Aethelmeark Trials and Tests (Earthwork, Trailing, Open Quarry)
Some activities that were being developed by Pavla de la Satu Mare in Aethelmearc as recorded in the files on the Volkshund Yahoo! group.
TRIALS AND TESTS - All activities may be done at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
TUNNEL WORK
Dog / Handler team negotiate a tunnel and mark quarry. This activity is not competitive, but is a test to determine if the team has developed instinct and training to negotiate tunnel work successfully.
- 1) Equipment
a) Wooden tunnels constructed of plywood or a plywood / Plexiglas combination with no more than one third of the tunnel constructed of Plexiglas. There should be no bottom to this tunnel. See technical drawing for construction. b) A lure box, must be bottomed and have two doors on the top, one for removal of dog, and a separate one for lure area. Lure should be a scented and furred mechanical lure. See technical drawing for construction. c) Appropriate scent diluted with water to mark trail. d) One stopwatch. e) Handler/ dog equipment; a well fitted plain buckle collar, a six-foot lead
- 2) Area Needed
a) There should be at approximately 15-foot clearance from tunnel to fencing. b) Minimum for Beginner trial would be 32’ x 38’ for example.
- 3) Set-up
a) Track to quarry should be scented at least 30 minutes before first run. b) Quarry should be scented at least 30 minutes before first run. c) Check interiors of tunnels to assure no stray screws, nails or other hazards intrude into the tunnel, if any are found they must be removed before any dog may run.
- 4) Ground Crew
a) One timer b) one scorekeeper c) one lure operator
- 5) Rules
a) Handler and dog stand ten feet from the opening of the tunnel. b) At the call of “Release the Hound!” The handler will set loose the dog to enter the tunnel. No handler shall throw the dog into the tunnel. c) If the hound does not enter the tunnel, the handler will get the dog back under control and stand five feet from the entrance of the tunnel, and wait for the call of “Release the Hound!”. d) If the hound does not enter the tunnel a second time, the handler will get the dog back under control and stand at the entrance of the tunnel, and wait for the call of “Release the Hound!”.
- 6) Scoring
a) In this trial the hounds are not competing against one another, the teams are scored on proper completion of tasks, it is a test of training, instinct and team effort. b) Point value needed to pass test and move to next level for Beginner and intermediate is - 6 point scores on three tunnel entries, for Advanced – 9 point scores on three tunnel entries. These qualifying scored tunnel entries will be termed legs, there by three legs will have to be completed for the handler / dog team to move forward.
| ==Beginner== | |
| Task / Error | Point Value |
| First refusal to enter | -1 |
| Second refusal to enter | -2 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – less than 15 sec | +5 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – 15 to 30 sec | +3 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – 30 to 60 sec | +1 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - more than 45 seconds | +5 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry – 30 - 45 seconds | +3 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - less than 30 seconds | +1 |
| ==Intermediate== | |
| Task / Error | Point Value |
| First refusal to enter | -3 |
| Second refusal to enter | -5 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – less than 15 sec | +5 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – 15 to 30 sec | +3 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – more than 30 sec | +1 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - more than 45 seconds | +5 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - 30 to 45 seconds | +3 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - less than 30 seconds | +1 |
| ==Advanced== | |
| Task / Error | Point Value |
| First refusal to enter | -5 |
| Second refusal to enter | -10 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – less than 15 seconds | +5 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – 15 to 45 seconds | +3 |
| Time from release to start to mark quarry – 45 seconds to 1: 30 minutes | +1 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - more than 45 seconds | +5 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - 30 to 45 seconds | +3 |
| Time elapsed for marking quarry - less than 30 seconds | +1 |
| Return to handler on command within 30 seconds | +5 |
| Return to handler on command within 30 - 60 seconds | +3 |
| Return to handler on command within 60 seconds - 1: 30 minutes | +1 |
TRACKING & TRAILING
Dog / Handler team negotiate a scented track across open ground. The trail is marked with flags. This activity may or may not competitive, it is a test to determine if the team has developed instinct and training to negotiate tracking scent successfully. It can be competitive, naming a winner based on time and scoring, if the EWMIC so desires the trial to be ran that way, the nature of the test must be announced at the meeting prior to activities.
