Level 1 - Novice Tracking Dog
1. Length; Continuous single laid track of approximately 500m.
2. Age; 30 minutes minimum, 1 hour maximum.
3. Terrain; Grassland, heathland or crop. Where possible, should not have been used for tracking / walked on in the previous 24 hours.
4. Number of Articles; 2. Approximately 10 cm square and of a size & material suitable for the terrain. None should be placed within 30 m of a corner or the start of track. The second article will mark the end of the track. The dog must indicate the presence of the article.
5. Turns / Corners; At least 1 both right and left. Each turn should be 90°.
6. Number of legs; 5 - 7.
7. Pole; One to indicate the start of the track. Another pole (or other type of marker) may be used to indicate the direction that the track-layer walked in towards the start pole.
8. Time; No time limit. This will be left to the discretion of the Assessor.
To qualify, at least one of the two articles must be located by the dog and each leg of the track must be accurately negotiated without undue interference / guidance by the handler.
There is no requirement for the dog to adopt any particular tracking style.