Classes:

General regulations:

 
Trial for Rescue Group Diploma is directed to owners who are going to improve professional water work skills of their dogs. They need to be qualified as water rescuers <at least “younger rescuer” according to WOPR or other regulations>. This trial is not compulsory which means it is possible to take part in other trials for dog and its owner.

Regarding 1^st to 4^th trial: getting higher level will be accepted if the dog passes the exam for inferior trial <means classes one by one> as described above. This regulation does not apply to puppy, junior or veteran class due to lack of “skills limitation”.

Using life jacket or saving harness is mandatory.

Any appeals from the judge decision are not permitted.

Each trial has few exercises scored as shown by grading scale. Each exercise can be repeated just once but points given on second try are no more than 50% of maximum.

To pass the trial dogs must receive minimum 65 points of 100 possible.

A work book must be given and payment made before starting. Owner must present official health proof with valid vaccinations and third party insurance.

The judge is allowed to make changes during the exam depending on present conditions, but in this case a change will apply to each dog in the same exercise and it will relate only to the very exam.

 

PUPPY CLASS: max. 100 points

1. Walking on leash: 15 points

2. Sitting on order: 15 points

3. Laying down on order: 15 points

4. Retrieving and object from water: 25 points

5. Swimming to handler, retrieving an object, returning to shore: 30 points

Re: 1

Exercise begins on command. Dog follows master by his knee. The distance: around 30m with 2 turns under 90 volt faces. The master is allowed to give the dog some signals to encourage him.
 

Re: 2

The master and his dog stay “face to face”. The master keeps the leash in hand and gives the dog an order to sit down. The master is allowed to give the dog both orders: verbal and optical.   

Re: 3

Like in exercise 2. Order to lay down. Both orders: optical and verbal at once are accepted. 

Re: 4

The dog and its master are on the ground. The helper throws an object into the water on distance 20m (one-way). The master gives the dog an order to retrieve an object from the water. The dog must swim to the object, pick it up and return with it to its master. The master is allowed to go into the water up to place precised by judge to meet the coming back puppy. 

Re: 5

The master is swimming on distance 20m (one-way), in the same time puppy stays on the ground with helper. As the master is on position, he shows the dog an object and gives an order to come to him for picking the object up. The dog must swim to him and retrieve an object. After that they swim back together. The master may keep the dog under its jacket but he is not allowed to be towed by puppy. The exercise is done  when dog stays on the ground.

JUNIOR CLASS: max.100 points

1. Walking on leash: 10 points

2. Sitting on order: 10 points

3. Staying on order: 15 points

4. Retrieving an object from water: 25 points

5. Swimming to master, retrieving an object, return to coast: 30 points

Re 1:

The exercise begins on order. The dog follows owner on the slack leash no further than masters knee. The distance: around 30m with two 90 and one 180 volt faces. The master is allowed to give some signals to encourage dog. The judge will show where the dog should make turns. 

Re: 2

The master and the dog stay “face to face”. The master keeps the leash in his hand and gives the dog an order to sit down. Using verbal and optical signs by master at once is allowed.   

Re: 3

Like in exercise 2. Order to lay down. Both orders: optical and verbal at once are accepted. 

Re: 4

The master and the dog stays “face to face”. The master gives the dog an order to sit down. After that the master walks away about 10 steps, turns back to have visual contact with his dog. In the meantime the dog mustn’t move or change the position until the master is back by its left or right side.    

Re: 5

The dog sits by side of its master in front of the water. The helper (not the master) throws the object into the water. Then the master sends the dog to water giving him an order to retrieve the object. The dog must swim, pick it up and deliver the object to the master who stands on the ground. The master is allowed to go into the water up to place précised by judge to meet the coming back dog. 

Re: 6

The dog stays by left or right side of its master on the ground. In the meantime the helper swims and stops. After that he calls dog to come to him and pick an object kept in hand. The master sands the dog to the helper. The exercise is done when dog delivers an object to its master. The master is allowed to go into the water up to place precised by judge to meet the coming back dog. 

 

Ist CLASS: max.100 points
 

Re: 1

The exercise begins on the order. The dog follows owner on the slack leash no further than masters knee. The distance: 50m with four 90 and one 180 volt faces. The judge will show where the dog should make turns. 

