North Star K9 Training Association Trailing Certification Testing The purpose of the tracking/trailing test is to demonstrate the K9 Team s ability to track a specific human scent, over various available terrains, to the satisfaction of the certification official(s)/evaluator(s). Pre Requisites Prior to Testing Copies of all documents must be presented to the evaluator prior to field testing. The evaluator may request the documents be sent via USPS, scanned and emailed or collect them at the test site. Copies of requested certificates will not be returned to the K9 teams. The documents should be compiled in the same order as follows: Registration or other legal documentation qualifying that the K9 testing is at least one (1) year old NIMS IC 100, 200, 700, 800, 800 b or current requirements First Aid Certification CPR Certification Blood Borne Pathogens Certificate Crime Scene Preservation Certificate HazMat Awareness Certificate Criminal Background Check 6 months training records (need not be mailed or copied but must be presented for inspection at the testing. Pack List: The handler will not receive a pack inspection. However, it is expected that the handler shall carry adequate water on the trail for the K9 and the human as well as any first aid supplies, etc. that may be needed in the completion of the trails. If a risk because of inadequate preparation is perceived by the evaluator, it shall be reason to fail this portion of the test. Obedience: All K9 s, regardless of breed, should be able to walk on a lead with his handler and will stand for harnessing. The K9 should be able to rest on the trail at least 15 minutes and resume trailing without being re scented. The handler shall demonstrate the ability to slow down the K9 with an easy command and be able to stop the k9 on a trail with a Wait command. The K9 will be able to trail while being accompanied by 2 or more persons following behind. If the handler uses an E Collar, the remote must be held by the evaluator(s).
Rules Governing Testing Our testing assesses the component skills deemed to be necessary for the K9 team to be qualified to search for the missing, lost and abducted. A K9 team is composed of one K9 and one handler. Certification is for the K9 team. If the handler and K9 are no longer a team, the certification is null and void. All certification will occur over a three day, 24 hours, seminar which will involve training and testing. The K9 team must complete the required segments and objectives as outlined below. A trail may consist of one or more objectives, at the discretion of the evaluator. The team will participate over the 3 day period without regard as to whether they are training or testing. The evaluator may stop the test or trail if: 1. The K9 is deemed to be in poor health or condition. 2. The trailing conditions are dangerous for the K9 team. 3. The K9 team is so far off trail there is judged to be no hope of trail recovery. The judgment of the evaluator(s) is final. The evaluator(s) will stop the test/training if abuse of the K9 occurs and the K9 team will not be able to retest for one year. The K9 team shall be judged as a pass/fail The K9 team shall receive the test protocol on which the certification official(s) document performance of the team. Obedience: All K9 s, regardless of breed, will be able to walk on a lead with his handler and will stand for harnessing. The K9 will be able to rest on the trail at least 15 minutes and resume trailing without being re-scented. The handler will demonstrate the ability to slow down the K9 with an easy command and be able to stop the k9 on a trail with a wait command. The K9 will be able to trail while being accompanied by 2 or more persons following behind. If the handler uses an E Collar, the remote must be held by the certification official. Identification: Prior to the training/testing the handler will articulate to the evaluator how their K9 identifies or alerts on the person they are trailing. If the indication requires that the handler to interpret the dog s behavior, and is not readily identifiable to the evaluator(s), the trail shall consist of one person being trailed and 2 or more decoys placed in close proximity (at least 5 feet and not more than 15 feet) to the trail layer. The handler must tell the evaluator who his dog was trailing at the conclusion of his trail. Distractions: Distractions, such as animal, people, vehicles, etc., are not reason for the handler to terminate a training/testing exercise. Failure to finish a track because of distractions shall be considered a failure.
