Standard For Obedience Trials

SECTION 1. The purpose of Obedience Trials is to demonstrate the usefulness of the purebred dog as the companion and guardian of man, and not the ability of the dog to acquire facility in the performance of mere tricks. The classification, which has been adopted, is progressive with the thought in mind that a dog, which can be termed a utility dog, has demonstrated his fitness to a place in our modern scheme of living.

SECTION 2. If the tests take place indoors the ring must be at least 30' wide and 50' long and must be thoroughly cleaned immediately before the judging starts. The floor shall have a surface or covering adequate to provide firm footing for the largest dogs and rubber or similar non-slip material for the take-off and landing at all jumps. If the tests take place out-of-doors the ring shall be at least 50' wide and 80' long. The ground shall be level and the grass, if any, shall be cut short.

The first exhibition of trained dogs, for the Animal Rescue League, Boston, Mass., at the summer conference, 1940, at Amrita Island, Mass.

SECTION 3. A word of praise  is allowed between tests and between separate parts of individual tests after the Judge has said "Exercise finished," but no offering of any kind of food may be given in the ring. All exercises, except "Heel on Leash," "Stand for Examination" and "Tracking," shall be performed off leash. Imperfections in heeling between exercises will not be judged, but any disciplining by the handler in the ring, or any uncontrolled behavior of the dog, such as snapping, unjustified barking, or running out of the ring, even between exercises, will be severely penalized by deducting points from the total score, and the Judge may bar the dog from further competition at that trial.

SECTION 4. In all parts of all exercises performed in the ring, a single command or signal only may be given by the handler, and any extra commands or signals, or the giving of a command and a signal will be penalized; except thatwhenever the dog is made to "Stay" the command and a simultaneous signal may be given without penalty. Signaling correction to the dog from a distance is forbidden. Any unusual noises may be considered to be signals. No penalty shall be attached for the use of a dog's name when given in conjunction with any command.

SECTION 5. In the Novice and Open Classes, the handler shall enter the ring with his dog on loose leash and shall stand still with dog sitting at heel at the handler's left side until the Judge asks if the handler is ready and then gives the order, "Forward," at which order the handler will attract his dog's attention by saying his name and then give the command, "Heel," and at the same time start walking briskly with the dog on loose leash. At the command, "Heel," the dog shall walk close to the left side of the handler, without crowding, permitting the handler freedom of motion at all times. At each order to "Halt," the handler willstop and his dog shall sit smartly at heel without command or signal, and not move until ordered to do so. It is permissible after each halt before moving again for the handler to give the command, "Heel," to his dog. Any tightening or jerking of the leash or any act, signal or command which, in the opinion of the Judge, gives the dog unnecessary or unfair assistance shall be penalized. The Judge will give the orders, "Left turn," "Right turn ," "About turn," "Slow" and "Fast," which last order signifies that the handler and dog must run. These orders may be given in any sequence and may be repeated if necessary. In executing the "About Turn," the handler will use a "right about turn" in the Novice Classes and both the "right about turn" and the "left about turn" in the Open Classes on specific orders, "Right about turn" and "Left about turn," from the Judge. The "Left about Turn" is to be executed by having the handler turn left, and the dog turn right, passing behind the handler's back. The Judge will order the handler to execute the "Figure Eight," which signifies that the handler shall walk around and between the twoStewards who shall stand not more than eight feet apart, or if there is only one Steward shall walk around and between the Judge and the Steward. The "Figure Eight" shall be done on leash in the Novice Classes and off leash in the Open Classes. The Judge will say, "Exercise finished" and "Are you ready?" after the heeling, but before the "Figure Eight." There shall be no "About Turn" in the "Figure Eight," but the handler and dog shall go twice completely around the "Figure Eight" with at least one "Halt" during and another "Halt" at the end of the exercise.

SECTION 6. "Stand for Examination." The Judge will give the order, "Stand your dog" and the handler will stand or pose his dog on leash, give the command and/or signal to "Stay," walk in front of his dog, turn around, and stand facing his dog. The Judge will touch the dog's head, body and hindquarters and then give the order, "Back to your dog," whereupon the handler will walk around behind his dog to the heel position. The dog must remain in a standing position until the Judge says, "Exercise finished." The dog must show no nervousness or resentment.

SECTION 7. "Heel Free" shall be executed in the same manner as "Heel on Leash" except that the dog is off the lead.

SECTION 8. To execute the "Recall” to handler, the dog is ordered to and must be made to stay in the sitting position at one end of the ring while his handler moves to the other end, and when the judge gives the order, "Do the Recall," the handler calls his dog, which in the Novice Class must come straight in to its handler at a smart pace and when it reaches a point immediately in front of the handler, first sit, and next at command or signal go smartly to heel. In the Open Class at command or signal the dog must drop as it is coming in; and then on command or signal rise and continue on its way and, when it reaches a point immediately in front of the handler, first sit and then at command or signal go smartly to heel.

