A BK9 Hoopers course has to do two jobs at once: give the dog a flowing line, and stay inside a set of distances the judge is measured against on the day. This is every limit the 2026 BK9 rule pack · 2026 puts on the designer, level by level - and it is the same set of numbers Hooplan checks a course against while you move obstacles around.
Each level sets how many obstacles the dog takes, how far apart they may sit, and how many off-course choices the design should tempt the dog with (R&R 6.1.D).
| LEVEL | OBSTACLES | GAPS | CHOICES | K ZONE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K1 / K2 | 15–20 | 5–8 m | 2 | Yes |
| K3 / K4 | 15–20 | 5–8 m | 3 | Yes |
| K5 / K6 | 15–24 | 5–8 m | 4 | — |
| K7 / K8 | 15–24 | 5–8 m | 5 | — |
| Championship | 15–24 | 8–10 m | 5 | — |
“K zone” means the first obstacle has to sit inside the handling zone the K lines mark out. “Choices” is the guideline number of wrong-course temptations the course should offer (JG 5.1) - fewer at the bottom of the ladder, more at the top.
The org-wide band is 5–8 m (R&R 6.1.A), measured along the dog’s running line rather than centre-to-centre, because the line is what the dog actually covers. The exception is Championship at 8–10 m, which is a different course-design problem entirely: the same ring, more distance between everything in it.
A turn of more than 45° between one obstacle’s face and the next is outside the allowance (JG 5.2): the rulebook’s diagram is a wedge either side of the obstacle’s centre line, with its neighbour inside it or not. Tunnels are tighter - the run-in must be within 20°, while the exit may be slightly curved. Hooplan draws that same allowance over the plan as you work, so what you see is what is measured.
The first obstacle needs at least 3 m of approach from the ring boundary, and the last needs 5 m of run-off measured in the direction the dog leaves it - not sideways to the nearest edge, which is the mistake that puts a legal-looking finish into the fence.
The dog may not be sent straight back to the obstacle it has just taken (JG 5.2). BK9 states this without naming equipment, so it applies to all of it: Hoop, Barrel, Tunnel, Chute, Mat, Gate. An A–B–A pattern anywhere in the route is flagged.
| Hoopers | Hoop |
|---|---|
| Allsorts | Any equipment |
Class equipment palettes (R&R 3.3).
See it checked in Hooplan →Opens a K1 / K2 Hoopers course in the designer - move anything and the checks above re-run on the spot.
Every figure on this page is read directly from the checks Hooplan runs, so it says what the app enforces. Hooplan is not affiliated with BK9 - always check the current rulebook before you judge.