Test Your Pet's protection ability

Sport Dog Courage test is a two-part evaluation. Starting by completing Obedience 1 and/or higher. If you do not complete/pass the Obedience portion you may participate in the courage test, but no title will be awarded. 

Obedience:  is scored by a point system 100 is highest score and needing 80 points to pass. Pattern typically follows the standard ‘L’ pattern consisting of healing, sit, down, recall, left, right turn and about turn optional. Judges are encouraged to use surrounding environment when laying out the field and have the option to change the pattern to accommodate space available. 

Field may be marked out with cones, paint or judge can call out speed, direction, and/or position changes. This will be at judge’s discretion for field layout. 

Obedience can be done with flat collar or choke/fur saver chain on the dead ring.  

Heel position to the left or right leg of the handler should stay clear and consistent throughout test. Judge is looking for control, understanding positions and commands between handler and dog. Commands are allowed at every position change or direction change. 

Protection:  There will be two bite scenarios. Face Attack and Surprise Attack which can be done on a suite or sleeve depending on the dogs training, handler’s preference or at the judge’s discretion (always takes precedence for decoy safety). Decoy will have an object/equipment in hand used to threaten the dog aggressively. Object/equipment can be a clatter stick, padded stick, umbrella, jug of rocks etc. 

Face Attack:  Decoy will come straight at the dog and handler in a threating and aggressive manor approximately 20 + yards away from the handler/dog. The handler will then release their dog (command to send/attack is okay). At this point the decoy must safely catch the dog and drive the dog with one “stick/equipment hit”.  Once satisfactory drive has been issued judge will instruct the decoy freeze up (or decoy can have the option. This will be discussed prior to competing in the handlers meeting). Handler has three chances to out their dog. First out dog can recall to handler from the position of where the handler sent the dog or dog waits for handler to retrieve dog from a “guard” position (dog cannot re bite). Second Out handler can walk up halfway and try again. Third out the handler can walk next to the dog/decoy and out the dog. The handler is not allowed to grab the harness or collar until the dog has clearly out’d.

Surprise Attack: the decoy will come out from a blind/non visual area and surprise attack the handler and dog. The handler may signal the dog to attack the decoy to engage. The handler will send the dog from 10 feet away from the decoy. The decoy must safely catch the dog and drive the dog with one “stick /equipment hit”. As the decoy freezes up the handler has three chances to out their dog. Same freeze up and outing as the face attack scenario. After the protection part is completed, the handler must put their dog away and off the field before the judge’s critic.

The judge is to evaluate the dog’s confidence in handling the pressure from the decoy. As well as the strength of the bite and engagement. This portion of the test is a pass or fail.