirements:
• At least 12 months old on the day of the event
• Sound and not lame on the day (the inspection committee checks)
• Females not in season

You don't need a sighthound, a champion, or any prior training. Sport dogs from every group show up: Beagles, Border Collies, Pit-mix Canine Partners, Frenchies, Whippets, Standard Poodles. The leaderboards split by breed, so you're not racing your Frenchie against a Greyhound for points.

How scoring works (the short version)

Three numbers. Time → MPH → points.

1. Your dog's 100-yard time converts to MPH using the formula MPH = 204.545 ÷ seconds. An 8.00-second run is 25.57 MPH. 2. A handicap multiplier based on the dog's measured height at the withers: - 18 inches and over: ×1.0 - 12 inches up to 18 inches: ×1.5 - Under 12 inches: ×2.0 3. Points = MPH × handicap. A 35 MPH Whippet (×1.0) earns 35 points. A 20 MPH Papillon (×2.0) earns 40 points.

Need to do the math on a specific time? Use the free Fast CAT calculators.

How to enter your first trial

1. Make sure your dog is registered with AKC

Purebred? Confirm your registration is active. Mixed breed? Enroll in Canine Partners — it's a one-time signup that gets you a number you'll use for life.

2. Find an event

Use AKC's event search or the in-app event finder in TallyCAT. Filter by Fast CAT (FCAT) and your area. Most weekends have multiple trials within a few hours' drive in the eastern half of the country; the West Coast and middle of the country are sparser.

Each event has its own AKC event number. A weekend often holds 2–4 separate event numbers (one per "trial"), so you can do multiple runs over a weekend.

3. Enter the trial

Most trials use one of: trial-specific online entry forms, AKC Trial Manager, or paper mail entries. Pre-entry deadlines are usually 1–2 weeks before the event. Many clubs also accept day-of entries when there's space.

Entry fees typically run $25–$35 per run. Some clubs run the second event of the day at a small discount.

4. Day of the event

What to bring:

Your dog's AKC number (or papers if entries are paper-only)

A flat collar (no choke chains, prongs, or e-collars on the course)

Your usual leash for the start line

Water and a bowl

A crate or X-pen for waiting between runs

High-value treats for after the run

A chair, sun shade, and warm layers (you'll be standing around outdoors)

When you arrive:

1. Check in with the trial secretary. They'll point you at the inspection committee for a quick soundness check and (if you haven't been measured before) a height measurement. 2. Watch a few runs to learn the flow. Where the start line is, what the huntmaster says, where catchers stand at the finish. 3. Your run: When called, walk your dog to the start. Hold them facing forward. The huntmaster signals the lure operator, the lure starts moving, and the huntmaster calls "tally-ho" — that's your release cue. Your dog chases the bag the full 100 yards, where a catcher secures them. 4. Get your run slip: A paper slip with your time, the event number, and other details. Hold onto it. TallyCAT's run-slip scanner reads the time, sponsor, and event number directly off the slip into the app.

5. Wait for results

The host club sends results to AKC within 7 days. AKC processes them and publishes to apps.akc.org — usually within 1–2 weeks of the event. From that point, your dog's points count toward titles, and they show up in the annual top-20 leaderboards if they're in the top 20 of their breed.

TallyCAT auto-verifies your runs against AKC's published data once they appear, replacing your handheld time with AKC's official one.

Tips for a great first trial

Don't pressure your dog. Some dogs nail it on the first run. Others take a few trials to figure out what they're chasing. Both are normal. If your dog isn't into it, that's data — try again another day or skip it.

Practice the release at home. Hold your dog by the chest, point them at a thrown toy, release on a verbal cue. Clean releases shave 10ths of a second.

Manage excitement. The line of barking dogs is overstimulating. Find a quiet spot to wait so your dog isn't burning energy before they run.

Stay positive after the run. Even a slow run earns points toward titles. Treat it like a win.

What happens next

Once you've got points, you start the titles ladder: BCAT (150), DCAT (500), FCAT (1,000), and FCAT2+ for every additional 500 points. Most dogs hit BCAT in 4–5 runs.

Keep going to the same events you'd already go to, log your runs in TallyCAT, and watch your dog's average MPH trend up as they figure out the game.

---

Ready to track your first run? Download TallyCAT on the App Store — the Fast CAT event finder and points calculator are free with no signup.

Further reading:
• What is Fast CAT? A complete guide
• Understanding Fast CAT Titles: BCAT to FCAT20+
• 5 tips for maximizing your dog's Fast CAT speed