United States Police Canine Association Inc.

United States Police Canine
Association, Inc.

Rules & Regulations for Certification
Police Dogs 1 (P.D. 1)

SEARCH TESTS

1. Article Search;

A. Articles will be supplied by the host city or region/district.

B. Two of the following articles will be selected by the association for the test.

1 . Expended shotgun shell, (Green in color)

2. Key on a ring with tab

3. Book of paper matches, (Dark in color)

4. Metal gun

5. Plastic credit card or card of equal size and material, (Dark in color)

6. Screwdriver - four to six inches long

7. Piece of leather -1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, 3 x 3, (Dark in color)

C. Articles will be tossed into the search area after being scented for a minimum of 30 seconds in a clinched fist.

D. Two new or unused articles of the same type will be used for each contestant.

E. The dog will be required to search, find and retrieve or indicate the two selected articles within a defined area.

F. Search area will be thirty feet by thirty feet of raised grass approximately twelve inches high.

G. The number of search areas will be as many as possible and practical - to be determined by the host city.

H. There will be a three minute time limit for the total exercise with a thirty second warning for each contestant. Time will begin when the handier sends his dog.

I. Handler will start his dog from the finish position.

J. Contestants will have two options in the indication of articles. The same option must be used for both articles.

1. Upon finding the article, the dog will retrieve the article and return it to the handler, holding the article until commanded to release it in hand. The dog will be sent to find the second article. Finding the second article, the dog will return it to the handier, and again, hold it until commanded to release it in hand. After releasing the second article, the dog will be commanded to finish position. Once the dog has located the article the handler must remain in a stationary upright position and the dog must retrieve the article to the handler. Unnecessary movement on the part of the handler will be penalized. The handler may not enter the area.

2. Upon finding the article, the dog will give a passive indication of the article, remaining stationary in a sit, down or stand close to the article but without touching or disturbing the article. The handler will tell the judges that his dog has indicated and walk directly to the dog, pick up the article and show it to the judges. During this time the dog must remain in the original indication position. The handler will then return to the perimeter of the area by the shortest route. He may command his dog to heel with, or leave the dog in the area. Once the handler is out of the area, he will command the dog to search for the second article. When the dog indicates the second article, the handler will tell the judges that his dog has indicated, enter the area, pick up the article and show it to the judges. During this time the dog must remain in his indication position. The handler will return to the perimeter and bring his dog to the finish position. The handler may not enter the search area until his dog has indicated and the handier notifies the judges that his dog has indicated.

K. The handler may start from anywhere around the perimeter and move around the perimeter of the search area during the exercise.

L. The handler may start from anywhere around the perimeter and move around the perimeter of the search area during the exercise, but may not enter the area.

M. Once the dog has located the article the handler must remain in a stationary upright position and the dog must retrieve the article to the handler. Unnecessary movement on the part of the handler will be penalized.

N. The dog will be judged on the indicating and alerting on the article. This must be obvious to the judges.

0. Articles not retrieved by the dog, but indicated, may be retrieved by a judge or the handler. (This is for points on indication - when articles are not retrieved - and for the benefit of the handier.)

P. Article search must be done in a lighted area with articles made safe for the protection of both the handlers and dogs.

2. Box Search

A. The box search shall consist of six (6) boxes, each being four feet by four feet without bottoms. The doors must have a positive means of securing in the closed position. There shall be a half inch wide slot, six inches above the bottom of the box . There will be no holes or slots on the front side of the boxes. Boxes shall be placed on (as near) flat and level ground as possible.

B. There will be 2 rows of 3 boxes, 40 feet apart and each row 40 feet from the center line, with the door facing away from the center line. All sides of the boxes shall be left exposed for the dogs to work.

C. All boxes shall be closed during each test.

D. There shall be two lines down the center of the search area, 10 feet apart in which the handler must remain during the search exercise. The handler may start at any point in the work area and may move along the line while working, and shall work the dog at their direction. All six boxes must be searched for maximum points. The contestant may finish at any point along the handler work area.

E. The handler will start from the finish position. The exercise begins when the handler sends their dog. There will be a 4 minute time limit with a 30 second warning at the three and one-half minute mark.

F. Upon the dog making the find, it must return to the handler at the finish position for maximum points. The exercise shall be completed after the handler informs the judges what box their dog has indicated, before time runs out.

G. Type of indication shall be determined by the Senior Judge - such as, pointing out the number of the box selected.

H. K-9's shall be judged on the way they work and indication may be physical or verbal but must be obvious to Judge. There shall be penalties for dogs relieving themselves in the area, lack of interest, leaving the area, lack of control, etc.

3. Suspects;

A. There shall be at least two (no more than four) suspects used in this entire event. Their order of use shall be determined by the chief judge, but each suspect must hide for at least six competitors before being relieved by the second suspect.

B. All boxes must be contaminated prior to the first contestant and at any time that the suspect is changed or there is a break in the competition.

C. Contamination of each box shall be one minute each. When all boxes are initially contaminated, they must be left open for a minimum of thirty seconds.

D. Thirty seconds air out for a search zero to two minutes, one minute air out for a search from two minutes minutes to four minutes. In other words if the contestant takes 2-4 minutes in locating the suspect the air out time is one minute. If the officer only takes I minute the air out time is 30 seconds.

E. Working areas and facilities shall determine the time between each contestant for working the boxes, however, the time allowed for each contestant shall be the same. 4. Diagram of Boxes: In the event of a tie in either the article search or the box search duplicate awards will be awarded.

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