Advanced Draft Dog

This level is designed to simulate working situations and requires advanced training and physical stamina from the dog and constant team work from the dog and handler.  This level contains 11 maneuvers spread out over a course covering 450 yards. The handler enters the course with the dog hitched and the cart loaded with a minimum of thirty pounds per dog. After the judges briefly check the hitch and balance, they instruct the dog to take the course. The obstacles may be arranged in any order except that the weight exchange must be near the halfway point of the course.

Back Through Adjustable Narrow

The narrow area consists of two low barriers. The dog pulls forward through the narrow area and stops at the far end. The handler directs the dog to back through the narrow area without touching the barriers.

Drag Away Removable Obstacle

The obstacle consists of an object such as a post or tree limb with two eye bolts, and it is placed across the team’s path. The handler stops the dog and unhitches the dog from the cart. The handler and dog then approach the obstacle, the handler hitches the dog to the obstacle with ropes or traces carried with them and drags the obstacle away to clear the path. The handler then unhitches from the obstacle, stows the extra ropes or traces, re-hitches the dog to the cart and continues on the course.

Driven Figure eight

In this exercise the handler must direct the dog from behind the cart. The figure 8 is performed around two posts, inside an oval that is drawn on the ground around the pair of posts. The handler must be behind the back of the cart before entering the oval and must remain there until exiting the oval. The handler directs the dog once around the figure 8 using primarily vocal commands and then exits to continue the course.

Moving Stand

At a predetermined point along the course, a judge will instruct the handler to stand their dog. The handler will instruct the dog to stand and/or stay while continuing away from the dog without pausing and then turn and face the dog. One of the judges will then approach the dog from the front and conduct a brief exam touching the head, withers and rump. The dog must come when called and stop within arm’s reach of the handler without touching.

Ninety Degree Back-Up

The two inside physical barriers are set at a 90-degree angle with an outside barrier line twenty-four inches from the inside barrier.  The dog enters the turn from one corner and proceeds through one half of the turn until he is about two feet beyond the end of the barrier. He then backs the cart around the corner and out the other half of the obstacle without touching either barrier.

Ninety Degree Turns (One Right, One Left)

This obstacle is set the same as the 90-degree back-up except that the outside barrier is eighteen inches from the inside barrier. The dog enters one end and turns to the right or left as appropriate and exits without touching either barrier.

Pass Through Removable Obstacle

The dog and handler will approach the obstacle and stop. The handler will leave the dog which must stay in the place and position where he was left until instructed to move. The handler will remove the obstacle and then remain beside the obstacle while directing the dog through the resulting opening. The dog will pull through the opening until told to stop.

Serpentine

The serpentine will consist of four objects such as cones set eight feet apart in a line. The dog will enter one end and then pull through, alternating right and left turns without touching the obstacles.

U-Turn

The turn will be performed around a circular object with lines on the ground that will define a lane 18” wide for approaching the object, around the object and for departing the object. The dog enters one lane and then maneuvers right or left, as directed by the judges, around the object and out the other lane without touching either the object or any of the lines.

Weight Exchange

Near the halfway point of the course, the weight in the cart will be exchanged for one provided by the Club. The dog and handler approach the indicated location and stop. The handler exchanges the weight and secures the new weight with materials carried with them. The weight must be balanced. The judges will check the security and balance and then instruct the team to continue.

Teams

Team entries perform the same exercises as the individual entries with the exception that the handler works with more than one dog in the test area at once. Also, the minimum weight carried in the cart is multiplied by the number of dogs comprising the team.