Surfaces Comprising Trails/ Contamination Every effort shall me made to utilize the following surfaces in the training and testing of the K9 team. Utilization will be dictated by the availability in the geographic area where the training/testing is taking place. Vegetative surfaces: such as mowed park, prairie grass, crop fields, woodland Urban: sidewalks, street crossing of paved concrete or gravel Other surfaces may be included such as gravel, sand, mulched, dirt floors through barns, etc. The trails should be in areas with moderate contamination. Specific scenarios for the K9 Evaluation If for any reason one of more of the scenarios should be unavailable at the test location, the evaluator(s) may exclude that scenario or substitute another that is similar and at the same skill level. All decisions of the evaluator(s) are final. The K9 team must demonstrate 80% accuracy on the training scenarios. The training scenarios shall be used to determine those K9 who may proceed to the blind/blind trail. 1. Cast and Determine the Direction of Travel of the Trail The handler will be given a specified area of approximately 100 feet by 100 feet in long or short grass or a combination of both. The handler will be advised from which side to begin. They handler must cast and successfully determine the direction of travel of the trail. The K9 should follow the trail to its end and give its trained alert on the trail layer. 2. Location Checks During the course of the evaluations, the K9 team shall be presented on 5 different occasions: 1. a legitimate scent article which contains the scent of an individual for which there is no possibility that the individual has been present in the geographical area. 2. The K9 team must correctly determine that there is no trail. 3. Water Work If available the K9 team will successfully complete at least one trail which is comprised of a water crossing. The trail layer, where possible, they will travel along the stream bed for at least 50 to 100 yards and exit the creek bed. If a creek crossing is not available, standing water such as a lake shore, swamp edge, etc. may be substituted 4. Back Track A back track may be placed on a trail of any surface, at least 3 hours of age and at least a quarter mile in length. The team will demonstrate the ability to work a back track by the K9 cutting off the back track
and following the trail, or the K9 working to the end of the scent and working the scent back to the actual trail. A success will be considered a pass if the handler is able to tell the direction of travel of the trail layer. The team may find the quarry but it is not necessary for the team to have a successful trail. 5. Identification of a Barrier The trail layer will enter a building through a door. The K9 team must trail to the door and the K9 must indicate on the door either by standing at the door or by a paw alert. The handler must be able to articulate that the trail layer entered the building. The door will be opened for the K9 team and they will be asked to locate the trail layer in the building. 6. The K9 Alerts on High Finds The trail shall be laid so that it ends with the trail layer in an elevated location. The location may be in a tree, on a roof, on playground equipment, in a deer stand, etc. The previous serve only as an example and are not an inclusive list. The K9 does not need to climb to the trail layer but the handler must be able to identify where the trail layer is located. 7. Split Trail Two to three trail layers shall leave a designated point walking side by side about 3 feet apart. They shall fan out and proceed for a distance of at least 300 yards. The K9 team will be pre-scented on one of the trail layers, and follow that person to the conclusion, culminating in a final alert on the correct trail layer. All trail layers should be out of sight of the K9 team. 8. Collection of a Scent Article The K9 team shall be advised of the point last seen. The handler will be asked to collect a scent article. They will not be able to take the article with them but must conduct a scent transfer. The K9 team will be advised of the Point Last Seen (PLS) and asked to trail to the trail layers final destination. The K9 must give an identifiable final alert. Double Blind Testing Scenario The K9 team must have completed the prior training/testing scenarios with 80% accuracy before proceeding the double blind trail. The evaluator(s) shall have final decision on whether a K9 team is prepared to successfully complete this portion of the certification process. The blind/blind is a required trailing for certification. The blind/blind trail shall be one mile in length and at least 24 hours in age but not more than 26 hours. It must be complete within one hour. The trail shall have 5 articles to simulate evidence on the trail. The K9 team should recover at least 3 articles and present them to the evaluator at the end of the trail. Failure to recover articles shall not be the sole reason for failure of the double blind. The K9 handler will be accompanied by a flanker whose purpose is to be alert to possible hazards on the trail, help the team cross a street, or alert the handler to impending obstacles that may pose a hazard. It is permissible for the flanker to pick up the articles but not permissible for them to search for the article.
One evaluator shall accompany the K9 team for the purpose of observing the trail and the condition of the handler and the K9 while working. The certification official shall have the authority to stop the test if they deem the K9 to not be capable of trailing due to conditioning or health reasons. The judgment of the certification official is final. The evaluator will stop the test if abuse of K9 occurs, and the K9 team will not be allowed to re test for a period of one year. A second instance of abuse will result in forfeiture of any future certification opportunities. Failures If the K9 team does not pass their first certification attempt they may re test the following year without charge. Recertification Certification shall be valid for two years. Recertification shall consist of a 1 mile long, 12 hour old blind/blind trail.