SECTION 9. In the "Sitting One Minute" test, the handler goes to the end of the ring opposite to that end where the dog has been left in the sitting position, and when the time limit has expired returns to his dog, which must not move from the sitting position until spoken to and permission has been given by its handler after the Judge says, "Exercise finished." The order is "Sit stay." In the "Sitting Three Minutes" test all handlers leave the ring and remain out of sight of their dogs until the time limit has expired.

SECTION 10. In the "Down Three or Five Minutes" test, the same conditions prevail as in the "Sitting" tests, except that the dog must remain in a lying down position. The order is "Down stay ." In the "Five Minutes" test, all handlers leave the ring and remain out of sight of their dogs until the time limit has expired.

In Squads
In Circles
One of the author's training classes in action.

SECTION 11. All the competing dogs take the "Sit" and "Down" tests in the ring together, unless the class is too large, in which case it may be split up into groups of not less than six dogs each. However, in no case shall more than fifteen dogs take the "Sit" or "Down" tests in the ring together. In the "Long Sit" and "Long Down" for both Novice and Open Classes, the dogs shall be lined up in catalog order. Handlers' armbands weighted with leashes or other articles, if necessary, shall be placed behind the dogs.

SECTION 12. In "Retrieving Dumbbell  on the Flat,11 the dog shall not move forward to retrieve nor deliver to hand on return until ordered by the handler. The retrieve should be executed at a fast trot or gallop without mouthing or playing with the object. After delivering the object from in front of the handler, the dog upon command or signal shall go to heel. The size of the dumbbell may vary in proportion to the size of the dog. The orders given by the Judge in this test shall be "Throw it," whereupon the handler gives the command or signal to "Stay" and throws the dumbbell; "Send him," whereupon the handler sends his dog to retrieve; "Take it," whereupon the handler takes the dumbbell from the dog; "Finish ," whereupon the handler gives the command or signal to heel.

SECTION 13. In "Retrieving the Dumbbell  over the obstacle," the exercise is executed in the same manner as the "Retrieve on the Flat," except that the dog must jump the obstacle both going and coming. The obstacle or high jump shall be jumped clear and shall in no case be less than one and one half times the heights of the dog at the withers, except that the maximum height shall be 3 feet. This applies, to all breeds except those listed below for which it shall be once the height of the dog at the withers, with a maximum of 3 feet: Bull-Mastiffs, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands and St. Bernards.

The side posts of the "High Jump" shall be 4 feet high and the jump shall be 5 feet wide and shall be so constructed as to provide adjustment for each 2 inches from 12 inches to 36 inches. It was suggested that the jump have a bottom board 8 inches wide including the space from the bottom of the board to the ground, together withthree other 8 inch boards, one 6 inch board, and one 4 inch board. The jump shall be painted a flat white. The width in inches shall be painted on each side of each board in black 2-inch figures, the figure on the bottom board representing the distance from the ground to the top of the board.

SECTION 14. The "Broad Jump " shall consist of four separate hurdles, built to telescope for convenience, the largest measuring about 5 feet wide and 7 inches high at the highest point and painted a flat white. When set up, they shall be spaced so as to cover a distance equal to not less than two and one half times the height of the dog at the withers, except that the maximum distance covered by the hurdles shall be 6 feet. This applies to all breeds, except those listed in Section 13, for which the distance covered by the hurdles shall be not less than twice the height at the withers, with a maximum of 6 feet. Hurdles shall be removed in proportion to the height of the dog and the highest hurdles shall be removed first. In the execution of the "Broad Jump ," the handler will stand with his dog at the heel position in front of and within ten feet of the jump. On order from the Judge to "Leave your dog," the handler will give his dog the command and/or signal to "Stay" and go to a position at the side of the jump, about two feet from the jump, and within the range of the first and last hurdles. On order from the Judge, the handler shall call the dog's name and give the command or signal to jump and the dog shall clear the entire width of the broad jump without touching and, without further command or signal, return to a sitting position immediately in front of the handler as in the "Recall." The handler may change his position slightly after giving the command or signal "Over." On order from the Judge, the handler will give the command or signal to "Heel" and the dog shall finish in the prescribed manner.