Re: 2

The master and the dog stay “face to face”. The master keeps the leash in his hand and gives the dog an order to sit down. Using verbal and optical signs at once by master is allowed.

This command may not be repeated. 

Re: 3

Like in exercise 2. Order to lay down. Both orders: optical and verbal at once are accepted. 

Re: 4

Team starts from the ground; the dog swims by master’s side. They make 2 turns. Catching life jacket or being towed by dog is not acceptable, distance 50 m (back and forth). 

Re: 5

The dog sits on the ground by its master. The helper throws an object into the water. The master gives the dog an order to go, pick the object up and bring it back to him. The master is allowed to go into the water up to place precised by judge to meet the coming back dog. 

Re: 6

On the master’s order (voice and o optical) the dog must jump from the boat and swim directly to its master who stands on the ground. The distance is about 50m (one-way). The master is allowed to encourage his dog. Both orders: optical and verbal at once are accepted. Nobody is allowed to push the dog into the water.

 

Passing all exercises of  1^st class (by getting no less than 65 points) makes the dog to be allowed for training according to 2^nd class rules.

 

2nd CLASS: max.100 points

Re: 1

In this exercise use of leash is not allowed. After an order dog must start walking by the leg. The distance is 50m with four 90 and one 180 volt faces. During the march the owner gives the dog an order to sit down. The dog is supposed to sit immediately. The owner mustn't stop or even slow down – he must keep on going around 15 steps, then he turns back, give a dog an order to come to him. The dog must come without any delay and sit right in front of its owner. Next order is the dog to be sat by the leg. The area of turns and sit are marked before start. 

Re: 2

The helper leaves by boat. The dog stays on the ground with owner. After passing the distance 50m the helper turns the boat, jump out (suddenly) and screams loudly for help /stays as “alive person”/. The owner sends the dog to the water. The dog comes to the man in the water, swims around him. The helper must be able to catch life jacket or saving harness. Then dog tows the helper to the ground. All orders giving by owner are accepted.

 
Re: 3

The dog and in assistance of the helper goes on a boat, the master is staying on the shore. The helper throws the dummy in the water. The dog must see it. The dog is sent to the dummy and brings it back to the owner. The dog is allowed to hold the dummy only by the leg ore hand. It is allowed to encourage the dog to jump from the boat. 

Re: 4

The owner with the dog and in assistance of the helper goes on a boat on a distance around 50m. The rope is attached to the boat. The owner throws the rope into the water. Then gives the dog an order to jump out and get the rope. After that the dog is supposed to tow the boat to the ground. It is allowed to help the dog catching the rope by passing it directly to the dog.
 

In the exercises 2 and 3 – leaving the dummy or rope in the moment when dog feels the ground is fully accepted. Such an area should be marked by judge before start.
 

Passing all exercises of  2^nd class (by getting no less than 65 points) makes the dog to be allowed for training according to 3^rd class rules.

 

 

3rd CLASS: max.100 points

 

 

Re: 1

The dog must sit in marked by judge place, and then the owner leaves this area. The dog must stay – cannot change the position or move from the place. After specified time the owner comes back and gives the dog an order to lie down and then he leaves the area once again. The dog must lie down without changing the position. When the judge gives the sign – the owner comes back and takes dog on the leash. The judge must observe the dog for the whole time. It is not acceptable if the dog follows the owner. The time in this exercise must be at least 1 minute for each position 

Re: 2

The owner and the dog are on the ground. In the water lay a man playing to be collapsed. The distance from the shore is around 30m. The owner sends the dog for this person. The dog picks the collapsed person up by catching his hand. The dog must bring this person to the master on the ground. It is accepted if the dog leaves the collapsed person when the ground is touchable. 

Re: 3

The owner and the dog stay on the ground. In the water /around 30m from dog/ is the surfer. The owner sends the dog to the surfer. The surfer gives the rope to the dog and the dog tows the board and the surfer to the ground. When ground is touchable the dog can leave the rope.

 

Re:4

The owner and the dog stay on the ground. The helper throws two objects into the water /one by one/. The judge must specify which one should be brought by dog – left or right. The owner sends the dog for shown object. The exercise is done when dog gives the exact object to the owner. For all the time orders can be given to the dog.

