Protection-and-Guard Work (ZKS)

General regulations

1. Minimum admissible age is 18 months.

2. Skills that are tested on the ZKS:

• choosing a strange object;
• guarding an object, refusal of food (are checking simultaneously);
• detention and defence of a trainer, and attitude to shooting (are checked simultaneously).

Description of skill execution

1. Choosing a strange object.

The commands “Smell!”, “Search!” and a gesture.

A dog should choose a strange object out of four ones, these objects may be made of any material (except glass, metal or stone), the material shouldn’t have any strong smell. A smell should be put on the objects during one minute. The objects are put on a place of 2? 2m-size in any order at 30 cm-distance from each other. The fifth object for smelling is put at 3m-distance from other objects (from any side of them). A trainer and a dog are called out to a place where the objects are put for choosing.

After the report a trainer, by judge’s instruction, comes up to the object and gives it to a dog to smell. A method of smelling may be of any kind. The given command is “Smell!”. When a dog smells the object, a trainer, from his place, sends it for choosing by the command “Smell!” or “Search!” and by a gesture. A dog should come up to the objects by the first command, smell them and choose the proper object, then a dog should fetch it to a trainer and give it to him by the command “Give!”. When a dog smells the object, a trainer, from his place, sends a dog to choose the object by the command “Smell!” or “Search!” and by a gesture. By the first command a dog should come up to the objects, smell them and choose the proper object, then a dog should fetch it to a trainer and give it to him by the command “Give!”. It is not necessary for a dog to go round a trainer and sit down at his leg. The frequent commands are allowed, if a dog is distracted from choosing (goes aside from a place where the objects are put, or smells other objects and so on). If a dog chooses the object, but dsen’t fetch it to a trainer, the command “Come!” is allowed. If a dog makes a distinct choice, but doesn’t fetch the chosen object, a trainer says, “The skill is over,” and shows the chosen object. Two attempts are possible, 2 minutes are given for every attempt. If the first attempt-time is over and a dog doesn’t choose the proper object, a trainer calls up a dog to him by the command “Come!”, gives the object to a dog to smell again and sends a dog to have another try.

The judges should renew the smell at the second try. If a dog chooses the wrong object, they change this object for another one with another smell. The mistakes of the first attempt are not taken into consideration at the second one. The skill is considered as failed, if a dog chooses the wrong object at the second attempt, or, if the object is not chosen during 2 minutes at the second attempt, or, if a trainer assists a dog to choose the object.

2.Guarding an object and refusal of food.

The commands “Down!” and “Guard!”

For guarding an object a dog is fastened to a stake (to a tree, fence, pole and so on) by a chain or a lead of 2-2,5m length. In the guarded area a sector with the base angle of 130-150° (a place of fastening) should be determined beforehand. Radius of the sector is of the same size as the length of a lead. By judge’s instruction a trainer gives the command “Down!” to a dog, puts an object at dog’s shoulder or at its front feet, gives the command “Guard!”, steps backwards and hides in a shelter which is situated approximately at 10 m-distance (not closer) from a dog. If a dog steps aside from an object towards the shelter after the trainer’s going away, but before the begining of the skill testing, a trainer, by judge’s instruction, must come back and make a dog lie for guarding again. A trainer mustn’t control a dog by the commands out of his shelter.

Two assistants pass by a dog twice moving side by side at 1,5-2 m-distance from the sector bound, not drawing dog’s attention and trying to take an object as well. Then they approach to a dog from different sides, throw a piece of dainty to it, staying in dog’s sight, and at that time trying to take an object. After that one of the assistants raises his hand threateningly one or two times and steps aside towards the sector bound, not acting actively at that, and another assistant makes an attempt to take an object. A dog must guard an object; it must not be aggressive to the quietly passing assistants, step aside from an object,pull it about or bring it to another place, or keep an object by teeth; it mustn’t demonstrate passive defence reaction and take food from the assistants

The skill is considered as failed, if one of the assistants manages to take an object away, or, if a dog distracts three times stepping aside from an object towards trainer’s direction before the begining of the skill testing, or takes food in a mouth as well. 3. Protection of a trainer, detention of an infringer and attitude to shooting.

