Newfoundland Club of America Draft Test Regulations

Chapter Three Individual Division Exercises

Section 1 – Basic Control
Section 2 – Harnessing, Hitching & Equipment Check.
Section 3 – Maneuvering Course & Basic Commands.
Section 4 – Three-Minute Out-of-Sight & Freight Load.
Section 5 – Distance Freight Haul
Section 6 – Intriguing Distraction.

Section 1 – Basic Control

The handler and dog are tested to verify the handler's control over the dog off lead. Unlike AKC Obedience Trials, however, no point system exists and handlers are permitted to talk and to encourage their dogs during the exercises.

Basic Control takes place off lead in a ring at least forty feet by fifty feet (40' x 50'). Three different exercises make up Basic Control: a heel pattern, a recall, and a group one minute down. One judge will call the commands, but both judges mark the dog and handler's performances. The dog may be guided gently by the collar between exercises. Extra hand signals, voice commands, and praise are acceptable on the motion exercises, including the sits during the heel pattern.

Heel Off-Lead

The dog will heel within arm’s reach of the handler. The handler must not touch the dog, but may command and encourage the dog to remain within arm’s reach at all times. The judge calls the following commands: forward, slow, fast, normal, right turn, left turn, about turn, halt, and exercise finished. Failure to change pace will not automatically result in failure. The judges will determine the order of commands, and the calling judge will call the same pattern for each dog and handler.

Principal parts of the Heel Off-Lead Exercise

The dog performs the heeling pattern on the left side of the handler and within arm’s reach while responding to the handler’s commands.

Failing Performance

1. Handler must constantly adapt to the pace of the dog.

2. Dog frequently heels beyond the handler's reach.

3. Dog leaves the ring.

4. Dog is considered unmanageable by the judges.

5. Dog must be physically handled by the handler during the heel pattern.

Recall

The dog performs the recall off lead across the full length of the ring. The dog will stay in place until called by the handler. The dog must respond to the first command or signal to come; a simultaneous voice and hand command is permitted as described in Chapter II, Section 9. Extra hand signals and vocal commands are allowed after the dog begins to move. The dog will come to the handler near enough to be touched and should sit facing the handler. The judge calls the following commands: sit your dog, leave your dog, call your dog, finish, and exercise finished (the dog is not required to finish).

Principal parts of the Recall Exercise

The recall uses the length of the ring. The dog remains in place until the judge tells the handler to call the dog. ‘Stay’ and ‘Come’ may be voice, hand or a simultaneous voice and hand command.

Failing Performance

1. Handler gives more than one (1) stay command.

2. Dog does not stay when told to do so.

3. Dog does not respond to the first ‘come’ command.

4. Dog does not go to the handler.

5. Dog goes to the handler, but remains out of reach.

6. Dog leaves the ring.

7. Dog must be physically handled by the handler.

One Minute Down

The one-minute down is a group exercise and will be performed off lead with the handlers across the width of the ring. As a judging convenience, the judges will keep each group to a maximum of ten dogs. The handlers may manually put their dogs down before the judge commands the handlers to leave their dogs. The handlers will remove the leads and place them behind their dogs. The judge calls the following commands: down your dogs, leave your dogs, return to your dogs, and exercise finished.

Principal parts of the One Minute Down Exercise

1. The exercise is performed with the handlers across the width of the ring.

2. The ‘stay’ command may be given as a voice, hand or simultaneous voice and hand command.

3. The judge will tell the handlers to return to their dogs after one minute. The handler will walk around their dog and return to heel position.

4. The dog will remain down until the handler returns to the heel position.

5. The handler shall not release the dog until the judges says exercise finished.

Failing Performance

1. Handler gives more than one stay command.

2. Dog moves substantially even though still down.

3. Dog sits or stands any time before the handler returns to the heel position.

Section 2 – Harnessing, Hitching & Equipment Check

A draft test demonstrates cooperation between the handler and dog. Since a handler's draft work knowledge and abilities are essential to draft work, the judges evaluate a handler’s knowledge and ability to select the correct equipment for the dog, site, and conditions and to use the equipment properly. It is critical that a handler understand the equipment that the dog uses, since the dog has no recourse if the equipment is poor. The equipment includes the harness, draft apparatus, and any traces or tack required.

Using the equipment provided by the handler, the handler harnesses and hitches the dog in this exercise. A handler may touch the dog only as required to harness and to hitch the dog, but may not touch to discipline. The dog must demonstrate willingness to be harnessed and hitched to the draft apparatus without shying. The judges may touch the dog and equipment as necessary for checking. Once checked, equipment may not be substituted, and the handler must use the approved equipment throughout the remainder of the test.

The equipment must remain in safe working condition throughout the draft test. Consequently, the judges may fail improper or unsafe equipment during the scheduled Equipment Check or at any time during the remainder of the test.