SECTION 15. "Scent Discrimination." In this exercise,the dog must select by scent  alone and retrieve an article which has been handled by his handler from each of three groups of five absolutely identical articles. The articles shall be provided by the handler and these shall consist of metal, wood and leather objects, respectively. Upon entering the ring for the Utility Class, the handler shall present all the articles to the Judge and the Judge shall designate one article from each of the three sets to be the handler's articles. At the start of the "Scent Discrimination" exercise, the remaining twelve articles will be placed at random in the ring about six inches apart. The handler will stand about fifteen feet from the articles, with the dog sitting at heel position, with his back to the articles. The handler will place one of his articles on the Judge's book and the Judge will place it among the other articles. On order from the Judge to "Send him," the handler and the dog will turn to face the articles, and the handler will place his hand gently over the dog's nose and give the command to "Get it." The dog shall go at a brisk pace to the articles, but may take any reasonable time to select the right article provided he works continuously and does not pick up any article other than his handler's. After picking up the right article, the dog shall bring it smartly to his handler, and the exercise is completed as in the "Retrieve" exercises.  The same procedure is repeated for the two other types of articles. At the close of this exercise, the articles shall be removed from the ring.

Pioneers of dog show exhibitions.  This group exhibited their dogs, trained by the author, in many dog show exhibitions throughout the East.

SECTION 16. "Seek Back." In this exercise, the article used must be approved by the Judge and must not be a conspicuous one nor white in color. The article used shall be dropped surreptitiously by the handler as he is walking with his dog at heel. After the handler has proceeded at least thirty yards from the place where the article was dropped, the dog shall be given the order to "Seek Back" and must retrieve the article and return with speed. The dog may retrieve either by sight or scent.

SECTION 17. "Signal Exercise." In this exercise, the handler, on order from the Judge, signals the dog to heel and moves forward at a normal pace, executing a series of exercises which include the following: "RightTurn," "Left Turn," "About Turn," "Slow," "Fast," "Normal Pace," and "Stand Stay." The different parts of the heeling may be done in any order and may be repeated only if necessary to accommodate the exercise to the size and shape of the ring. The dog is left in a "stand stay" position, the handler proceeding to a distance of about thirty feet from and facing the dog. The dog is signalled to come, dropped on hand-signal immediately in front of the handler, then signalled to sit, and finally finish in the approved manner. There will be no orders from the Judge except the initial order "Forward"; and the handler must not speak to his dog at any time in this exercise.

SECTION 18. "Hurdle and Bar Jump." The obstacles shall be the same height as those required in the Open Classes and they shall be placed between fifteen and twenty feet apart. The hurdle shall be the same as that used in the Open Classes, and the bar jump shall consist of a bar between 2 and 2 l/2inches in diameter, painted black and white in alternate sections of about 3 inches each. The bar shall be supported by two 4 foot upright posts at least five feet apart. The bar shall be adjustable for each 2 inches of height from 12 inches to 36 inches and shall be so constructed that the bar can be knocked off without disturbing the uprights. The exercise shall be done in the same manner as the "Broad Jump ," the handler standing midway between and just to one side of the obstacles. In addition, the handler will place the dumbbell in the dog's mouth before leaving the dog in the "sit stay" position, and will take the dumbbell from the dog on order from the Judge, as in the "Retrieve." The dog shall jump the obstacles clear without pausing between them and without dropping the dumbbell. The handler shall give the command or signal "Over" for each obstacle.

SECTION 19. "Group Examination." All the competing dogs take this exercise together, except that if there are more than fifteen dogs, they shall be split into groups of not more than fifteen dogs. The handlers and their dogs line up in catalog order, side by side down the center of the ring with the dogs at heel position. Each handler shall place his armband, weighted with a leash or other article, if necessary, behind his dog. On order from the Judge to "Stand your dogs," all the handlers will stand or pose their dogs, and on order from the Judge, "Leave your dogs," all the handlers will give the command and/or signal to "Stay" and walk forward to the side of the ring, then about turn and face their dogs. The Judge will approach each dog in turn from the front and examine each dog by touching its head, body and hindquarters. After all dogs have been examined, and after the handlers have been away from their dogs for at least three minutes, the Judge will order the handlers, "Back to your dogs," and the handlers will walk around behind their dogs to the heel position, after which the Judge will say, "Exercise finished." Each dog must remain standing at his position in the line, from the time his handler leaves himuntil the end of the exercise, and must show no nervousness or resentment.

SECTION 20. "Tracking" must be performed with the dog on leash, the length of the track to be not less than 440 yards nor more than 500 yards, the scent  to be not less than one half hour nor more than two hours old and that of a strangerwho will leave a leather glove or wallet to be found at the end of the track. The tracklayer will follow the track (which has been staked out with flags a day or more earlier) collecting all the flags on the way with exception of one flag at the start of the track and one flag not more than 30 yards from the start of the track to indicate the direction of the track; then deposit the article at the end of the track, put on a pair of rubbers and leave the course, walking away from the article at right angles to the track. The tracklayers must wear leather-soled shoes. The length of the leash used in tracking must be 30 to 60 feet and the dog must work at this length with no help from the handler. A dog may, at the handler's option, be given one, and only one, second chance to take the scent  between the two flags at the start, provided he has not passed the second flag.