Working Trials

Does anyone compete in working trials? This is something I am considering for Fred... never done, watched or even considered it before, but want to give everything a go and decide which one we gel with Plus I know the trainer we're seeing competes with her dogs, which I suppose helps.

Like hunting trials?

Err... No. There's 3 sections. Nosework, agility and control. Based on police work, but done for competition.

Ah, no input from me then, I don't believe we have that here in the US. Very interesting!

Closest here I'm guessing would be IPO, which is tracking, obedience, and protection.

There's no protection element I don't think. To be honest I was hoping someone would be able to give me some insight!!!

It sounds like 3 day eventing, but for dogs

What is the control part? I figured that was protection, but guess not! lol

I was going to at one point ... But I'm not entirely sure how to teach tracking so I ended up not doing it. Unfortunately that's the closet I ever got to it although they're brilliant to watch! You should go for it especially if you've got a good trainer!

Obedience, recalls, heeling, etc.

I think this explains it better

http://www.workingtrialsmonthly.co.uk/about.html

That's definitely not what I was expecting!

Your nosework is our tracking. Our nosework is more like bomb detection without the bombs, dog is off-leash to find a "source".

The agility is not like what our agility is, but I believe the UK has an agility sport that is very very much like what our normal agility is, which is a times obstacle course.

The control section is really interesting.

We have agility, and its not what the trials do.... Normal agility lol. Might try agility too... Need to find our niche!