| Association
of American Working Trials Societies
Contact:
AAWTS
2016 Rowe Loop
Pflugerville, TX 78660
512-990-2016
mark@waggin-tails.com
http://waggin-tails.com/workingtrials/index.html
The
Association of American Working Trial Societies (AAWTS)
* exists to promote and organize the sport
of Working Trials in the United States. While Working
Trials have a 70+ year history in other parts of the
world (see the general Working
Trials page for more history), active efforts to
promote them here have been going on for only a few
years.
The
first Working Trial was held in England in 1924, with
the formation of the first Working Trial society (under
ASPADS, the Association of Sheep, Police and Army Dog
Societies) in 1927. The original focus of Working Trials
was to evaluate the fundamental skills of all types
of working dogs in a realistic working environment.
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Working
Trials can be seen as a practical test of a dog's working
knowledge, testing how well a dog would get along as it's
master's trusty companion. The working trials test a dog
in three areas: control (in a natural and relaxed manner),
agility (how well the dog can travel across the hills,
dales and creeks with you) and scent work (can the dog
find a person, find your lost keys, etc).
There
are 5 levels, or 'stakes', in working trials. The first
is the Working Companion Dog, which tests the basic
skills of the dog in each of the above areas. Above
that is the Working Utility Dog, which requires additional
skills in a wider range of activities and greater control
of the dog, followed by Working Dog, Working Tracking
Dog and Working Patrol Dog, each requiring even greater
skills, versatility and control.
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