Three passes of a minimum of 170 points out of a possible 200 under at least two different judges will qualify the dog for the award Utility Dog, which follows after the dog's name and is normally abbreviated to U.D.
Further information on obedience trials can be obtained from your local dog obedience club, the ANKC Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials and Tracking Tests or members of this Committee.
WHAT IS TRACKING
Tracking under ANKC rules is tracking for competition, and to attain tracking titles. It involves training a dog to follow a ground scent trail and find any discarded articles of clothing along the track.
Dogs must wear a tracking harness, and must track at the end of a 10 metre lead (unless topography makes this difficult). All breeds of dog can learn to track. Dogs often find this an enjoyable activity.
Tracking in NSW is done mostly in winter, due to the preponderance of snakes during the summer months, and the risk to both dog and handler caused by heat.
A number of obedience and tracking clubs teach tracking, in which a dog and handler may learn how to track. Some of these clubs also run tracking trials, where dogs and handlers can enter to gain their tracking titles.
To be eligible for entry in Tracking Trials a dog must have passed the Preliminary Tracking qualification test.
TRACKING QUALIFICATION TEST
The competitor will enter the Trial in the normal manner, indicating the class as Tracking Qualification Test only. The test may be conducted in conjunction with, but will not interfere with, an Official Tracking Trial, or may be conducted on a separate day.
The Test
In this test the dog must track a known Tracklayer for approximately 300 metres. There will be one change of direction of approximately 90 degrees not less than 100 metres after the start. The track must be not less than 10 minutes nor more than 30 minutes old. The dog must find the Tracklayer and considered to be tracking by the Judge to obtain a Pass. No grades are awarded, merely "Pass" or "Fail".
TITLES
Dogs must complete, in order, Test 1, through to Test 6.
To qualify for the Tracking Titles of T.D. (Tracking Dog), T.D.X. (Tracking Dog Excellent) and T.Ch (Tracking Champion) a dog must pass each of the following tests once:
Tracking Dog (T.D.) Test 1 (Known Person)
Test 2 (Unknown Person)
Tracking Dog. Test 3 (Unknown Person)
Excellent (T.D.X.) Test 4 (Unknown Person)
Test 5 (Unknown Person)
Tracking Champion Test 6 (Unknown Person)
TRACKING DOG (T.D.)
The dog must qualify under two different Judges for the T.D. title to be granted.
Test 1 - Known Person
The dog will follow a trail for approximately 800 metres, and the Tracklayer shall be nominated by the exhibitor. The track will have at least two angle turns and two articles must be placed on the track. The minimum time for the commencement of the track must be 30 minutes and the maximum 60 minutes, from the time the track is laid. At least one article (apart from the start article), must be found or indicated to obtain a Pass. The Tracklayer must be found at the end of the Track.
Test 2 - Unknown Person
The dog will follow a trail for approximately 800 metres. The Tracklayer will be unknown to the dog. The track must have at least two angle turns and two articles will be placed on the track. Time lapse for track must be the same as Test 1. At least one article (apart from the start article), must be found or indicated to obtain a Pass. The Tracklayer must be found at the end of the Track.
TRACKING DOG EXCELLENT (T.D.X.)
The dog must qualify under at least two different Judges for the T.D.X. title to be granted.
Test 3 - Unknown Person
The dog is required to track an unknown person over a trail of approximately 1000 metres. It shall have at least four angle turns and two articles must be on the track. The minimum time lapse for the commencement of this track must be 60 minutes and the maximum two (2) hours, from the time the track is laid. At least one article, (apart from the start article), must be found or indicated to obtain a Pass. The Tracklayer must be found at the end of the Track.
Test 4 - Unknown Person
This will be similar to Test No. 3 except that the track must be crossed once by a known person.
The diversion track should be laid approximately 30 minutes after the original Tracklayer has passed.