Maximum number of marks is 20.

A trainer begins an exercise being at 15 m-distance from a shelter. He gives a dog the commmand “Heel!” and moves near a dog towards a shelter. Then he stops at 1,5-2 m-distance from a shelter, and when a dog sits down, he suggests assistant’s coming out of a shelter.

An assistant stops at 3-4 m-distance from a shelter and turns to a trainer. A trainer gives a dog the commands “Sit!” and “Guard!”, searches an assistant and hides in a shelter (the shelter construction must be suitable for a trainer to watch a dog).
A dog should watch an assistant without distraction.When a trainer is in a shelter, an assistant, by judge’s instruction, takes an atttempt to run away. A dog must prevent him from doing it and keep an assistant by a tight grip without a command of a trainer. In the moment of a grip a judge shoots out of a starting pistol. After a shot a trainer, by judge’s instruction, leaves a shelter. An assistant stops. After it a dog, by the command “Out!” or without it, must let an assistant go. Then an assistant, by judge’s instruction, attacks a dog without beating it. A dog must come to a rear-attack and prevent further assistant’s resistance without a trainer’s command. If dog’s grip is too tight, a trainer should beat it twice on the hips, withers, or on flanks. A dog shouldn’t leave an assistant and let him go. By judge’s instruction an assistant stops to resist. A dog must let him go by the first command “Out!” or without it, and guard him. Only by judge’s instruction a giude comes up to a dog and gives it the command “Sit!”. An assistant is allowed to hold a riding-crop for beating, but in such a way that a dog cann’t see it. Then a dog should escort an assistant from his back at 20 m-distance. A trainer gives an assistant the command to move forward, and follows him together with a dog at 3 paces-distance. The attack of a trainer by an assistant follows the escorting. A dog must prevent this attack by a tight grip without any ifluence of a trainer. By judge’s instruction an assistant stops to resist. A dog must leave him and guard him. The single command “Out!" is allowed. By judge’s instruction a trainer and a dog go to the indicated place. Then a trainer stops and a dog sits down near him. By judge’s instruction an assistant goes out of a shelter with a riding-crop in his hand and runs towards a dog. When an assistant is at 20 m-distance from a trainer, by judge’s instruction, gives the command “Go!”to a dog that is sitting at a trainer’s leg. A trainer can not leave his place and encourage a dog. An assistant attacks a dog directly uttering banishing sounds and making threatening movements. A dog must immediately make a tight grip of an assistant. If a dog acts like this, it is beaten two times on hips, flanks or on withers. By judge’s instruction an assistant stops. A dog must leave him by the first command or without it, and guard him. By judge’s instruction a trainer goes towards a dog, takes a riding-crop away from an assistant and gets ready for the side escorting.Then the side escorting of an assistant to a judge at 10 m-distance follows it. A voice command is allowed at the beginning of movement. A trainer must go at the right side of an assistant to let a dog move between them. During the escorting a dog must be on alert, but not demonstrate unprovoked aggressiveness. The group stops before a judge and a trainer passes a riding-crop to a judge. An assistant and a trainer with a dog leave a ring ground.

Uncontrolled dogs which stop a grip after the force influence of a trainer, or don’t demonstrate a grip within 5 minutes after the given command, or demonstrate fear of beating and of threatening movements towards them, or refuse fighting with an assistant and let him push them aside during the protection testing, can not pass the testing. If a dog refuses to execute one of the skills (except running away), the further protection testing stops. If a dog watches an assistant carefully and runs around him, the penalty is discounted. Too aggressive dogs or dogs which demonstrate fear are disqualified.

Tables of mark rating of dog testing on the Protection-and-Guard Work (ZKS)

Table of minimum marks