Length of routine

Question:
Is it allowed for the handler to do some acting as an opening to the routine before the music starts or continue the acting after the music has stopped? The dog will not be performing.

Emmy's answer:
No. The routine starts when the music starts and finishes when the music stops. Each dog and handler team has a maximum of 4 minutes to tell their story and impress the judges. If a dog or handler starts performing before the music starts or continues after the music stops, they will have more time than the others and that is unfair.

If you need time for an opening/finish, then you need to edit your music to allow that opening/finish.

If a team choses to start their routine before the music, the judges will ask them to start the music and if they don't, the judges will ask the DJ to start it.
Any move/acting performed after the music has stopped will not be to the team's advantage as the judges may judge it as bad timing or an overrun of time.