FORMAT FOR TRIALS

 

 Aims and philosophy

 

Scentwork Wales believes that the activity of scent detection develops and encourages better relationships between people and their dogs.  Irrespective of whether an owner is an experienced handler and trainer, or one who has never considered taking part in a dog sport and simply wants an enjoyable activity for their dog, SwW offers the opportunity to train, compete, and most of all enjoy watching dogs do the thing they do best – using their amazing noses – in an encouraging and supportive environment.

 

Scentwork provides an enriching dog activity that owners can practice anywhere, using minimal equipment.  Scentwork training is carried out using reward-based training techniques with no corrections employed at any level.  Owners learn to read their dog’s communicative behaviour about odour location, and success is achieved through teamwork.  Scentwork, in some ways, allows humans to “see” the world the way their dog smells it.

 

The training can start at any age; puppy, senior citizen, or anything in between.  Trials are open to any breed or mix of dog over 10 months old.  Scent training can help develop confidence in young or shy dogs, can be an outlet for the energy of a busy, enthusiastic dog, and provides an excellent opportunity for older dogs, or those with decreased mobility to keep learning and enjoy a fun, rewarding activity with their owners.  It has been suggested that scentwork can even help dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction.

 

The primary focus of SwW is to offer the benefits of scentwork to as many dogs and owners as possible, and we are happy to work with other professionals or groups of dog enthusiasts such as dog clubs, training centres, or groups of friends who would like to learn more about scentwork, host workshops or hold trials.

 

 There are three parts to a Scentwork Wales Trial: 

 

1.  Place Rosettes:

1st to 3rd place rosettes are awarded at each Level of Achievement (Novice, Advanced and Excellent), in each Search Element, at all BRONZE Award standard.  Place rosettes are decided on points awarded for finding the hide in the allotted time and meeting the required handling criteria – search time will be the deciding factor in the event of a tie.  The handling criteria for each level can be found at the end of this document.

 

2. Scentwork Wales Scent Dog Awards:

There are 39 SwW Scent Dog Awards to work towards providing a natural progression route.  Ribbons are awarded for each qualifying search achieved in a trial and rosettes are awarded on successful completion of each SwW Award.   

 

3.  Annual Special Achievement Awards:

In each search points are awarded for successfully finding the hide and meeting the handling criteria.  These points are accumulated throughout the year (any trial held between 1st January and the Christmas Trial for the same year) toward the Annual Scentwork Wales

 

Scent Dog Special Achievement Awards:

 

1. Perpetual Challenge Trophy for the dog/handler team that achieve the most points throughout the year – in the event of a tie on points, time will be the deciding factor.

    

2. Achievement Element Awards – for the dog/handler team that achieve the most points through the year in each Element at every Level – in the event of a tie on points, time will be the deciding factor.

 

 

General:

At any time (including during a search) a dog may be entered as ‘Non-Competitive’ (NC).  If a dog is entered NC no scores or times will be recorded and the handler may ask the judge for coaching throughout the search.

 

Each dog and handler team competing for place rosettes or working towards Awards will need to be registered by Scentwork Wales (no fee) and will be allocated a number in order to track their progression through Levels and Awards as necessary.

 

Each dog is to be handled by the same person in competitive searches – changes to the handler must be requested in advance and permission is at the discretion of the organisers.

 

If a competitor incorrectly calls Alert, that search will not be qualifying.

 

These rules will remain in place for a period of 12 months and will be reviewed annually at the end of each year.  We anticipate that the criteria and rules will be revised as our thinking and understanding of scent detection and of the best practices of training scent dogs evolves.  We wish to maintain a collaborative atmosphere with input from all trial participants, and other experienced individuals, to organise and run creative, enjoyable and inclusive trials for all dogs and owners.

 

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Glossary

Qualifying Search:  For a search to be classes as ‘qualifying’ to count towards the Awards the hide must be found in the time allowed and the required handling criteria must be achieved.

Search Element: The type of search being undertaken.  There are four elements. Containers, Buildings, Vehicles, Exterior.

Containers: Interior search. At novice level the container search will consist of identical boxes.  At higher levels the container search will consist of mixed containers.

Buildings: An interior search which may include furniture and/or a perimeter search.

