Working Trials Explained
The Dogs NZ approved working trials include the well established Utility Dog, Working Dog, and Tracking Dog trials and the more recently formed Tracking Trials. The working trials include heel work, jumps and other exercises with increasing difficulty of tracks. Tracking Trials have tracks only.
WORKING TRIALS
THE FIRST LEVEL - UTILITY DOG TRIAL
A qualification in a Utility Dog Trial enables the dog to have the letters UD or UDX after its name. To qualify for a UD title the dog must gain at least 50% in each exercise, apart from the track where 150/200 is required and gain a total of at least 262.5points out of 350points. For a UDX title the dog must gain at least 315points. To enter dogs do not need any prior qualifications but must be at least 2 years old.
WORKING TRIALS
THE FIRST LEVEL - UTILITY DOG TRIAL
A qualification in a Utility Dog Trial enables the dog to have the letters UD or UDX after its name. To qualify for a UD title the dog must gain at least 50% in each exercise, apart from the track where 150/200 is required and gain a total of at least 262.5points out of 350points. For a UDX title the dog must gain at least 315points. To enter dogs do not need any prior qualifications but must be at least 2 years old.
The exercises are;
- Heel Free, including fast and slow pace and figure 8 around 2 people. The only commands allowed are at the start and at change of pace. It is done in a paddock so handler and dog may have to work through long grass, prickles or cow pats whilst still maintaining a reasonable heel position.
- Sendaway for at approximately 40 metres in a straight line, drop and recall. Natural markers ie hay, branches, only may be used for the benefit of the handler.
- Retrieve a dumbbell over a solid jump approximately twice the height of the dog, maximum 900mm.
- Scale jump(wooden wall) three times the height of the dog, maximum 1800mm. This has a ramp on the other side to reduce impact on descent.
- Long Jump over 5 elements, four times the height of the dog, maximum 2700mm.
- Down stay 10 minutes, with handler out of sight.
- Seek back, of 90 metres, including a turn, for small article which handler drops on the walk out.
- Leash Track, of 600-800m, containing 3 or 4 legs, and laid 30 minutes prior. It is usually laid on a flattish grass paddock. The direction of the track is not known to the handler, who has only a stake to indicate where to start the dog, and nothing to indicate where the track goes at any point. The dog is worked on a harness, and has 15 minutes to complete, and find the cloth left at the finish.
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There are around 18 Utility Dog Trials run throughout NZ in a year, usually 2 in a weekend, which means 9 times a year so the opportunities to compete are not that frequent. Each dog will require 35 –45 minutes for its section of the trial, so depending on daylight, only 12-16 dogs can be fitted in during a day. On average most people will take one-two years to prepare a dog for its first attempt at a Utility Dog trial, and most take several attempts before they qualify.
THE SECOND LEVEL – WORKING DOG A qualification in a Working Dog Trial enables the dog to have the letters WD or WDX after its name. To qualify for a WD Title the dog must gain at least 50% in each exercise (apart from the track where 165/220 is required) and gain at least 262.5 points out of a possible 350. For a WDX title the dog must gain at least 315 points. To enter the dog must have at least a UD(Utility Dog) Title. The exercises are:
The Working Dog Trial is considered by many to be the hardest of the trials to qualify in, as the increase in the time of the track from a half hour flat paddock track, to one and a half hours broken terrain track can be quite a challenge for the dog and handler. It is also very weather dependant ie too much rain, sun or wind can affect the scent trail. The sendaway and redirection can also be very difficult to achieve, as there are no markers to guide the dog, and they can easily be distracted off the line they are expected to take. |
Retrieve over clear jump
Long jump
Sendaway & redirect
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THE HIGHEST LEVEL – TRACKING DOG
A qualification in a Tracking Dog Trial enables the dog to have the letters TD or TDX after its name. To qualify for a TD Title the dog must gain a minimum 50% in the Hard Surface and Free Tracks, 180/250 in the Leash Track, and a total of 375/500 overall. For a TDX title the dog must gain a minimum total of 450/500 points. To enter the dog must have at least a WD Title.
The exercises consist of three types of track
WORKING TRIAL CHAMPION
Once a dog has gained 2 x UDX qualifications, 2 x WDX, 2 x TDX and 1 x CDX (an obedience based qualification) then that dog is entitled to have the prefix WORKING TRIAL CHAMPION in front of his name.
TRACKING TRIALS (TT)
Dogs over 12 months in age are eligible and and TT Trials are especially suited to dogs which through injury or breed are not suitable for jumping. No prior qualifications are required, but it is strongly advised to attend training days in your region to ensure the dogs are ready for the trial. There are three levels:
TT LEVEL 1: is a one hour old track, 600-700m long with a starting stake and two articles left by the tracklayer. The track is on flat to rolling land and may include fences, gates, ditches and swamp. A score of 160/200 for the track plus one article is needed to qualify 1B and 185/200 plus one article to qualify 1A.
