Good Canine Companion Description of Exercises

Short heel pattern on lead:

This test will demonstrate the ability of the dog to walk calmly on a loose lead on the left side of the handler with some sort of distraction supplied by the judge.

The heelwork will be at normal walking pace and a short distance of fast pace (jog).  Dog must sit at the heel side when the handler is told to stop but it is not necessary for the dog to be exactly aligned with the handler. There will be about turns (180 deg turns), right and left turns.   No touching of the dog is allowed by the handler but talking and encouraging the dog is allowed.  No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Return when called:

This test will assess the dog's reaction to being held by a stranger and its reaction to the handler when called from a distance.

It will be in an area with no distractions.  Helper to hold dog on lead while handler runs (if possible) or walks to marker approximately 30 m away, turns around and calls dog. Helper to release dog on handler's call.  Dog must return readily to the handler without dallying along the way. The handler may encourage the dog as it returns.  It is not necessary for the dog to sit in front of the handler but it must return to the front of the handler and not run past.  The dog needs to be close enough to the handler to enable the handler to clip the lead on to the dog as soon as the dog has returned to them.  No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Retrieve:

This test will demostrate the dog's ability to return a toy to the handler.

It will be in an area where there are no distractions nearby.  Any item provided by the handler may be used.  The handler can excite the dog and tug/play with dog and then throw the article.  Dog must bring it back to handler and can either give it to the handler or drop it close to the handler.  The handler must not have to walk to fetch the toy but a step forward is acceptable.  Encouraging by the handler along the way is allowed. The dog does not need to either wait to fetch the toy or sit in front of the handler when returning the toy.  Once the handler has taken the toy, the dog needs to remain close enough to the handler to enable the handler to clip the lead on to the dog.  No food treats are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Stay in down position for 20 seconds:  

The handler will command the dog to stay down and walk to a designated area 4 m away. Timing will start when the handler has reached the designated area and has turned to face the dog. Once the handler has left the dog, no further commands are allowed and the dog is to remain in the down position until the handler returns to the heel position.  The judge will tell the handler when they can return to the dog.  The handler is to walk back to the dog,  stand in the upright position next to the dog for a short moment and can then bend down and praise the dog.  No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Jump over a low jump:  

This will be in an area with no distractions and the jump will be no higher than half of the dog's height.  The dog is to be unclipped from the lead and the owner can run up to 1 m from the jump and is to then send the dog over the jump.  The dog must then return to the handler but not back over the jump.  The handler can move to either side to recall the dog.  The dog needs to be close enough to the handler to enable the handler to clip the lead on to the dog as soon as the dog has returned to them.  No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Greeting test:  

Handler to walk with dog at heel to a designated marker on the ground and tell the dog to sit.  Helper and dog will walk towards them to a designated marker on the  ground, dog also to sit.  The markers will be 60 cm apart.  The handlers will shake hands and greet each other verbally.  

On the judge’s command, both the handler and helper will turn around and walk away from the designated area.  

The dog is allowed to show mild interest in the helper’s dog but no aggressive behaviour is allowed.  The handler can tell the dog to sit and tell it not to move towards the dog  opposite it.   Further gentle commands will be allowed but no pulling on lead, snarling, etc., will be allowed.  No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Grooming and standing for vet examination:

This examination will take place on a low table and will demonstrate that the dog accepts being groomed by the owner and remains calm during a veterinary examination.  

The table will be approximately 40 cm high.  The owner is to command the dog to jump on to the table.

The owner is to brush along the dog's back, the neck and chest area.

Thereafter the handler is to stand the dog for the veterinary examination.

The vet examination will consist of briefly opening the dog's mouth, gently holding an ear and looking in it, briefly holding a front foot and fiddling with nails, flat hand lifting under belly, running hand from the nose along the back to the tip of the tail.  The dog is to remain calm throughout the examination and no aggressive behaviour is allowed.  
No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the above exercises.

Tying to fence:

This will be in area with no distractions.  

The handler will tie the dog to a pole and give a command for the dog to remain there.  The handler will then walk out of sight to a place selected by the judge and remain there until the judge asks them to return.  This will be approximately 1 minute.  The handler can praise the dog and untie it as soon as they return to the dog.  

The dog is to remain calm while tied to the fence but it can move around within reason.  It must not bark/whine repeatedly, appear frantic or agitated.  No food treats/toys are allowed to be used during the exercise.

Food manners:  

This will take place in area with no distractions.  The judge will stand about 3 m  away.  The dog will remain on lead while the handler puts a dish of food (small amount, not an entire meal!) in front of dog and the dog must wait (in the position of handler's choice) to be told to eat it.  Handler can say No repeatedly.  No physical holding back of the dog is allowed.  While the dog is eating, the owner is to keep their hand on the edge of the bowl.  The dog is not to have any adverse reaction to this.

Shisa wrote:Thank you.

Oh ... and the distraction is a huge orange orangutang named Ivan
Bad part is my dogs haven't seen him as I couldn't make the practice round.

I am stressing.