Exterior: Exterior search that may contain mixed containers, furniture and/or a perimeter search.

Vehicle: Exterior search where hides are placed on the outside of a vehicle.  Any type of vehicle could be used eg. car, van, trailer, horse box, tractor.

Mixed containers: A search area that can contain any item that is safe for the dog to search.  For example it could include hats, helmets, lamp shades, boxes, kettles, hoses, pipes, grills.

Furniture search: Generally tables and chairs however any type of furniture could be used including patio furniture, kitchen furniture, benches or settees.

Perimeter search:  A search area that follows the wall of a building or room and incorporates at least one corner.  Furniture and/or mixed containers could be included in the perimeter.

Blind Search:  The hide is not visible to the handler or the dog.

Accessible hide:    Hide is in reach of the dog without the need for the dog to climb on anything to get to the source.

Inaccessible Hide: Hide is out of reach of the dog and the dog may need to put front paws on a wall or furniture, or climb on something to get as close as it can to the source of the odour.

Visible distractions/attractions:  Toys, food or other smelly items in ventilated boxes which are in view of the handler.

Hidden distractions/attractions: Toys, food or other smelly items in ventilated boxes which are not in view of the handler – eg. hidden in a closed box.

Distance Search: A search where the handler must stay behind the start line and the dog works at distance.

 

 

 

Scentwork Wales Scent Dog Awards:

 

There are 3 Levels of Achievement to work towards:

• Novice

• Advanced

• Excellent

 

There are 3 Awards at each Level of Achievement:

• Bronze

• Silver

• Gold

 

There are 4 Search Elements:

• Containers

• Buildings

• Vehicles

• Exteriors

 

There are 39 Scent Dog Awards to work towards.

 

Dogs will work their way through the Awards at their own pace and may work towards different Awards and Levels of Achievement in different Elements depending on their individual progression.  There is no requirement to compete in all Search Elements – you may select what works best for you and your dog.

 

Dogs’ progression will be recorded by Scentwork Wales, and details will be published on the Scentwork Wales website.

 

Since trial sites will vary due to location, availability of appropriate search areas, numbers of competitors and so on, organisers reserve the right to retain a degree of flexibility in searches offered during a trial.  It will not be possible to offer all Search Elements at all required Award levels during all trials.

 

 

 

Novice Awards

 

Novice Awards are open to all dog and handler teams.  The primary scent used will be cloves, however a different scent can be used on request and dogs needing different scents will be run at the end of the class.

 

• All searches will be blind.

• Hides will be in a position which is accessible to the dog.

• There will be no deliberate distractions

 

Search Elements:   Description:                                No. of hides       Time Allowed

Containers:             15 identical containers               1 hide                  3 minutes

Buildings:                 2 tables and 8 chairs                 1 hide                  3 minutes

Vehicle:                    1 vehicle                                     1 hide                  3 minutes

Exterior:                  10 mixed containers                   1 hide                  3 minutes

 

A Novice Scent Dog Bronze [Element] Award is given when the dog/handler team achieves 5 qualifying searches in a Search Element. 

 

Awards at Bronze

SwW Novice Scent Dog Bronze – Containers        Criteria:

SwW Novice Scent Dog Bronze – Buildings          5 qualifying searches

SwW Novice Scent Dog Bronze – Vehicles            in each Element

SwW Novice Scent Dog Bronze - Exteriors           

 

After achieving Bronze in an Element, any Novice searches entered will count towards Sliver/Gold Awards.

 

Awards at Silver

SwW Novice Scent Dog Silver – Containers          Criteria:

SwW Novice Scent Dog Silver – Buildings            additional 5 qualifying searches

SwW Novice Scent Dog Silver – Vehicles              in each Element

SwW Novice Scent Dog Silver - Exteriors

 

Awards at Gold

SwW Novice Scent Dog Gold – Containers         Criteria:

SwW Novice Scent Dog Gold – Buildings             additional 5 qualifying searches

SwW Novice Scent Dog Gold – Vehicles              in each Element

SwW Novice Scent Dog Gold - Exteriors

 

SwW Novice Scent Dog                                             Gold standard in every Element.

 

 

 

Advanced Awards

 

Dogs may enter an Element at Advanced level when they have obtained their Novice Bronze award in that Element.  Two scents will be used – clove and catnip.  Hides may be made up of individual odours, or a cocktail of any two odours combined.  We are unable to accommodate different scents at this level.