Prior to the official beginning of the exercise, the handler brings the draft equipment, including the harness, to the steward assigned to the test area. The steward places the empty draft apparatus with the harness in the test area according to the judges’ instructions.

With the dog and handler at the edge of the test area, the judges instruct the handler to harness and to hitch his dog. The handler and dog move into the test area at least twenty (20) feet from the draft apparatus. The handler instructs the dog to stay, leaves the dog, gets the harness, and returns to harness the dog. The handler may instruct the dog to cooperate for harnessing and hitching.

When instructed by the judges, the handler commands the dog to back up. Within a thirty (30) second time limit, the dog must back a distance of at least four (4) feet in the direction of the draft apparatus without varying more than 90o to either side. Next, the handler hitches the dog to the draft apparatus. When the dog is completely hitched, the judges will indicate that the dog and handler are to move to a predetermined location (at least twenty (20) feet ahead) and stop. As the dog and handler move forward, the judges observe the equipment to verify that the equipment works safely, efficiently, and in harmony with the dog's anatomy during the forward motion and during braking. When the dog and handler have stopped at the designated location, a judge calls the exercise finished.

Judges instruct the handlers through the exercise using such commands as: harness your dog, back your dog, hitch your dog, move forward to the next position and halt, exercise finished. Judges are expected to adapt their instructions to the handler, dog and test site conditions.

Principal Parts of the Exercise

1. Handler leaves the dog in the center of the test area in a stand, sit or down position (handler's choice) and instructs the dog to stay.

2. Handler gets harness from steward and returns to dog.

3 Dog cooperates with handler for harnessing.

4. Dog stands, backs up at least four (4) feet without substantially changing direction; the handler may reposition by voice or hand commands and restart the back within thirty (30) seconds from the start of exercise.

5. Dog cooperates for hitching.

6. Judges inspect equipment, which must be in good working condition, safe and appropriate for the test site and for the dog.

7. Handler uses equipment correctly and appropriately during the remainder of the test.

8. Handler and hitched dog move into position in center of test area and indicate readiness to proceed.

9. Handler demonstrates that the equipment performs safely and efficiently when in motion and when braking.

Failing Performance

1. Handler physically guides dog during the exercise, with the exception of the necessary physical contact required to harness and to hitch the dog.

2. Dog refuses to accompany handler to harnessing or hitching area.

3. Dog leaves location where told to stay while handler gets harness.

4. Dog is uncooperative (walks away, refuses to obey handler's commands) during harnessing.

5 Dog refuses to back up on command within thirty (30) seconds.

6. Dog substantially changes direction while backing (judges' discretion, but changes of direction less than 90 degrees will not fail).

7. Dog is uncooperative during hitching.

8. Handler does not properly harness or hitch the dog to the apparatus.

9. Harness does not fit correctly.

10. The hitch is unsafe.

11. Apparatus balance is unsafe or causes dog trouble while working.

12. Equipment is poorly designed or in need of repair.

13. Draft equipment selected by handler is inappropriate for site.

14. Equipment breaks in a manner that could not be anticipated and cannot be repaired by the handler without assistance within ten (10) minutes.

Section 3 – Maneuvering Course & Basic Commands

The Draft Test Committee sets up and clearly marks a maneuvering course that includes as many natural features as possible. The judges will verify that the course meets the test criteria. If necessary, the judges may modify the course so that it adequately tests the handler and dog's maneuvering abilities. The course must cover at least 150 yards and include the following:

1. Circular patterns.

2. Broad curves.

3. Ninety-degree turns; at least one to the left and one to the right.

4. At least two narrow areas six or more feet long; preferably one low to the ground (e.g., logs) and one solid narrow area a minimum of three feet high (e.g., stacked bales of hay).

5. Removable obstacle.

At the beginning of the maneuvering course, the judges tell the handler and dog to take the course. The handler, with the dog off lead and hitched to the draft apparatus, hauls forward at a normal working speed unless commanded otherwise by the judges. There are no time constraints for traversing the course as long as the dog continues to work.

The handler may work in front of, beside, or behind the dog, or any combination of these positions. The handler may not impede the dog's forward movement at any time. This includes stepping in front of a dog to enforce a halt command or stepping in front of a dog that tries to change direction against the handler's command. Judges will allow a light load if it significantly improves apparatus stability.

At appropriate locations along the maneuvering course, the judges will command (in any order) the handler and dog to slow, halt, and back at least one (1) or three (3) feet (depending upon the apparatus used).

Judges will instruct handlers using the commands: haul forward, haul slowly, stop, back your dog, and exercise finished. Judges will decide in advance the appropriate locations and sequences for the commands. The locations will be the same for all dogs.

If a dog's apparatus bumps an object (e.g. tree or narrow area) and the dog obeys the handler's commands in dislodging it, the judges will pass the dog. However, if this happens more than two (2) times, the judges will fail the dog. The dog will also fail the exercise if the dog damages the objects or apparatus.

