7.  NAUTICAL NOSEWORK TESTS

Print: Nautical Nosework.pdf

A.  Surface Scent: Novice Match Familiar

Task Summary:  

The dog shall locate and retrieve or alert  to a target scent article from among six articles floating on the shoreline.

Time limit:

3 minutes  Begins when the dog leaves the starter’s box and ends when the handler delivers an article to the judge.

Time Requirements: 

There shall be as little delay as possible between the placement of the articles and releasing the dog to search.

Team Equipment: 

One article, which shall be either a white canvas puppy dummy, a tennis ball, or  medium water Kong. The article shall have an identifying mark or name on it.  The article shall not be deliberately contaminated by non-human scent such as fragrances, food or animal odors.

Site Equipment:  

A wind sock or flag for wind direction.

Five small floating toys or articles, three of which shall be a white canvas puppy dummy, a tennis ball and a medium water Kong. The article shall not be deliberately contaminated by non-human scent such as fragrances, food or animal odors.

Plastic bags.

Classification of Standards:  None.

Prescripts: 

The judge:

Assign one steward who shall be responsible for handling scent articles for all the teams testing under this task.  Shall not delay in releasing  the team from the starter’s box upon the placement of the articles. The judge, in order to pass the team, must  conclude from any summary by the handler and from observing the dog’s behavior that the dog, not the handler, located the scent article.

Article Steward:

Shall avoid contact with dogs being tested that day until after their test.

Shall accept  the handler’s target scent article, without the handler’s dog present and shall place it in a plastic bag, using a new plastic bag for each team.

Shall handle the non-target articles.

Upon signal from the judge shall place the five non-target articles and the one target scent article into the water within two feet of the shoreline and no closer than five (5) feet apart.

The Team:

The handler shall give the Steward  the team’s scent article.  Team shall wait in the starter’s box, facing shoreward and shall not attempt to witness the placement of the articles. The dog may be leashed or gently restrained while in starter’s box and may be leashed on a long floating line during the search. The handler shall not enter the water during the test and shall avoid the appearance of guiding the dog to target scent article.  The dog shall have free range of both shore and water after leaving the starter’s box.   The dog shall retrieve, or offer an alert signal at, the target scent article. If the dog is to offer an alert signal at the target article the handler shall identify the dog’s alert signal to the judge prior to leaving the starter’s box.  The articles shall be separated when placed; however, wind and water movement may cause them to come into contact with each other or the shoreline; the dog shall be expected to work through this challenge should it occur.  The dog shall be judged upon the first scent article brought up on shore or to which the dog alerts to and may not be directed to retrieve or find another article.

Task:

1. •Upon signal from the Judge the team shall enter the starter’s box. The handler shall state the alert behavior expected from their dog at the target.
   

2. •Upon signal from the judge the team may leave the starter’s box and the handler shall send the dog waterward to locate the target scent article.
   

3. •The dog may search the shoreline and the water and may investigate any and all of the articles by nose and mouth.
   

4. •The dog shall identify the target scent article by retrieving it and bring it out of the water or by offering  an alert signal at the target scent.
   

5. •The handler shall deliver the target scent article to the judge.
   

6. •The judge shall signal the end of the task.
   

B.   Surface Scent: Immediate Match Unfamiliar

Task Summary:  

The dog shall locate and retrieve a designated floating scent article from among six similar floating articles.

Time limit:

3 minutes  Begins when the dog leaves the starter’s box and ends when the handler delivers an article to the judge.

Time Requirements: 

The dog shall have access to Steward #1 for a minimum of one minute.

There shall be as little delay as possible between the placement of the articles and releasing the dog to search.

Team Equipment: 

Six small, identical, floating articles, (such as canvas puppy dummies, tennis balls, neoprene toys).  Each article shall have an identifying number, from one to six, clearly affixed in ink, written no smaller than one inch in height, on the surface of the article. The articles shall not be deliberately contaminated by non-human scent such as fragrances, food or animal odors.

Site Equipment:  

A wind sock or flag for wind direction. 

Classification of Standards:  None.

Prescripts: 

The judge:

Shall designate a team waiting area that blinds the team from the placement of the scent articles. Assign two stewards who shall be assigned to handle the scent articles for all the teams testing under this task. Designate an article number that shall be used as the target article for the team and secretly reveal this to Steward #2. The designated article number for the target shall not be the same for each team. Shall not delay in summoning  the team to the starter’s box upon the placement of the articles. The judge, in order to pass the team, must  conclude from any summary by the handler and from observing the dog’s behavior that the dog, not the handler, located the scent article.