Test 5 - Unknown Person
The dog is required to track an unknown person over a trail of approximately 1200 metres. It shall have at least 5 angle turns and 3 articles must be placed on the track. The track shall be crossed twice by diversion tracks and these may be laid by one or two unknown persons. The diversion tracks must be laid approximately 30 minutes after the original Tracklayer has passed. The minimum time lapse for the commencement of the track must be one (1) hour and the maximum three (3) hours, from the time the track was laid. At least two articles (apart from the start article), must be found or indicated to obtain a Pass. The Tracklayer must be found at the end of the Track.
TRACKING CHAMPION TEST
Test 6 - Unknown person
The dog is required to track an unknown person and find lost articles over a trail of approximately 1200 metres. It shall have at least six angle turns, two turns to be acute of no less than 45 degrees. Three articles must be placed on the track, two articles must be found to obtain a Pass. There will be two diversion tracks that may be laid by one or two unknown persons. The crossover tracks must be laid approximately 30 minutes after the original Tracklayer has passed. The minimum time lapse for the commencement of the track must be 90 minutes and the maximum 180 minutes, from the time the original Tracklayer crosses the starting line. The Tracklayer must be found at the end of the track.
Further information on tracking can be obtained from:
- Tracking Clubs
- Obedience or Specialist clubs which run tracking training and/or tracking trials
- Members of this Committee
Note: There is a revision of the Rules for Tracking being done at the moment. This means that there may be changes or minor amendments to these rules that come into effect in 2005.
DOG NSW OBEDIENCE & TRACKING COMMITTEE NEWS
Copies of ANKC Rules for the Obedience Trials and for Tracking Trials May 2006
Printed copies of the ANKC Rules for the Conduct of Obedience Trials (effective from 1st July 2006) are now available from the office of the Royal NSW Canine Council.
Printed copies of the ANKC Rules for Tracking Trials are also available from the office.
Provision of refreshments at trials held at The Bill Spilstead Complex for Canine Affairs March 2005:
Clubs which will be holding Trials at The Bill Spilstead Complex for Canine Affairs are advised to contact the RNSWCC Office to determine whether any of the contracted food vendors intend to be open for the Trial.
If none of the vendors will be open, Clubs may make alternative arrangements to provide refreshments.
This arrangement will be in place until 30 June 2005, by which time it may be reviewed and other arrangements may be put in place.
FREQUENTLY ASKED INFORMATION
Number of exhibits which can be judged
From
RNSWCC REGULATIONS PART II SHOW:
SECTION 20
Limitation of Exhibits for Judging
20.1 A Judge shall not be required to judge on any one day: (a) in General Classes at a General Show or Specialist Show: 6/88
(i) within the Metropolitan areas of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong more than 250 exhibits, or if a Judge is required to judge Group or General Special Classes more than 225.
(ii) outside the said areas more than 250 exhibits.
(b) at an Obedience Trial:
(i) 7 exhibits per hour in a Novice Class with a maximum of 40 exhibits;
(ii) 6 exhibits per hour in an Open Class with a maximum of 35 exhibits;
(iii) 5 exhibits per hour in a Utility Dog Class with a maximum of 30 exhibits.
(iv) Where a Judge is contracted to judge multiple classes the maximum number of entries will not exceed 30. 11/94
Finishing time for trials
From
RNSWCC REGULATIONS PART II SHOW:
SECTION 8
8.4 At any recognised Show or Agricultural Show, the period between the commencement of General Classes and the end of General Specials shall not exceed:
(a) in the case of shows with less than 1,800 entries on the day in question - eight (8) hours including meal breaks. 4/92
(b) in the case of shows with 1,800 entries or more on the day in question - nine (9) hours including meal breaks. 4/92
Any Show conducted where there is not lighting installed must finish before sunset, and where there is lighting installed must conclude before 11.30 pm.
The time allowed for the judging of Special Classes conducted before General Specials (including Junior Handlers) should not exceed one (1) hour.
8.5 If after the closing date for entries a Show Committee is of the opinion that insufficient Judges have been appointed to enable a Show to be completed in compliance with Regulation 8.4, permission may be granted by the RNSWCC to appoint additional Judges.
