Working Trials as a canine activity dates back to 1924 when the Associated Sheep, Police and Army Dog Society (ASPADS) held the first event. The first Championship Working Trial recognised by the Kennel Club was held by the Alsatian League and Club of Great Britain in May 1927 at Castle Bromwich.

In 1961 the Working Trials tests were changed into a format which has continued until the present day. The very minor amendments made since then bear testimony to the standard set all those years ago.

Stakes
Dogs compete at ascending levels called ‘stakes’. In order, the stakes are:

•        Companion Dog (CD)

•        Utility Dog (UD)

•        Working Dog (WD)

•        Tracking Dog (TD)

•        Patrol Dog (PD)

Tests
The exercises in each stake are divided into three sections:

•        Nosework

•        Agility

•        Control

Nosework
The dog follows 'a track' – laid by a ‘tracklayer’ (who is a stranger to the dog) walking a set ‘pattern’. The track is approximately half a mile long and laid on grassland, ploughed field or heathland with each competitor working on similar terrain to others in the stake. As the dog follows the track it has to seek out and recover articles placed along the track by the tracklayer.

There is no tracking in the initial CD stake; in UD the track is laid half an hour before the dog works while in TD the track is three hours old.

The second component of nosework is a ‘search’ exercise, where the dog has to show its ability to work independently by searching for and retrieving articles placed in a marked area, which the handler is not allowed to enter.

Agility
Three obstacles must be cleared by the dog - a three foot hurdle, six foot high wooden scale and a nine foot long jump. In the CD and UD stakes, the height and length are reduced depending on the size of the dog. Two attempts are permitted for each obstacle.

Control
The control exercises vary according to the stake. All stakes include heelwork, sending the dog away and a stay; in the TD and PD stakes the send away includes a ‘redirection’ to the right or left before the recall. The CD Stake includes retrieving a dumbbell, and all but the CD stake include tests of steadiness to gunshot and speak on command. In the PD stake, in addition to the control, agility and nosework exercises, the dog has to quarter the ground for a hidden person, complete a test of courage, escort a person following a search by the handler, detain a running person and perform a recall from a running person. These exercises are completed under strict control and the dog has to qualify Working Dog Excellent before entering the Patrol Dog stake.

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Working Trials 

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