This is a test to determine the canine's ability to perform the required tasks as well as the handler's ability to control and interpret the canine's behavior.

1. Obedience

The canine team must display off-lead obedience in the following phases:
 a)  Right turn in motion          d)  Down in motion
 b)  Left turn in motion             e)  Recall to heel
 c)  About turn in motion          f)  Crowd *

*Crowd should consist of a group of three individuals walking passively while the K-9 performs off-lead obedience.

2. Control From Vehicle

Handler must demonstrate control of the canine from the patrol vehicle.  The team will make a simulated pedestrian check.  The canine will remain in the patrol vehicle until the helper physically attacks the handler.  The canine will exit the vehicle through a door or window and defend the handler.  The handler will call the canine from the fight to heel position.  The helper will offer no more resistance.
 

3. Control In Field

Handler must demonstrate control of the canine in a field situation.

a) The canine team shall perform a running recall.  The helper shall flee and the canine shall be sent to make an apprehension.  The canine shall be downed or recalled to heel before the apprehension is made, while the helper continues to flee.  (The command shall be at the direction of the judge.)

b) The canine team shall demonstrate control while guarding a suspect.  Following an apprehension, the canine shall be commanded to sit, down, or stand and guard the helper who will offer no further resistance.  The handler will approach and perform a pat down search of the helper.  The handler will step back and call the canine to a heel position and escort the helper back to a predetermined area.  (The commands shall be at the direction of the judge.)

c) The canine team shall perform a courage test.  The handler shall send a canine to apprehend a fleeing helper.  As the canine approaches the helper, he / she shall turn and threaten the canine.  When the canine makes the apprehension , the helper shall strike the canine once.  (The strike shall be done with a padded stick on a less sensitive part of the dogs body.)  The handler shall call the canine to a heel position.  (The commands shall be at the direction of the judge.)

d) The canine team shall demonstrate control during gunfire.  This exercise will be conducted at a location away from any other testing sites, or at a separate time during the certification,  so as not to interfere with other control work.  The canine team shall move from a starting point to a pre-determined position of cover.  The concealed helper shall fire one round.  The handler shall return fire with two rounds.  The canine shall not flee the area and must not fight the handler.  (This exercise shall be performed with .38 caliber blank ammunition and may be on lead.)  For safety purposes, the certifying official will inspect all guns and blank ammunition prior to use.

All of the field control exercises, with the exception of gunfire, shall be performed off lead.  The helper shall wear a full body bite suit.  The handler shall remain at a pre-determined spot, selected by the judge.  The handler shall move from that spot only when directed to do so by the judge, or at the conclusion of the exercise.
 

4. Building Search Test

The canine team must locate a suspect concealed inside a structure that is a minimum of 2,500 square feet.  The judge will hide a helper inside the structure in a location unknown to the canine team.  The helper shall sit approximately 20 minutes before the search begins.  The canine team, and one or two search team members, shall move to the entrance and give a verbal warning.  The suspect will fail to reply to the verbal warning and the canine shall be sent “off-lead” to search the interior.  The canine must indicate to the handler that the suspect has been located.  The handler will not be allowed to enter the area of the search until the dog has alerted, or at the discretion of the Judge.  The handler shall advise the judge of the indication.  If the judge confirms the indication, then the handler will have the option to 1) call the canine to heel, where it will be leashed, 2) approach and leash the canine, then bring it back to a safe area, or 3) the handler can take cover and then call the dog back to heel.  The indication follow-up action will be one of the preceding unless otherwise dictated by written department policy.  The policy must be provided to the KPDA Board Members for consideration at the KPDA Business meeting prior to the certification.

The helper shall be in civil attire, but may possess a sleeve for his or her protection.  The judge may advise the handler to continue the search if he or she feels the canine has odor, but has not pinpointed the location of the suspect.
 
 

5. Area Search Test

The canine team must locate a suspect that is concealed within an open, but confined area.  The judge will hide a helper within the defined area in a location unknown to the canine team.  The helper will sit approximately 20 minutes before the search begins.  The canine team, and one or two search team members, shall move to the starting point and give a verbal warning.  The suspect will fail to reply to the verbal warning and the canine shall be sent “off-lead” to search the area.  The canine must find the suspect and give a clear indication to the handler.  The handler will advise the judge of the indication.  If the judge confirms the indication, the handler will have the option to: 1) call the canine to heel, where it will be leashed, 2) approach and leash the canine, then bring it back to a safe area, or 3) the handler can take cover then call the dog back to heel.  (The helper shall be in civil attire, but may possess a bite sleeve for his/her protection.  The judge may advise the handler to continue the search if he/she feels the canine has odor but has not pinpointed the location of the suspect.)
 

Comments:

a) These tests of the canine team are on a pass/fail basis and no point system shall be used.

b) The judges’ are responsible to set up all tests to insure that each team gets a fair and equal opportunity.

c) Any unjustified false indication, as directed by the handler, shall be considered a failure.

d) Each team my retest on one exercise, if time permits.

e) The canine may wear one training or leather collar.  Electronic collars or devices shall only be used with the approval of the Board of Directors.  The judge will be provided with the remote control for the collar during the testing, or be given proof that the collar is inactive.  The department policy on use of electronic collars and devices shall be given to the secretary / treasurer prior to certification.  The canine shall be placed “off-lead” at the direction of the judge.  The lead shall be stored and not in the handler's  hands when the canine is “off-lead.”

f) Area searches may consist of open areas, car lots, etc. and be at the judges’ discretion.

g) All building searches will be similar when availability dictates.

h) All exercise time limits are at the judges’ discretion.  If the judge views that a canine or canine team is not working during any particular certification exercise, then that individual exercise will be considered a failure.

i) No training aids will be used in the field to out or recall the dog.

j) The canine has to make contact with the decoy using its teeth, “lay teeth,” in order for the exercise to be a failure. 

k) On bite exercises, the canine has to release within five (5) seconds from the handlers command or the exercise will be a failure.

l) Order of control work may be at judges’ discretion however it should start with Control from Field exercise (#3).  Gunfire test should be completed last in the order of control work.
 