At least one of the narrow areas should be adjusted to be twelve (12) inches wider than the widest point of each dog and apparatus. Other narrow areas may be wider.

At the removable obstacle the dog waits (handler instructions allowed) for the handler to move the obstacle, and then the dog waits until the handler instructs the dog to move through the passageway. The judges will instruct the handler to leave the dog and return the obstacle to its former position.

The dog must back within thirty (30) seconds. Draft apparatus with wheels must move at least three (3) feet. Those draft apparatus without wheels, (e.g., sleds, toboggans, traditional Indian travois) may not be capable of being backed, in which case the traces will slacken and the dog must back at least one (1) foot. The judges will decide whether an apparatus and harness are appropriate for the dog to be required to back its apparatus.

The handler may not touch the draft apparatus unless special permission is granted from the judges, and then only if negotiation of a maneuver exceeds the dog's ability or if the equipment requires assistance in passing an obstacle (e.g. a curb). Once the area is passed, the handler must release his hand from the apparatus.

Principle Parts of the Exercise

1. With the dog harnessed and hitched to the draft apparatus, the handler directs the dog to pull through the maneuvering course.

2. The dog follows the handler’s instructions to turn, halt, slow and back as directed by the judges.

Failing Performance

1. Handler impedes the dog’s forward movement by moving in front of the dog to enforce a halt command.

2. Handler touches dog or apparatus without judges' permission.

3. Dog refuses to accompany handler.

4. Dog does not obey commands given by handler.

5. Dog or apparatus bumps objects more than two (2) times.

6. Dog bumps handler who chooses to work in front of his dog.

7 Dog refuses to back the required distance within thirty (30) seconds on command.

8. Dog significantly moves other than by changing position, during the out-of-sight stay.

9. Dog tries to pass removable obstacle without waiting for handler to move it, does not wait for handler’s command to move forward or does not stay while the handler returns the obstacle to original position.

10. Dog upsets draft apparatus.

11. Equipment breaks in a manner that could not be anticipated and can not be repaired by the handler without assistance within ten (10) minutes.

Section 4 – Three-Minute Out-of-Sight & Freight Load

The Three (3)-Minute Out-of-Sight will be tested as a group exercise, with a maximum of six (6) entrants at a time, as part of the Freight Load Exercise. In preparation for this exercise, the handlers will harness and hitch their dogs. This exercise is divided into two (2) parts as follows:

Part A – Three (3) Minute Out-of-Sight

The handlers will leave their dogs upon command from the judges and will go out of sight for three (3) minutes. The handler will instruct the dog to stay in a stand, sit or down position. The dog may shift position (e.g. go from a sit to a down) but may not significantly move the apparatus forward or back ward, other than the motion that occurs from a change in position. The steward assigned to the handler for the Distance Freight Haul Exercise will be stationed behind the handler’s cart for safety while the handler is out of sight. After the handlers return to their dogs at the conclusion of the three (3) minutes, the judges will indicate that Part A of the exercise has been completed. The handlers are permitted to pet and praise their dogs at this time, but they must remain in the area for Part B of the exercise.

Part B – Freight Load

The judges will watch each individual handler load and secure the freight in the apparatus. The handler must select an appropriate freight load for the apparatus and the dog within the following guidelines:

· Five to twenty (5-20) pounds for a travois.

· Fifteen to fifty (15-50) pounds for a sled or toboggan.

· Twenty-five to one hundred (25-100) pounds for a wheeled apparatus.

A steward will weigh any non-standardized freight materials. At the judges’ discretion, the steward may be asked to weigh any of the loads.

The handler will provide the freight load for the apparatus. The handler must secure the load adequately so that it does not shift when the apparatus moves. The handler must place and secure the load into or on the draft apparatus without help from anyone else, unless the judges grant an exception and permit assistance. The judges will verify that the load is appropriate for the dog, apparatus, and the site conditions. Animals or people may not be used as loads. Factory sealed containers of pet food may be used, if the seal has not been broken.

After the judges have observed each handler load and secure the freight in the apparatus, they will watch the dogs and handlers move as a group to the beginning of the distance freight haul area. At this point the judges will instruct the handlers that the exercise is completed.

The judges must fail a handler and dog for the following reasons:

1. The freight load is too heavy for the dog to pull.

2. The load is not balanced.

3. The load is not securely tied down.

4. The dog is improperly harnessed or hitched.

If the judges fail a handler because the freight load is too heavy for the dog to pull, weight may be removed and the handler and dog may continue the course with a lighter load.

