Dogs that pass will be awarded an Excellent, Good, or Fair.

This is an Evaluation not a test, so even if the dog does not pass certain parts he/she are able to continue so you will know your dogs strengths and where you need to improve.

The FWD Deterrent Dog consist of 5 parts.

Part 1:  Neutral Stranger

A stranger walks up to the handler and shakes hands and exchange pleasantries (e.g. you have a very nice dog).  The Stranger never interacts with the dog.

Intention:  To evaluate the dogs passive social ability.

Part 2:  Gun Shots

The handler stops with dog on leash at a designated marker.  A starter pistol will be fired 2 times from a hidden place.  (The dog should not show fear or extreme aggression, disinterest or curiosity is accepted).

Intention:  To evaluate the dog's recovery response to a sudden noise.

Part 3:  Obedience 

On leash obedience:  Must have 6 foot leash with flat buckle collar, choke (on dead ring) or approved harness.  On the stewards signal, the team will start.  The team will heel approximately ten paces and do a left turn then ten more paces and do a right turn go ten more paces then come to a halt.  The steward will then point/tell the team to a designated area where the dog will be put into a sit/down-stay. The handler will leave his/her dog and walk 20 paces while the dog remains in a sit/down-stay for one minute.  At the end of one minute, the steward will tell the handler to recall his/her dog and the exercise will end once the handler has the dog on leash in hand.

Intention:  To demonstrate how much control the handler has over the dog.

Part 4:  Alert

The dog must have on a buckle collar or an approved harness and a choke chain as back up.  The back-up collar will be clipped to the leash with the flat buckle collar.  The Decoy will cued the handler to alert their dog.  The decoy is being passive at this time and about 15 feet away.  The Judges are looking to see how well your dog responds to the alert command with no protection equipment present. The dog doesn't have to bark, but at least be in front of you looking at the decoy.

Intention:  To see how the dog responds to the alert command.

Part 5:  Threat

After about 5 seconds of being passive the decoy will become a threat.  The decoy will start the threat about 15 feet away, then he/she will stop for 3-5 seconds then advance within 5 feet of the dog in an aggressive manner and stop.  The steward will tell the decoy to back up 5 feet and become neutral. Then the steward will tell the handler to walk their dog up 5 feet and stop.  The dog should at least show an investigative spirt with no flight tendencies. Once the steward is finish recording he/she will tell the decoy to run away and the exercise will be done. The handler can give support to the dog for it's reaction against the aggressor.  The dog should show a real attitude to defend.  The decoy will never come within 5 feet of the dog and the dog will never be hit or touch by the decoy.  The dog who demonstrates indifference, shyness or fear will not pass.

Intention:  To evaluate the dog's defensive drive.  Also to evaluate the dog's ability to deter a threat without protection training equipment present. 

At the end of the evaluation, the handler will receive a critique about the dog's performance.