What are Working Trials | DOG Sports UK

What are Working Trials?

Although originally based on police work, for today's participants Working Trials are purely a competitive sport.

Working Trials are designed to test the working ability of the dogs taking part. Whilst there are some similarities between them and obedience and agility, there are also additional exercises.

There are three types of trial.

Matches - these are held between clubs and societies
Open – this is the qualifying level, and as the name suggests, open to all
Championship – for dogs which have qualified via an Open Trial.

Trials themselves consist of several levels called `stakes`.

From the lowest stake, Introductory, Companion Dog (CD), through Utility Dog (UD), Working Dog (WD), Patrol Dog (PD) (optional stake) and Tracking Dog (TD) at the very top, the dog is required to obtain 70% of the marks in each section and 80% overall in order to qualify and thereby progress upwards to the next stake. Two wins in TD or PD stake qualify the dog to be awarded the title of `Working Trials Champion.

Each year there are about 35 Open Trials and 25 Championship Trials run by Societies/Clubs up and down the country.

The winners of the TD and PD stake at a Championship Trial go on to compete at the Kennel Club Championships which are held annually in October.

The exercises are basically divided into three sections:

Nosework
Agility
Control

1. Nosework

Nosework comprises both search and track exercises. The dog follows a track laid by a 'tracklayer' (who is a stranger to the dog) walking a set pattern designed by the judge which is identical for each entrant. The track is approximately 800 metres long and laid on grassland, arable fields or heathland with each competitor working on similar terrain to others in the stake.

As the dog follows the track it has to locate up to three articles placed along it by the tracklayer. Depending on the stake the track is 30 minutes, 11/2, 2 or 3 hours old before the dog begins.

The other component of nosework is the 'search' where the dog has to find and retrieve between 3 and 4 articles placed in either a 14 or 23 metre square within 4/5 minutes.

2. Agility

The dog must negotiate three obstacles - a hurdle, wooden scale and a long jump; the dimensions of which depend on whether the height of the dog does not exceed 254mm, 380mm or does exceed 380mm.

3. Control

There are various exercises in this section which are detailed below:

Heelwork: the dog must walk with its shoulder reasonably close to the handler whilst they navigate their way around people and obstacles at different paces.
Down on the move: the dog must instantaneously lie down during heelwork at normal pace.
Recall: the dog must return smartly to the handler after being left in either a sit or down position.
Sendaway: the dog must be sent towards a predetermined point across a minimum distance of 20 metres; the PD/TD stake also involves a redirect of 50 metres minimum.
Retrieve a dumbbell: the dog must retrieve a dumbbell which has been thrown by the handler
Sit: the dog must remain in the sit position whilst the handler is in sight for a period of 1 – 2 minutes in the Introductory and CD Stakes, respectively.
Down: the dog must remain in the down position whilst the handler is out of sight for a period of 5 - 10 minutes.
Speak on Command: the dog is ordered to commence and cease 'speaking' by the handler with a minimum of commands and/or signals.

Last updated 24/10/2025