Principal Parts of the Exercise

1. The handlers leave their dogs, harnessed and hitched to an apparatus, and go out of sight for three (3) minutes.

2. The handler selects a comfortable working load for the dog and apparatus.

3. The handler loads and secures the weight in the apparatus.

4. Judges observe that the freight load is balanced and secured safely during movement.

Failing Performance

A failing performance may occur during loading or at any time during the remainder of the test.

1. During the three (3) minute out of sight stay, the dog moves the apparatus a significant distance forward or backward.

2. Handler overloads the dog's apparatus.

3. Handler must reduce or re-balance the freight load after the dog begins to pull.

4. Handler physically touches or guides the dog unnecessarily during loading.

5. Dog refuses to move loaded draft apparatus.

6. Freight load becomes unbalanced when the apparatus is moving.

7. Freight load is too heavy for the dog.

Section 5 – Distance Freight Haul

The Distance Freight Haul is a group event with a maximum of six (6) handlers per group. Each dog will haul a loaded apparatus on a course that is at least one (1) mile in length. Each handler and dog will start the course in catalog order (refer to Chapter II Section 6, "Catalog Order") with an assigned steward. As the dogs begin the trail, judges may allow the dogs and teams to find their position within the group according to each handler and dog's working speed. Each handler and dog must be within sight of at least one judge at all times. Per judges' instructions, the two lead stewards will set and maintain a pace that the dogs and handlers will follow.

The course may have natural obstacles (bends in the trail, trees, potholes, etc.) that are native to the test area. Each dog will pull the freight loaded and secured during the Freight Load Exercise. As long as the dog works, there is no time limit. If the dog stops pulling at any point along the test route, the handler has one (1) minute to get the dog moving again. With the judges’ permission, a handler may stop the dog at the side of the course to rest briefly. At that time, the judges may allow other dogs in the group to pass. If other situations arise, such as ice balls in paw pads during a winter draft test, the handler may request permission from the judges to stop and attend to the situation.

With the judges' permission, a handler may touch the draft apparatus in order to lift it over an obstruction such as a curb.

The handler may work in front of, beside, or behind the dog, or any combination of these positions. The handler may not impede the dog's forward movement at any time. This includes stepping in front of a dog to enforce a halt command or stepping in front of a dog that tries to change direction against the handler's command.

At the completion of the distance freight haul the handler will wait for a judge to verify that the dog cooperates with the handler while being unhitched from the draft apparatus. Once the dog is unhitched, a judge will state that the exercise is finished. With the permission of a judge, the handler may unload the freight before unhitching.

Principle Parts of the Exercise

1. Dog hauls a loaded draft apparatus a distance of at least one (1) mile off lead with the handler.

2. Dog must be under handler’s control and remain behind the lead stewards.

3. Dog cooperates with its handler for unhitching from the apparatus

Failing Performance

1. Handler physically touches the dog or apparatus during the exercise without judges’ permission.

2. Handler must alter the load on the course.

3. Handler impedes the dog’s forward movement by moving in front of the dog or otherwise physically impedes the cart to enforce a halt command.

4. Dog refuses to move the loaded draft apparatus when told to do so (one (1) minute time limit).

5. Dog bumps lead stewards or overruns and tries to pass lead stewards.

6. Dog cannot comfortably or safely move the freight load the full length of the course.

7. Dog bumps handler who chooses to work in front of his dog.

8. Dog does not cooperate during unhitching.

9. Equipment breaks in a manner that could not be anticipated and cannot be repaired by the handler without assistance within ten (10) minutes.

Section 6 – Intriguing Distraction

At some point during one of the moving exercises (Maneuvering & Basic Commands, Distance Freight Haul) a planned intriguing distraction occurs near the dog. If the distraction is planned for the Maneuvering and Basic Commands, a different distraction may occur for each dog. If an unplanned distraction occurs, the dog will be judged the same as on the planned intriguing distraction.

When the distraction appears, the dog may stop what it is doing or shift its position to watch, but may not divert from the course. To give the dog time to respond to the handler’s stop command, the dog may move two or three steps toward or away from the distraction. If the dog stops to watch the distraction, the handler should encourage the dog to proceed when appropriate to do so.

The test committee person who selects the intriguing distractions cannot participate in the test or be related to a handler. The intriguing distraction will remain a secret. If a handler knows the intriguing distraction before the start of the test, a different intriguing distraction will be used.

Principal Parts of the Exercise

1. An intriguing distraction occurs near the working dog during a moving exercise.

2. The dog may stop and notice the distraction, but may not pursue the distraction.

3. The handler redirects the dog, and the dog continues with the exercise.

Failing Performance

1. Handler physically touches or guides the dog during the exercise.

2. Dog changes direction and follows the distraction.

3. Dog flees from the distraction.

4. Dog barks more than a few times or refuses to stop barking when instructed by the handler.

5. Dog refuses to resume the exercise after the distraction passes.

6. Dog fails a naturally occurring distraction for the above reasons, even if it has passed the planned distraction.

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