- 1) Equipment
a) The a minimum of a 15 foot lead (no Flexi’s), a buckle collar , or a harness is encouraged for this activity, but not required at this time. b) Appropriate scent diluted with water to mark trail. c) Small flags of similar but different color to mark trail yet not allow dogs to differentiate, so as to learn the markers. One flag will be marked specifically for beginning of trail and one for end of trail. d) One stop watch. e) Handler / Dog Equipment; a minimum of a 15 foot lead (no Flexi’s), a harness is encouraged for this activity, but not required at this time.
- 2) Area Needed
a) Depending on the course set, flags will denote course. b) For Beginner for example; A lane 15’ wide and 50 yards long.
- 3) Setup
a) Scent trail is set with flags of same hue marking it, false off color marks are set randomly. b) A scent trail will not cross itself on the beginner or advanced levels.
- 4) Ground Crew
a) One scorekeeper b) one timer.
- 5) Rules
a) Team begins 10 feet from trail beginning flag. b) At the shout of “Track on”, the dog will be allowed to move to the full length of the 15+’ leash, and start tracking. The handler at no time may signal through the leash or through verbal command directionals. The only exception is if there is a hazard at which a ‘Hold’ will be called and the handler should shorten the leash so the dog is in the ‘heal’ position until ‘Hold” is called off at that time will indicate to begin tracking again from that position or another, as safety demands.
- 6) Scoring
a) At ‘Track on!” the timer starts, it ends as the dogs nose reaches the end flag. b) 5 seconds penalty will be added for; weaving, swinging loafing, or handler error. c) A dog that quits, leaves the flagged area or has received 5 penalties will be asked to leave the course. d) 10 seconds will be removed for dogs that mark quarry. Only one bonus will be given.
- 7) Advancement;
a) Beginners accomplishing the trial in less than 1:30 minutes will move to the next level. b) Intermediates accomplishing the trial in less than 2:30 minutes, will move to the next level. c) Advanced accomplishing the trial in less than 3:00 minutes, will be considered completed.
OPEN QUARRY
Dog / Handler team negotiate a straight track with no less than four low hurdles. Dogs must enter a wall with a tunnel; the first dog out on the opposite side is the winner. This is a competitive activity, with winners and / or those who place, if so announced by the EWMIC.
- 1) Equipment
a) Sufficient snow fence and poles to secure the run area. b) Appropriate number of low hurdles for the level trial being done. c) A padded wood or hay bale wall with an 18” x 12” hole located at the center. d) A drag lure machine with a furred and scented lure. e) Course must have at least a 10 foot width and 10 foot deep release area and 20 foot catch area. f) Appropriate scent diluted with water to mark lure. g) One stopwatch. h) Handler / Dog equipment; a neck triangle in handlers registered arms (this option is highly encouraged!), or a set of six neck triangle in the following colors; red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and black; a properly fitted muzzle (plastic basket or closed end cloth muzzles only, leather or metal muzzles will be passed on a case by case basis).
- 2) Area Needed
a) A minimum area of 10 feet wide by 100 to 150 yards long.
- 3) Setup
a) Poles for fence are set in a straight line with a maximum 10 paces apart. b) Fence is erected so that there is a gate at the beginning and at the end of the course. c) Lure will be run under the hurdles and through the tunnel of the wall.
- 4) Ground Crew
a) One scorekeeper b) one lure operator c) one finish line judge (chose a spectator for this!).
- 5) Rules
a) Teams start in the starting area. b) The lure operator starts the lure. c) At the shout of, “Release the Hounds” the dogs are slipped from the leash. d) The first dog whose whole body is through the hole wins!
- 6) Scoring
a) This is a racing event. Winner is the dog that is through first.
