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WORKING TRIALS
For seasoned trainers and competitors working trials is an exciting challenge. It differs from other disciplines in that it puts the dog and handler out in the countryside, channelling the dog's natural abilities and instincts to work with the handler, to carry out exercises which mirror exercises needed in real life by working dogs of all types. The excitement is that the dog must be independent enough to "go for it" but switched on to the handler enough to "do it the handler's way". It is up to you to find the way you and the dog can work together best. You have to use your own "little grey cells" to find out how to achieve. This is the fun of it, we all share our experiences and learn together.
Disavail yourselves immediately of the idea that this is an easy sport. It is not. It requires time, effort, fitness, and facilities, attitude of the dog and handler, and the all-important ingredients- patience and skill.
Lets look at the exercises
1. Nosework
There are two parts to this.a. A person will walk around a field making a prescribed pattern in the ground and putting articles on the ground for the dog to find. This is called The Track and is usually half a mile in length.
b.
A 25 yards square area will be marked out with four poles, and inside this area will be placed four articles. This is called the Article SearchThe dog wears a harness and is connected to his handler by a 10 metre line for the track. An article is normally something unlike the rest of the ground: a piece of carpet, a gun cartridge, a spark plug, an old credit card. The team has a time in which they must complete these exercises. Points are awarded for the style in which they are completed, and for the articles found and returned to the judge.
2. Obedience
Here you will recognise similarities with the usual obedience competitions, but the way in which they are carried out may vary. The dog and handler have to complete a round of heel work, on and off lead, retrieve, recall, sent away, but the criteria is that the activity should look "normal" , so no hernia position heelwork, and you may be docked marks for the dog impeding the progress of the team if he is too wrapped around your left leg. All of this of course depends upon the judge who may interpret the exercises as he sees fit, so you may have to complete the exercises in whatever style the judge wishes to see.3. Agility
There are only three jumps here. A 3 foot hurdle, which may be two upright poles and cross member, or it may be more substantial. A 9 foot long jump. A 6foot solid timber wall , called a scale which must be negotiated over, with a stay at the other side then a return.
4. Finally
all the other " bits" not so far mentioned.a.
Steadiness to gunshot 
b. Down Stay 10 minutes out of sight
c. Sit stay five minutes out of sight
d. Speak on command
You may be convinced by now that this is a very wide reaching competitive sport, but it is well within the reach of anyone willing to invest time in it.
You start this sport in the lowest grade or stake, once you succeed in a stake you can move on to the next stake, each one progressively harder, with slight variations in the exercises and the way they must be carried out.
The best thing is to "come a and see". Lots of breeds can do this, the only limiting factor is the height of the dog. If he is under 15 inches he will probably struggle with the jumps and you can opt to do them a reduced height. This would preclude him from competing in the higher stakes, but who cares, he can enjoy the sport without worrying about the top stakes.
Haslemere Club no longer hold Working Trials.
For more details please contact C C Guard cc.guard@btinternet.com
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