Red Lead Skills

Here I will go through each red lead skill and explain what it is and what the test looks like

Knowledge

Animal Welfare

Test: You will have a short guided conversation with your instructor demonstrating that you understand the material. 

No

"Scatter feed no"

Test: throw a handful of food on the ground and allow the dog to eat it. When the dog has eaten a few pieces and is thoroughly involved in eating, signal "no" the dog must immediately stop. then allow the dog to resume eating with "yes"

Friendliness

Once your dog is in happy letting strangers approach, even a little bored (falling asleep while you talk to the stranger would be great), it is time to teach him to accept touch. Your vet will thank you for this. This is also a good opportunity to teach your dog to wear a muzzle

Test: Stranger approaches and asks to pet dog, then pets dog all over.

Mechanical

Starting at red lead the mechanical skills are electives that you choose with your instructor. This is your chance to show your creativity and explore areas of training that you are interested in.

Test: Elective

Stay

Having a dog remain in a stationary position is easy. Asking a dog to get into a stationary position from motion, not so much. You are going to have to use several skills in combination to get this one.

Test: Dog is taken 30 ft from the handler and let go, the handler calls the dog and has to get them to sit or down, before reaching the handler, in the designated area. 

Recall

Allow your dog off lead to explore, once the dog is sufficiently distracted/far from the handler you are going to test the strength of your recall.

Test: Free running recall

Leading

Will your dog consent to following you through a distracting environment off lead?

Test: Off leash following

Manners

We are going to put the dog's learning to the test in this one. Can the dog remain polite even when we are trying to get the dog to break?

Test: Refuse to jump up

Confidence

Test: Meet large livestock

Go

Show your ability to send the dog out, left, and right. 

Test: Directed send out

Working

Test: Test your dog's aptitude in a second working dog sport