 

Passing all exercises of  3^rd class (by getting no less than 65 points) makes the dog to be allowed for training according to 4^td class rules.

 

4th CLASS: max.100 points
 

Re: 1

Same like in 1^st Class: Team starts from the ground; the dog swims by master’s side. They make 2 turns. Catching life jacket or being towed by dog is not acceptable, distance 100 m  (50 m back and 50 m forth).
 

Re: 2

The owner and the dog are on the ground. There are two persons in the water: one is “alive” and other is playing to be collapsed. The distance from the shore is around 30m and between them 20m. The owner sends the dog for “alive” person. The dog lets this person catch the life jacket or saving harness. Then next order is given to him: he must go – still towing the first person – to pick the collapsed person up by catching his hand. The dog must bring both persons to the ground. It is accepted if the dog leaves the collapsed person when the ground is touchable.

Re: 3

The owner and the dog are on the jetty. IT MUST BE SECURED AND CHECKED BEFORE!!!! The owner throws an object to the water. On order the dog jumps to the water, goes for object and brings it back to the owner.
 

Re: 4

The owner and the dog are on the ground. In the water is the person who has problem – can scream for help – the distance is around 30m. The owner passes the life ring – the dog is supposed to catch by the rope – no extra objects can be attached to it. The dog must deliver the ring to the person. The person catches the ring and is towed to the ground. The person can also catch the life jacket. The most important is delivery.
 

Re: 5

The owner and the dog are on the boat. There is the second boat in the water with helper. On the masters order the dog jumps out from the boat, goes to the second boat, collect an oar and goes back to the owner. Then given the oar to the owner and goes back to the shore. The distance is around 25m.

VETERAN CLASS: max. 100 points

Re: 1

The exercise begins on order. First is walking on slack leash with one right and one left turn. After that the master stands in front of his dog and gives dog orders to sit, lay down and stand up. Using both kinds of commands: optical and verbal is possible. The judge will show where the dog should make turns.
 

Re: 2

The master and the dog are on the ground. The helper throws an object into the water on distance around 20m. On order the dog swims and brings an object back to its master. 

Re 3:

The dog stays by left or right side of its master on the ground. In the meantime the helper swims on distance 30m and stops (it is one- way distance). After that he calls dog to come to him and pick an object kept in hand. The master may encourage dog before giving him an order to swim and bring the object back. The exercise is done when dog delivers an object to its master. The master is allowed to go into the water up to place précised by judge to meet the coming back dog. 

Re: 4

The dog with the helper sail away by boat about 30 m. The master stands on the ground. On the judge signal the master give the dog an order to jump from the boat and swim directly to him. The master is allowed to encourage his dog.

 

It is strictly forbidden to push the dog from the boat! The dog must jump by itself!

Penalty points:

-The dog is aggressive to the master, handler or dummy  (Disqualification)

- The dog exceeds the time limit (-2)

- The dog leaves the test area (-3)

- The dog arrives outside the test area (-3)

-The dog must be encouraged to jump from the boat (-3)

-Team swimming: the dog swims over 1m from the owner (-3)

-If the dog refuse to stay in the position “at attention” (in all exercises they began "at attention" - all obedience, some water-exercises, it results from the rule of itch exercise) (-1)

-The dog turn repeatedly back during swimming for an object in the water (-3)

-The dog do not swim directly to the object in the water (-2)

-As the dog retrieve an object he repeatedly leave it than take it again (-2)

-The dog stubbornly and persistent pass his master during walking (-3)

-The master repeat the order: stay, sit, lay several times (-2)

-The dog retrieve the dummy but not holding it on hand or leg (-5)
 

 

Class

No of exercise

Time limit in minutes

Puppy

4

3

 

5

3

Young

5

3

 

6

3

I

4

3

 

5

3

 

6

1 min. to jump from the boat;

3 min. to turn back to the shore

II

2

3

 

3

3

 

4

3

III

2

3

 

3

3

 

4

3

IV

2

5

 

3

1

 

4

3

 

5

3

Veteran

2

1

 

3

1

 

4

3