Steward #1:

Shall hold the target scent article for a minimum of one minute.

Shall place the target scent article in a closed container to maintain saturation and prevent contamination.

Shall avoid contact with the non-target scent articles and  the water.

Shall join the team in the waiting area for a minimum of one minute and shall comply with the handler’s directions for ensuring the dog’s exposure to the steward’s scent.

If requested by the handler, shall join the team in the starter’s box.

Steward #2:

Shall avoid contact with dogs being tested that day until after their test.

Shall accept all the articles from the handler, without the handler’s dog present.

Shall determine from the judge the article number, which shall identify the target scent article and give this article to Steward #1.

Shall handle the non-target articles for a minimum of one minute.

Upon signal from the judge shall place the five non-target articles and the one target scent article into the water, beginning approximately 10 feet waterward from the shore line and shall scatter the articles within a ten by ten foot area so that the articles are not touching each other.

The Team:

The handler shall give Steward #2 all of the scent articles.  Team shall wait in the designated waiting area and shall not attempt to witness the placement of the articles. The dog may be leashed or gently restrained while in the waiting area, but not in the starter’s box. The dog shall be permitted to touch and sniff Steward #1 while they are in the waiting area or starter’s box. The handler may have Steward #1 join the team in the starter’s box.  The handler shall not enter the water during the test and shall avoid the appearance of guiding the dog to target scent article.  The dog shall have free range of both shore and water after leaving the starter’s box.   The dog shall retrieve the target scent article. The articles shall be separated when placed; however, wind and water movement may cause them to come into contact with each other or the shoreline; the dog shall be expected to work through this challenge should it occur.  The dog shall be judged upon the first scent article brought up on shore and may not be directed to retrieve another article.

Task:

1. •The Team shall enter the waiting area. Steward #1 shall join the team and remain close enough for the dog to become familiar with the steward’s scent for a minimum of one minute.
   

2. •Upon signal from the Judge the team may enter the starter’s box. The handler may request Steward #1 join the team in the box.  The handler shall state the alert behavior expected from their dog at the target.
   

3. •Upon signal from the judge the team may leave the starter’s box and the handler shall send the dog waterward to locate the target scent article.
   

4. •The dog may search the shoreline and the water and may investigate any and all of the articles by nose and mouth.
   

5. •The dog shall identify the target scent article by retrieving it and bring it out of the water.
   

6. •The handler shall deliver the retrieved scent article to the judge.
   

7. • The judge shall signal the end of the task.
   

C.  Submerged Scent: Immediate Match Familiar 

Task Summary:  

The dog shall locate a submerged article (handler scented) and identify its location to the handler.

Time limit:

4 minutes Begins when the dog leaves the starter’s box and shall end at 4 minutes or when the handler has determined the location of the article through the dog’s work, if before 4 minutes.

Time Requirements:  None

Team Equipment:   None

Site Equipment:  

Five land markers, spaced ten feet apart on a parallel line with and adjacent to the shoreline. These Markers shall identify the four water quadrants.

Standard water site makers shall not be removed if present.

A wind sock or flag for wind direction.

Sterile gauze

Four small, identical, submergible scent containers. The containers and gauze shall not be deliberately contaminated by non-human scent such as fragrances, food or animal odors.

Plastic bags for the containment of the target scent articles.

Classification of Standards:   None.

Prescripts:

The Judge:

Shall select one Article Steward who shall be responsible for scent articles for all teams testing this task on the day of the test. Shall designate a team waiting area that blinds the team from the placement of the scent articles. The judge shall instruct the steward as to which water quadrant the target scent article shall be placed. (Quadrant designation for the target shall not be the same for each team). The judge shall not delay summoning the team to the starter’s box once the article has been placed.  The judge, in order to pass the team, must  conclude from any summary by the handler and from observing the dog’s behavior that the dog, not the handler, located the scent article.

The Article Steward:

Shall accept the handler’s scented gauze pad, place the gauze into the target container and then into a new plastic bag.  A new bag shall be used for each team. Upon direction and signal from the judge shall place the target scent article in the designated quadrant, place one non-target scent container into each of the remaining quadrants and leave the area. Each container shall be placed at a depth between 24 and 28 inches and does not have to be centered in the quadrant.

The Team:

Prior to their test the handler shall receive from the steward a sterile gauze pad, which shall be held in the handler’s hands for one minute.  The handler shall deliver this gauze pad back to the steward. The team shall wait in the designated waiting area and shall not attempt to witness the placement of the articles. The dog may be leashed or gently restrained in the waiting area, but not in the starter’s box. The dog shall have free range to explore the shore and water after leaving the starter’s box. The handler may not enter the water. The handler may ask the dog to search each quadrant, but shall avoid the appearance that the dog is being guided to the article.  The dog may submerge during the task. The dog may retrieve the article.  At or before four minutes time the handler shall tell the Judge the quadrant that contains the target scent article.

