Hi All , can anyone give me some pointers on how to get started in WT's . All of my dogs do obedience and agility at comp level , however one of my bitches (from strong german working lines) always seems to get bored quickly and seems frustrated when doing some obedience , its almost as if she knows what she has got to do and just wants to get it done (if that makes sense). So , i thought i would try something different for her and see how far we can go , i have never done it before so would like some advice/ pointers as to where to get started . we are based in Kent but can't find anywhere at the mo.

I think Anne Bussey, who has loads of success and experience in WTs, is in Ruckinge in Kent.
Not sure if she still teaches or even if she is still there, someone else might know?

She really is very good, I've been to her for a one to one and a workshop day.

Lindsay
x

Thanks Lindsay , i will look her up.

quite interested to see this thread as its something i'd also like to have  a go at :)

i presume you are talking gundog working trials as opposed to any other sort?
Id recommend joining your local trials club....the summer is approaching and thats the best time to train and then enter some tests first, with a view to getting a bit of practice and training for the trialling season, maybe even next year if you do well at the training.

Try this website

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

Just to add Von Wolf are near Gatwick if that is not too far and they offer working trials training.  If it is too far away it may be worth contacting them to see if they know of anyone nearer.

Dont know about the OP but i meant Working Trials - not gundog working tests or field trials -

are working tests limited to breeds or can anybody try it ?

Working trials are open to any breed but in the test your dog has to scale a 6 foot fence.  I don't know if this would be lower for smaller dogs.

i believe it is lowered to 4foot for smaller breeds,personally i hate to see them go over it,wish the kc would allow the a frame instead.

Working Trials is based on police dog work so is completely different from field trials.  It involves tracking, agility and obedience.

All the jumps are reduced for small dogs but it does limit how far up the stakes you can actually go.  I have competed with a flatcoat and a springer and to be honest, the smaller dogs actually have a better technique, they seem to be able to run up one side and down the other whereas the bigger dogs tend to latch on and launch off :)

For those who are interested in getting started, if you send me a message with the details of where you live I will find out which Society is nearest to you and get the contact details.

June

good point clare.....itook it to mean she wanted to to gundog (field) trials rather than bloodhound working trials....i forgot about the other sort LOL

> good point clare.....itook it to mean she wanted to to gundog (field) trials rather than bloodhound working trials....i forgot about the other sort LOL

lol its far too confusing all these tests/ trials/ working /sheepdog / field/ obedience / agility :) were do we start lol

Sorry to OP to go O/T but what sort of things are expected in bloodhound working trials ? i assume obviously scent work but what else are they expected to do? my breeds are FCR and Border Terrier with a lab thrown in for good measure lol but i have a thurst for knowledge and i am interested to here about other breeds :)

Bloodhound Trials are limited to bloodhounds (not sure about bloodhound crosses etc).

Working Trials are based on police dog work and consist of:

Nosework - a track is laid and the dog follows the scent to recover articles and a search square where articles are laid within an area and the dog has to go in, find them and return them to the handler
Obedience - heelwork, retrieve (using a dumbell), sendaway (and redirect in the higher stakes), 10 minute down stay (handler out of sight) and there is also a recall and 2 minute sit stay in the lowest stake
Agility - a 3 foot clear jump (hurdle), 9 foot long jump and 6 foot scale where the dog has to go over, wait on the other side and return at the handlers request

If anyone interested in Working Trials is going to Crufts, ASPADs (Associated Sheep, Police and Army Dog Society I think :) ) normally do demonstrations and there are people around to talk to and ask questions.  Alternatively, the KC dates diary shows all trials and where they are held so you can go along to watch and chat with those involved.
June

i believe it is lowered to 4foot for smaller breeds,personally i hate to see them go over it,wish the kc would allow the a frame instead.

I agree.  It was the reason I stopped doing working trials.

claire.....just pure bred registerd bloodhounds only. They have to hunt the clean boot. Thats "all" :)

Field Trials are restricted to KC registered gundogs and were designed to demonstrate the worth of a dog for potential breeding purposes.  Depending on the gundog sub group (Pointers and Setters; Retrievers; HPRs and Spaniels) the trials have differing components. Shots are fired and dogs must retrieve dead birds etc.

GWT (Gundog Working Tests) are also restricted to KC registered gundogs. No live game is used (although sometimes  live game in a cage are used) and dummies or cold game are retrieved instead of game shot on the day.