 

• All searches will be blind. 

• Hides may be accessible or inaccessible.

• All searches will include visible attractions and distractions.

 

Search Elements:   Description:                                No. of hides       Time Allowed

Containers:             15 mixed containers                  1 hide                  3 minutes

Buildings:                Furniture and/or perimeter      2 hides                 4 minutes

Vehicle:                   2 vehicles – one will be blank   1 hide                  3 minutes

Exterior:                 15 mixed containers                   1 hide                  3 minutes

 

An Advanced Scent Dog Bronze [Element] award is given when the dog/handler team achieves 5 qualifying searches in a search Element. 

 

Awards at Bronze

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Bronze – Containers       Criteria:

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Bronze – Buildings         5 qualifying searches

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Bronze – Exteriors          in an Element

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Bronze – Vehicles     

 

After achieving Bronze in an Element any Advanced searches entered will count towards Sliver/Gold Awards. 

 

Awards at Silver

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Silver – Containers    Criteria:

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Silver – Buildings      additional 5 qualifying searches

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Silver – Exteriors       in an Element

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Silver – Vehicles      

 

Awards at Gold

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Gold – Containers    Criteria:

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Gold – Buildings      additional 5 qualifying searches

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Gold – Exteriors       in an Element

SwW Advanced Scent Dog Gold – Vehicles      

 

SwW Advanced Scent Dog                                      Gold standard in every Element.

 

 

 

Excellent Awards

 

Dogs can enter an Element at Excellent level when they have obtained an Advanced Bronze Award in that Element.  Three scents will be used – clove, catnip and (tbc).  Hides may be made up of individual odours, or a cocktail of any two odours combined.  We are unable to accommodate different scents at this level.

 

• All searches will be blind. 

• Hides may be accessible or inaccessible.

• Searches will include attractions and distractions – visible and/or hidden.

• Any search element may used for a distance search.

• There may be more than one search area to an element

• One of the search areas may be blank.

 

Search Elements:   Description:                                No. of hides       Time Allowed

Containers:             Up to 20 mixed containers       1 hide                  3 minutes

Buildings:                Furniture and/or perimeter      Up to 6 hides      5 minutes

Vehicle:                   Up to 3 vehicles                         2 hides                 4 minutes

Exterior:                  Up to 20 mixed containers        1 hide                  3 minutes

 

An Excellent Scent Dog Bronze [Element] Award is given when the dog handler team achieves 5 qualifying searches in a search Element. 

 

Awards at Bronze

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Bronze – Containers     Criteria:

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Bronze – Buildings       5 qualifying searches

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Bronze – Exteriors        in an Element

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Bronze – Vehicles      

 

After achieving Bronze in an Element any excellent searches entered will count towards Sliver/Gold Awards. 

 

Awards at Silver

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Silver – Containers      Criteria:

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Silver – Buildings        additional 5 qualifying searches

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Silver – Exteriors         in an Element

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Silver – Vehicles        

 

Award at Gold

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Gold – Containers      Criteria

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Gold – Buildings        additional 5 qualifying searches

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Gold – Exteriors         in an Element

SwW Excellent Scent Dog Gold – Vehicles          

 

SwW Excellent Scent Dog                                       Gold standard in every Element.

 

 

Handling Criteria

 

The list below details the handling errors that will be considered at each level.  For a search to be classed as ‘qualifying’ there must be no more than TWO errors at Bronze, ONE error at Silver and NONE at Gold level.  Any handling deemed as harsh by the judge will be result in ‘disqualification’.

 

Novice:

Contaminating search area with food

Deliberately blocking or restricting the dogs ability to search freely

Re-cuing the dog to the source of the odour

Interrupting the dog when searching

Deliberately moving a search item

 

Advanced:   All above plus….

Crowding the dog when searching

Damaging a hide or other item in the search area

Dog leaves the hide before the alert is called

Accidently moving a search item with leash or other

Accidently  blocking or restricting the dogs search pattern

 

Excellent:  All above plus…

Incomplete or haphazard search plan

Not putting search plan on hold to allow the dog to search

Deliberately restricting or unduly directing the dogs search pattern