Basic Handler Skills
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(Last updated:
10/12/2010
by
Beat Marti)
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MINIMUM HANDLER SKILLS:- The handler must complete Handler's Skills check-off list prior to testing a dog for operational statusl
- A novice handler must respond to at least one actual search incident as dog team support prior to becoming an operational search dog handler.
LOCAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Tri-State-K9 defers to the member group/unit to define essential, basic handler skills such as navigation, communication, medical etc.
Further, Tri-State-K9 expects the group's training/testing officer to validate the candidates prior to declaring them operational search dog handlers.
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Basic Dog Skills
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(Last updated:
10/12/2010
by
Beat Marti)
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DOG SKILLS GENERAL:- ADJACENT AREA SEARCHING: The dog must be able to work effectively along side other dog teams without undue distraction.
- ENDURANCE: The dog must be able to work a prologned search while mantaining good performance.
- NIGHT WORK: The dog team must show the ability to work without daylight.
- WILDERNESS REFIND ALERT: The free-ranging dog must either return to the handler upon making a find with a readable alert behaviour and take the handler back to the subject, or the dog must stay and bark. The handler must be able to interpret either alert correctly.
- ALERT: For disciplines other than wilderness search, other types of alerts are acceptable: I.e., barking, down, sit or dig. The handler must state alert behavior prior to testing and must be able to interpret the alert during the test.
- AGE: The dog must be at least 12 months of age to become operational.
- TEMPERAMENT: the dog must be able to operate effectively and non-aggressively in all working situations.
- VACCINATIONS: All dogs must have proof of required vaccinations.
- AGILITY: The handler must demonstrate off lead, the ability to safely and confidently control the dog through the following skills:
- Jump at least three feet into a specified area.
- Crawl under an obstacle 3/4 of the dog's hight.
- Climb onto and walk along a log or obstacle 3-4 feet off the ground and 10 feet in length.
- Not jump off area/object until commanded to do so.
- Walk through a culvert or small tunnel.
- OBEDIENCE:
- The handler must have off-lead control of the dog at all times.
- Dogs will not be allowed to approach other dogs while training/searching.
- Dogs must be responsive to handler commands.
- Dogs must demonstrate the following skills:
- COME: Dog must come directly without hesitation.
- STOP ON RECALL (dog will go towards handler and when given a command, stop, down or sit within a very short distance for safety reasons).
- SIT
- DOWN
- STAY: 5 Minutes with handler out of sight.
- HEEL or CLOSE: Dog must remain within 2 feet of the handler.
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Operational Evaluation
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(Last updated:
8/20/2011
by
Beat Marti)
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OPERATIONAL EVALUATION: A Tri-State-K9 Team is declared OPERATIONAL if: - The handler has sucessfully demonstrated proficency in the "Basic Handler Skills"
- The K-9 has successfully satisified the "Basic Dog Skills" requirements
- The Team has successfully certified in a search discipline
- To remain operational, a Team must re-certify each discipline every two (2) years. Every effort should be made to complete the re-certification prior to the expiration date. A 3 month grace period extension may be granted at the discretion of the search command.
Evaluation Process: Tests are administered by at least one (if at all possible two) tri-state-k9 CERTIFIED EVALUATORS for the corresponding Discipline Group.
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