Working Trials are open to ANY breed of dog, and are NOT restricted to dogs registered on the BREED register but mutts may be registered on the Activity Register. They consist of 3 parts, nosework = 1/2 mile track, varying between 1/2 hour and 3 hours old, a search square; agility = 3ft clear, 6ft scale and 9ft long (for full size dogs, the jumps have two other sets of heights/lengths depending on how small your dog is and the Introductory Stake has lower jumps).  control = heelwork off lead at slow, medium and fast pace, 10 min out of sight stay, steadiness to gun, retrieve, speak on command, sendaway (and redirect in two stakes).  There is heelwork on lead and a recall in the CD stake, the only one that does not include a track.

If you have a small dog the sizes of the jumps are reduced only in CD and UD.

If you fancy the sport , go on to the WTM website and look to see what trials are held in your area and go along to watch, there is usually someone who will explain things to you. It is best to see the top stake ie TD Championship, so you can see what you should be aiming for.

In addition there is the PD stake which includes manwork, this is entirely optional.

HTH

If you want to know any more, let me know, I dabble in the sport myself...........

Working Trials for Bloodhounds are just different tests for that breed worked on or off line over a varying aged track.

ps Anne Bussey no longer lives in Kent, and your nearest training club is SATS, if you google it you will find training days and contacts.

Other things you can try which are similar is blood tracking (go to Bavarian Mountain Hound Society site) and of course Schutzhund.  Although Schutzhund is normally associated with protection work, it is possible to just do the tracking and obedience sections and qualify your dogs in the FH1 and FH2 tracking stakes after passing a BH.

Working Trials for Bloodhounds are just different tests for that breed worked on or off line over a varying aged track
errrrr...not quite right....but if anyones that desperate to know more then pm me!

Great , many thanks for the replies , i have fired off an email to SATS , which is the nearest traing club to me so fingers crossed we can get started. Can anyone tell me roughly what level of obedience they already need to be at?
Tohme - i have thought about Schutzhund as my girl has many dogs behind her titled in this but once again , where do you get started ? I have the desire to do these things but need someone to train us up from scratch.

I strated off with one of my Labrador bitches doing working trials training, we were doing really well, and the trainer had high hopes, predicting if she carried on the way she'd started, we'd make TDX eventually.  Unfortunately, she ruptured her cruciate aged 18 months, and was retired, as I won't risk putting her over the jumps, particularly the six foot scale.  I wish they'd use a steep A frame rather than a vertical scale, I've seen a few larger breeds go over, and it doesn't look pretty.  But I've also seen a fabulous, very muscular pointer dog go over and made it look easy peasy.  I still occasionally track Indie, and she knows exactly what's happening as soon as she sees her tracking harness. 

I think I'm right in saying not all working tests are limited to KC registered dogs, I think that you can apply to enter NFC??  I have a useless short term memory though and always have to look these things up, I'm surprised some days I remember my own name...... 

If you go on to the GSDL WDB you will find a list of Schutzhund clubs in the country and hopefuly one wil be near you.

If you want to enter a KC Licensed Working Trial than, as in all disciplines, your dog MUST be registered with the Kennel Club, but this can be on the activities register so your dog can be a mutt.  I tracklay, steward, compete and judge and I have never come across an entry NFC!

If you want to see what Bloodhounds do, you can download the I regulations. There used to be regular WT v Bloodhound competitons run annually! ;)

Sorry, think you must have misread my post, it referred to working tests, not working trials, so gundog stuff. 

To enter a gundog working test, all dogs must be a) gundogs b) registered on the breed register of the KC.

The only time you can enter a gundog working test without fulfilling this criteria is if they have a non recognised stake such as Special Beginners so for example you can enter with a rescue.

I'm sure some clubs run some stakes where you can enter with a non-KC registered dog, I think, from memory, the IOW was one, as a friend with an SBT rescue was tempted to enter him for fun. 

From another forum which is probably where I read it originally:

Just to add that a few clubs will accept working TEST entries on a whats called 'Not for Competition' basis. This means you get the chance to do the tests and get scored but you can't be in the awards. We had a very nice black, extremely labrador looking Collie x Labrador at the last gundog club I was Working Test Secretary at, run nicely in some ofour less subscribed tests 'NFC'.