 
A helper shall lay a track at the direction of the judge, which is unknown to the canine team.  The handler will be given a starting point with no direction assistance.  There will be no scent pads at the beginning of the track / trail.  The handler has the option of starting at a scent article, however the judge must be notified of the handlers wish to have a scent article available prior to the exercise.  The track should be a minimum of four hundred (400) yards long, and have three (3) or four (4) corners.  The corners shall not be ninety degree turns.  The track should be laid at a jogging speed by the helper in civil attire and the wind at his / her back.  The helper shall hide at the end of the track in an area that is not easily accessible by the canine, such as in a tree or vehicle.  The track should be approximately twenty minutes old at the time the team is allowed to begin.  The judge shall be aware of the location of the track laid by the helper and will proceed with the canine team while conducting this exercise through the entire track / trail. The tracking time allowed for this exercise will be at the judges’ discretion.  If the judge determines a team is not tracking / trailing the exercise will be considered a failure.  Each team will be allowed one re-test in tracking / trailing. 

 
One item (shell casing, glove, knife, etc.) will be placed into a grassy area, which is at least forty-square (40) yards in size.  The item shall sit for at least fifteen (15) minutes before the search begins.  The handler shall notify the judge, in advance, of how his/her canine will indicate to the items location.  The canine must locate the item.  The judge will determine the boundaries, time limit, and whether the canine has indicated to the items’ location.

 
SEPARATE AREAS OF CERTIFICATION

It has been approved by the membership at large that there are three separate areas of certification.  The areas are as follows:

  Detection
  Patrol
  Tracking / Trailing

There will be one (1) re-fire allowed in each of the three areas.
 

 
This is a test to determine the canine's ability to identify and locate different narcotic odors, as well as the handler's ability to interpret the canines’ behavior. 

1. There will be test given on the handler's choice of narcotics.  During this exercise, no psuedo drugs will be allowed.

2. All teams shall test in at least three different environments (structure, vehicle, and parcels or luggage.)  If only two odors are being used, then marijuana can only be used once.

3. All of the narcotic aids shall be no less than 20 grams and no larger than 50 grams in weight.  The aids will be concealed from view in a location unknown to the handler.  The aids must sit for approximately thirty-minutes (30) prior to the start of the search.

4. During the search, only the handler, judge(s), and official helpers are allowed in the search area.  This will be strictly enforced.

5. There will be at least one judge and one official helper in each area.

6. No one shall discuss any details of their search until all teams have had the opportunity to complete their searches.

7. The canine must clearly indicate each find without a false indication.  The handler must confirm the indication to the judge by either lifting his/her arm or by verbal communication.

8. If the indication is correct, the judge shall confirm it as such.  The judge will have the discretion to remove an area of the search due to false indications.  If an area is consistently false alerted, the searches must stop and the judges will meet with the Board of Directors.

ENVIRONMENTS:

1. Structure:

a) Shall consist of a furnished room of approximately 500 square feet.
b) There shall be only one narcotic odor per room.
c) The narcotic aid may be placed anywhere within the search area as long as the canine has odor available and no access to the aid.
d) Based on judges’ discretion and availability a blank / odor or clean room can be used.
 

2. Vehicle:

a) Shall consist of at least three separate vehicles.
b) No more than one aid per vehicle and no more than two aids per five vehicles.
c) The narcotic aid may be placed anywhere within the search area as long as the canine has odor available and no access to the aid.

3. Parcels:

a) Shall consist of ten to twenty pieces (luggage, briefcase, packages, etc.)
b) No more than one aid per ten parcels
c) A Parcel shall be removed from the search area if it becomes damaged or a narcotic aid is removed after completion of a test.

Comments:

a) These tests of the canine team are on a pass/fail basis and no point system will be used.
b) The judges are responsible to set up all tests to insure that each team gets a fair and equal opportunity.
c) Any unjustified false indication shall be considered a failure.
d) Each team may retest on one narcotic odor and must be in the environment failed.
e) Judges shall have discretion on using a new search area with the approval of the Board of Directors.
 

 
This is a test to determine the canine's ability to identify and locate the odor of a cadaver as well as the handler's ability to interpret the canine's behavior.

1. There will be a minimum of two (2) tests given

2. Legal procurement of the testing aids will be the sole responsibility of the agency requesting certification.  The testing aids will be delivered to the judge in a container that is safe to handle.

3. All teams shall test in at least two (2) different environments to be selected from the following:  Structure (with debris), Vehicle, Field (with brush), Under Water, Buried or Elevated.

4. The size of the testing aid shall be at the discretion of the judge(s).  A minimum of two testing aids are required.  All testing aids shall contain both bone and soft tissue.

5. During the search, only the handler, judge(s), and the official helpers are allowed in the search area.

6. There will be at least one judge and one official helper in each search area.

7. The canine must clearly indicate each find without false indication.  The handler must confirm the indication to the judge by either lifting his / her arm or by verbal communication.

8. If the indication is correct, the judge shall confirm it as such.  If the indication is false, the team may retest once in the same environment failed.