WTs take place in open terrain (field, meadow, forest, water).
The basic disciplines are:
• marking
• memory marking
• searching
• walk up
• blind
Marking
When marking, the dog sees the dummy flying. At the instruction of the judge, he sends the dog. The task of the dog is to find the dummy as quickly as possible and bring it to the leader by the shortest route and hand it over. Marking can be either simple (throwing one dummy) or double marking, when two dummies are thrown one after the other, usually by two throwers. The smaller the angle between the dropped dummies, the more difficult the task. The easiest task is with an angle of 180 degrees. The order for bringing the dummy is determined by the judge.
Memory marking
Even in this case, the dog sees the throw of the dummy, but before being sent to bring it, either the place of sending is changed, or the dog first performs another part of the given task and is sent with a time delay for the thrown dummy.
The point is to remember the place of impact and again find and bring the dummies as quickly as possible.
The simplest version of this exercise is a 360° spin on the spot and sending for dummies.
Searching
During tracking, dummies are placed in a predetermined area so that neither the dog nor the handler can see it. Referee leaders will communicate the boundaries of the area. The dog is sent to the area with a search command. It is supposed to find and bring a predetermined number of dummies.
Walk up is an exercise in which two or more dogs are tried at the same time. Leaders and dogs walk in a line, dogs are free (without a leash) at the leader’s feet. They move forward together. At the referee’s instruction, the throwers shoot, throw one or more markings. At the direction of the judge, a designated dog is sent for certain dummies. The other dogs must remain calm and wait for their turn and also remember the dummy’s landing spots that have not yet been brought. During all disciplines, the judges also assess the walking on the leg, the controllability of the dog.
Blind
It is already a more demanding discipline. With it, neither the dog nor the handler can see the throw of the dummy, the dummy is placed by the helper in a predetermined place.
The judge will explain where the dummy is placed. A shot may be fired at the place where the dummy is placed. The dog is sent towards the place where the dummy is located and is guided to the area where the dummy is found using a whistle or a verbal command.
The following faults shall be penalized:
• running out for dummies without a leader’s instruction
• replacement of the dummy (the dog will bring a different one than the one it is sent for)
• incorrect delivery of the dummy
The tasks are not predetermined, there are only recommendations for individual classes regarding their difficulty.
The difficulty increases with the distance of the dummy from the test team, with the surface of the terrain and various terrain obstacles
(bushes, stream, road, transition field-meadow, meadow-forest).
In classes Newcomers (E) and Beginners (L), tasks are mainly based on:
• marking
• memory marking
• searching
In class Novice (M) and Open (S), all disciplines are already included, either individually or in variously demanding combinations.
Judges always construct tasks on the spot so that they come as close as possible to situations that may occur during real hunting.
For the spectators, the M and S classes will be the most attractive, where you can see the beautiful performances of the dogs as well as the good interplay of the team – the leader and the dog.