TT LEVEL 2: For level 1 qualified dogs. The track is 600 – 800m long on any type of land with at least three changes in surface (such as grass, mud, gravel and concrete), 2 hours old and a blind start in a defined area. The dog is given the scent of the tracklayer and there is one cross track laid by another person half an hour after the main track. A score of 155/200 on the track plus one article are required for a level 2B qualification and 180/200 plus two articles for a 2A qualification.
TT LEVEL 3: For level 2 qualified dogs. The track age is three hours with a blind start and is laid by both the tracklayer (whose scent is given to the dog) and a decoy person for the first 30-50m when the tracklayer continues and the decoy person leaves the area. In addition, two cross tracks are laid and three articles left. For a 3B qualification the dog needs 155/200 for the track plus one article and 180/200 plus two articles for a 3A qualification.
TRACKING TRIALS EXCELLENT CERTIFICATE (TTX)
A dog attaining two TT 1A, two TT 2A and two TT3A certificates under at least three different judges will be awarded TTX.
TRACKING TRIAL CHAMPION (TTCH)
A dog which qualifies two Level 1A certificates, two Level 2A certificates and four Level 3A certificates under at least 3 different judges is entitled to be have the prefix TRACKING TRIAL CHAMPION in front of his name.
By Rosemary Cleator - Central Working Trials Club.
A qualification in a Tracking Dog Trial enables the dog to have the letters TD or TDX after its name. To qualify for a TD Title the dog must gain a minimum 50% in the Hard Surface and Free Tracks, 180/250 in the Leash Track, and a total of 375/500 overall. For a TDX title the dog must gain a minimum total of 450/500 points. To enter the dog must have at least a WD Title.
The exercises consist of three types of track
- Hard Surface Track – 15minutes old and about 500m long, it is laid preferably on a gravel road. There is provision for it to be done on tar seal, as gravel roads can be difficult to find in some areas. The track starts in the middle of the road, proceeds to either side and has two right angled crossings. Two small articles are left, the first on either of the first two legs and the last at the finish. The hard surface track can be difficult for some dogs as it requires careful concentration, plus the dog can get ‘road wise’ and can indicate down either side of the road, knowing that sooner or later it will come across the track – which doesn’t do much good when it could mean a fail.
- Free Track – 30 minutes old and at least 500m long, this track is one that the dog does on its own with the handler remaining at the start. Commands are penalised. Without the harness or tracking line to control and slow the dog down it can really be ‘free’ and too much speed can mean overshooting on corners and losing the track completely, especially when the track is usually laid on the side of a hill, so wind eddies can push the scent in all directions. The article left at the end is worth a massive 30 points so it is importance for that to be retrieved.
- Leash Track – laid three hours before on land that includes fences, gullies etc, this is very weather dependent. Three hours of rain, wind, or sun can make it difficult, or impossible for the dog to follow. There are three articles to find.
WORKING TRIAL CHAMPION
Once a dog has gained 2 x UDX qualifications, 2 x WDX, 2 x TDX and 1 x CDX (an obedience based qualification) then that dog is entitled to have the prefix WORKING TRIAL CHAMPION in front of his name.
TRACKING TRIALS (TT)
Dogs over 12 months in age are eligible and and TT Trials are especially suited to dogs which through injury or breed are not suitable for jumping. No prior qualifications are required, but it is strongly advised to attend training days in your region to ensure the dogs are ready for the trial. There are three levels:
TT LEVEL 1: is a one hour old track, 600-700m long with a starting stake and two articles left by the tracklayer. The track is on flat to rolling land and may include fences, gates, ditches and swamp. A score of 160/200 for the track plus one article is needed to qualify 1B and 185/200 plus one article to qualify 1A.
TT LEVEL 2: For level 1 qualified dogs. The track is 600 – 800m long on any type of land with at least three changes in surface (such as grass, mud, gravel and concrete), 2 hours old and a blind start in a defined area. The dog is given the scent of the tracklayer and there is one cross track laid by another person half an hour after the main track. A score of 155/200 on the track plus one article are required for a level 2B qualification and 180/200 plus two articles for a 2A qualification.
TT LEVEL 3: For level 2 qualified dogs. The track age is three hours with a blind start and is laid by both the tracklayer (whose scent is given to the dog) and a decoy person for the first 30-50m when the tracklayer continues and the decoy person leaves the area. In addition, two cross tracks are laid and three articles left. For a 3B qualification the dog needs 155/200 for the track plus one article and 180/200 plus two articles for a 3A qualification.
TRACKING TRIALS EXCELLENT CERTIFICATE (TTX)
A dog attaining two TT 1A, two TT 2A and two TT3A certificates under at least three different judges will be awarded TTX.
TRACKING TRIAL CHAMPION (TTCH)
A dog which qualifies two Level 1A certificates, two Level 2A certificates and four Level 3A certificates under at least 3 different judges is entitled to be have the prefix TRACKING TRIAL CHAMPION in front of his name.
By Rosemary Cleator - Central Working Trials Club.
