Trialing
OBEDIENCE
There are five levels of Obedience Trialing – Community Companion, Novice, Open, Utility and Utility Excellent.
Community Companion Dog. This is an excellent introduction to competitions for new handlers. Heel on-lead in slow, normal and fast paces with sits, stands and downs; figure of eight, stand for examination. Recall, with the finish executed by walking around the dog. One minute sit stay & two minute down stay.
Novice. Heel off lead in slow, normal and fast paces with sits. stands and downs; figure of 8; stand for examination off lead. Recall. Optional retrieve of dumbbell on the flat or signal exercise. 1 minute sit stay and 3 minute down stay.
Open. Heel off-lead; figure 8; stand for examination; recall with a down; retrieve dumbbell over both flat ground and a jump; choice of broad jump or signal exercise; 3 minute sit stay; 5 minute down stay.
Utility. Seek back lost article (retrieve article from within the ring by scent); speak on command or food refusal or directed retrieve of glove; scent discrimination; directed jumping; signal exercise; group stand for examination; 7 minute down stay.
Utility Excellent. Seek back with decoy, positions in motion, scent discrimination judges scent, directed send-away and recall, distance control, multiple retrieve, temperament test.
AGILITY
There are four levels of Agility - Novice, Excellent, Masters and Open Dogs compete with check chains and leads removed, or can wear a flat collar only.
Novice comprises of two tunnels, a walk, the scramble, tyre, the broad jump, the weave, and four jumps.
Excellent and Masters have a seesaw and extra jumps, with some obstacles being done more than once.
Open can be entered regardless of what level you are currently in, but the dog will have to work away from you for part of the course.
Each course is given a time for completion, with time and course faults taken into account. A qualifying leg is awarded with a clear round with no time or course faults, and a number of qualifications are required before advancing to the next level.
AGILITY GAMES
Three agility games can be played – Snooker, Gamblers and Strategic pairs There are three levels of difficulty – Novice, Excellent and Masters. Three qualifying scores are required to advance from Novice to Excellent, five quals to advance from Excellent to Masters, and seven quals to obtain the Masters Title.
JUMPING
There are four levels of Jumping - Novice, Excellent, Masters and Open. It is a faster course than Agility, with more stringent rules. Dogs compete with check chains and leads removed, or can wear a flat collar.
Novice comprises of two tunnels and several jumps, being done more than once.
Excellent and Masters have additional obstacles.
Open can be entered regardless of what level you are currently in, but the dog will have to work away from you for part of the course.
Each course is given a time for completion, with time faults and course faults taken into account. If the dog should touch you while negotiating the course, regardless if it is accidental or not, it is considered as a fault. Obstacles executed in the wrong order or the wrong way means disqualification. A qualifying leg is awarded with a clear round with no time or course faults, and a number of qualifications are required before advancing to the next level.
TRACKING
There are seven levels of Tracking - Qualifying through to T6. Dogs are worked in a harness and on a 10m tracking lead. A Steward plots a course through bushland, making it the appropriate length and number of turns and articles for the tracking level being undertaken. A person, or bait, walks the track on the day of the competition. He/she drops articles (socks, etc) with their scent on them at designated places along the course of the track. The track is left to "age" the required length of time. The Handler and Dog are then set the task to track the bait, locating all articles along the way and the bait at the end of the track. The Steward accompanies the Judge to ensure the dog does not wander from the track. If a dog goes off the track too far, it is disqualified.
ENDURANCE
Endurance Tests are held once a year at different clubs in the North during winter. It is a one-off event. You need to put at least two to three months of training your dog up to the required fitness level to compete. Dogs need to obtain a certificate from the Vet one month before the Test stating the dog is in good health. Dogs must wear a flat collar and be on a 2m lead. The Endurance Test is 20km, with the handler either jogging or riding a bicycle and completing the course within a set time. The course is broken up into three sections of 8km, 6km and 6km, with short breaks in between each leg for the dog to be vet checked and have a rest. A short course of heelwork is done at the beginning and end of the Test. If you are interested in competing in any of the above competitions, or learning more about them, please ask an instructor for more information.