Task:

1. •The team shall remain in the designated waiting area until called by the judge.
   

2. •Upon signal from the judge the team shall enter the starter’s box.  The handler shall state the alert behavior expected from their dog at the target.
   

3. •Upon signal from the judge the handler shall send the dog waterward to located the target article.
   

4. •The dog may search  the shoreline or water and may submerge to locate or to retrieve the article.
   

5. •The Judge shall signal the expiration of  the time limit, if the handler has not ended the search prior to the time limit.
   

6. •The handler shall correctly identify the quadrant  that contains the target article and explain to the judge, based upon the dog’s behavior and the conditions, the reason for selecting the quadrant.
   

7. •The judge shall signal the end of the task.
   

D.  Submerged Scent: Immediate Match Unfamiliar

Task Summary:  

The dog shall locate a submerged scent article (steward’s scent) and identify its location to the handler.

Time limit:

4 minutes  Begins when the dog leaves the starter’s box and ends at 4 minutes or when the handler ends the search, if before 4 minutes.

Time Requirements:

The dog shall have access to Steward #1 for a minimum of one minute.

There shall be as little delay as possible between the placement of the articles and releasing the dog to search.

Team Equipment:

None

Site Equipment:  

Five land markers, spaced ten feet apart on a parallel line on shore adjacent to the shoreline to mark off four water quadrants.

Standard water site makers shall not be removed if present.

A wind sock or flag for wind direction.

Sterile Gauze

Four small submergible containers, one of which shall contain a small scent gauze handled by the Article Steward. The article containers and gauze shall not be deliberately contaminated by non-human scent such as fragrances, food or animal odors.

Classification of Standards:  

None.

Prescripts: 

The Judge:

Shall designate two article stewards who shall be responsible for the scent articles for all teams testing this task on the day of the test.  Shall designate a team waiting area that blinds the team from the placement of the scent articles. Shall instruct the steward as to which water quadrant the target scent article shall be placed. (Quadrant designation for the target shall not be the same for each team). Shall not delay summoning the team to the starter’s box once the article has been placed.  The judge, in order to pass the team, must  conclude from any summary by the handler and from observing the dog’s behavior that the dog, not the handler, located the scent article.

Steward #1:

Shall hold the target article and gauze, for a minimum of one minute, place the gauze inside the target article and place this in a plastic bag or closed container that shall be given to Steward #2.

Avoid contact with the non-target scent articles and  the water.  Join the team in the waiting area for a minimum of one minute and shall comply with the handler’s directions for ensuring the dog’s exposure to the steward’s scent.  May join the team in the starter’s box.

Steward #2:

Shall avoid contact with dogs being tested that day until after their test.

Shall take responsibility for the decoy, non-target scent articles and the target article after it has been held by Steward #1.

Upon direction and signal from the judge, shall dump the target scent article into the designated water quadrant at a depth between 24 and 28 inches and place one non-target article into each of the remaining  water quadrants at the same depth as the target.

The Team:

The team shall wait in the designated waiting area and shall not attempt to witness the placement of the article.  The dog may be leashed or gently restrained in the waiting area, but not in the starter’s box.  The dog shall be permitted to touch and sniff Steward #1 while they are in the waiting area or starter’s box.  The handler may have Steward #1 join the team in the starter’s box.  The handler shall not enter the water. The handler may ask the dog to search each quadrant, but shall avoid the appearance that the dog is being guided to the article. The dog shall have free range to explore both shore and water during upon leaving the starter’s box.  The dog may submerge during the task.  The dog may retrieve the article.  At or before the four minutes time the handler shall tell the judge the quadrant that contains the scent article.

Task:

1. •The team shall remain in the designated waiting area until called by the judge.
   

2. •Upon signal from the judge the team shall enter the starter’s box. The handler shall state the alert behavior expected from their dog at the target.
   

3. •Upon signal from the judge the handler shall send the dog waterward to located the target article.
   

4. •The dog may search  the shoreline or water and may submerge to locate or to retrieve the article.
   

5. •The Judge shall signal the expiration of  the time limit, if the handler has not ended the search prior to the time limit.
   

6. •The handler shall correctly identify the quadrant  that contains the target article and explain to the judge, based upon the dog’s behavior and the conditions, the reason for selecting the quadrant.
   

7. •The judge shall signal the end of the task.