North American Teckel Days   October 2010

BHP 1.  -  Obedience

Heeling

The dog follows his handler on the left side, leashed, without pulling on the leash. Obstacles
must be surmounted in an agile manner (obstacles of about 30 x 30 x 100 cm).
The Heeling is proven by having the handler walk around trees or posts with his dog loosely
leashed. Afterwards he walks about 30 meters with the dog heeling off leash. Then he crisscrosses
with the leashed dog through a group of people (at least 6 people, some with dogs).
Afterwards the dog stands or sits next to the foot of the handler. The entire performance may
also be done unleashed.

Weighting factor:
Heeling Leashed Weighting factor 2
Unleashed Weighting factor 5


Recall

The dog handler unleashes the dog upon direction and lets it run free for a while (distance
about 30 – 50 meters). If the dog does not move away from the handler then, upon direction
of the judge, the handler will walk with the unleashed dog to a designated spot about 50 meters
away. The dog sits down and stays while the handler comes back to the starting point.
The recall may be performed with or without a halt. The handler must announce beforehand
which variant he/she chooses.

Without halt - upon whistle, oral command or hand signal the dog has to return swiftly to
the handler and is not allowed to leave again without permission. If the dog does not
fulfill the task in spite of repeated commands, then he has failed the test.

With halt – the recalled dog shall, upon whistle, oral command or hand signal, at a
distance of approximately 20 meters from his handler, stop and shall be retrieved from
there. If he does not stop, then he has failed the test.

Weighting factor:
Recall weighting factor 5
Recall with halt weighting factor 10


Down-Stay

The dogs will be tested in an area with clear view in groups of up to 4.
The dogs will be put in a down-stay position at about 10 meters distance from each other
leashed or unleashed. They may lie on a personal blanket.
The handlers retreat approximately 50 meters. Visual contact is allowed. The dogs may raise
their heads or sit up, but not move more than 1 meter away from the designated spot. If they
continuously bark, whine, leave the spot or pull on the leash, they will be excluded from
further testing.
During the down time the Test Official, or an assistant, walks past the dogs at a distance of
about 5 meters with a leashed dog, that is not participating in the test.
The dogs shall remain 5 minutes so as to allow the judge sufficient time to observe each dog
very carefully.

Weighting factors:
Down-Stay leashed 2
Down-Stay unleashed 5


Reaction to Noise

For this portion, the dog moves unleashed around the area, at a distance of at least 10m from
the handler. The Test Official or an assistant stands approximately 10m away from the dog
and bangs a metal hammer hard against a steel pipe.
Dogs that show fear will be tested again after 30 minutes. Dogs that run away from the noise
or attempt to hide have failed the test.

Weighting factor:
Reaction to Noise 5


Reaction to People

For this portion the handler commands his dog down next to his foot unleashed and stays
with him at this spot. At least 6 people move towards the dog handler and dog in from of a
star, walking slow and non-threateningly. They then withdraw and return for a second time
towards the handler and his dog. This time they move fast and energetic while clapping their
hands. The dog should behave calm and relaxed towards humans. The dog is allowed to leave
the circle without showing flight reaction.

Weighting factor:
Reaction to Humans 5


Reaction to Traffic

The dog’s behavior in traffic is tested by having the handler walk with his dog loosely
leashed on the sidewalk of a street with normal traffic. A bicycle rider passes the handler and
dog very closely, ringing the warning bell. A pedestrian approaches the handler from the front
and opens an umbrella next to the dog. He poses a question to the handler from a newspaper
he is carrying.
Upon the Test Organizer’s direction, the handler crosses the street with his leashed dog.
Before the crossing the dog must noticeably stop or sit down. The handler walks back on the
opposite side of the street and crosses the street a second time.
Traffic is not allowed to be hindered.
The dog shall act relaxed and calm towards pedestrians and traffic. He should follow his
handler attentively and willingly.

Weighting factor:
Reaction to Traffic 5

BHP 2  -  Search for Handler and Waiting for Handler

Search for Handler

By nature our dogs have a very intense desire to track. Therefore, one of their favorite and
most popular working tasks is to work on tracks and lines. They are especially eager and
happy to search for their handler.
To test the ability to search for the handler, the handler walks together with a Test Official’s
assistant in open, or open forested, terrain about 300 meters with two 90-degree turns. Both
have to remain quiet.
The dog undergoing the test is held by another assistant so as not to see the people leave.
When ready, the dog is set on the marked starting point of the line by the judge. The dog has
to work the line quickly and must find his handler.
The judge can put the dog back on the line three times at most.

Weighting factor:
Search for Handler 5


Waiting for Handler

Sometimes the dog must wait outside of a building that he is not allowed to enter. He will be
tied outside the building, near the entrance. The handler enters the building out of sight of the
dog.
The dog shall wait quietly in his place for 5 minutes with distractions by assistants.
The following distractions shall be tested:
1. Jogger
2. Bicycle rider
3. Person with dog
If the dog shows aggressive behavior, barks, and whines constantly or pulls on the leash, he
has failed the test.

Weighting factor:
Waiting 5

BHP 3  -  Attitude Towards Water

The vast majority of our dogs greatly enjoy water. This is an additional hint of a dog’s good
temperament.
To test the dog’s attitude towards water the handler throws any floating object at least 6-8
meters into deep standing water.
The dog shall voluntarily retrieve this object back to shore. A one time repetition and
encouragement by the handler is permitted. If a second attempt is negative as well, the
attitude towards water test portion is considered failed.

Weighting factors:
Attitude Towards Water 6
Retrieving out of Deep Water 4

Performance Scoring

Extra prompting or repeated commands by the handler will result in a deduction of points.
Performance Evaluations as follows:

Rating Score

Sehr gut (very good) 4
Gut (good) 3
Genügend (satisfactory) 2
Mangelhaft (insufficient) 1
Ungenügend (unsatisfactory) 0

Prize Allocation

For Companion Dog Test BHP1-3, dogs may be awarded 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, or 3rd Prize.
Prize allocation depends on individual performance.

Performance Award

Partial Test BHP-1: Obedience
Partial Test BHP-2: Search for Handler and Waiting
Partial Test BHP-3: Attitude towards Water
Combined BHP-G: All three parts together

The dog can pass portions of the Companion Dog test to earn BHP awards 1, 2, or 3. If he passes
all three parts of the test in one day, he will receive the performance award BHP-G.

The Water test shall prove that the Teckel can, on occasion, retrieve a duck from water.

The following points are to be observed:
1.       Teckel shall be at least 9 months of age.
2.       The handler, or a third person, shall throw the duck into deep water while two shots
are fired.  The Teckel shall have to swim a distance of about six to eight meters to the
duck and the same distance back to shore.
3.       The Teckel shall voluntarily retrieve the duck back to shore.  The handler may repeat
the command once and provide a single encouragement.
4.       If a second attempt is unsuccessful as well, the test is considered failed.  However, if
the dog swims at least out to the duck it will be considered a successful Gun Steadiness test.
5.       The test will be evaluated by weight factors and performance scores as follows:

a) Attitude towards Water               weighting factor 5

b) Retrieving                                   weighting factor 3