What To Expect At Your First Elite Shed Dog Series Event

April 11, 2017

Source: Todd Kellam, UKC
Email: tkellam@ukcdogs.com

You’ve done your homework and introduced your dog to finding and retrieving sheds and are ready to enter your first Elite Shed Dog Series event. How do you start, and what can you expect to happen when you arrive at your first event? For those that have never attended an event of this type, it may seem like a daunting experience. It’s really not. Don’t fall prey to the idea that maybe you should leave your shed finder home and go watch an event first. As soon as you have watched one dog run the course, you are going to wish you had your dog entered!

Photo credit Scott Kuchenbecker.

You should remember that at the first level in ESDS, which is called the Working Shed Hunter class, the event is pass/fail only and not competitive. (It should be noted that while some clubs elect to recognize the fastest Working Class run, such recognition is not officially recognized by United Kennel Club in the form of championship points.) You will have plenty of help and support from other participants. By design, these events are very straightforward and not complicated. A new handler is just going to need help with the basics like when and where they need to be.

One thing to keep in mind is that some of these events are going to fill up in advance. Depending on the area, some of the clubs are going to get a lot of participation. When possible, you should always consider pre-entry. Time constraints and the number of courses a host club can accommodate will dictate entry limits. Remember that clubs have the right to set entry limits and we would expect some of the more active regions to fill pre-event.

Regardless of whether you pre-entered or are entering day of event, your first order of business will be to check in with event officials as soon as you arrive. This is important as event coordinators will typically fill no-show advanced entries with walk-ons to bring the number of entries up to the event limit. Before you get all caught up in socializing, please check with event officials and either confirm your advanced entry or fill out and submit your day of event entry. You will likely be given an entry number which you will reference to determine the running order of your dog.

Elite Shed Dog Series has a rule that the Champion Class dogs are the first to run. Depending on the number of entries, courses, judges, etc., it is likely that the Working Shed Dog Class will not start until after the Champion Class dogs have finished. Make sure you attend the handler’s meeting that Judges are required to hold prior to the start of each Class. At the handlers meeting, you will learn the running order for the day, where the holding blind is, the course boundaries and what rules the club may have that are specific to the field trial grounds. There will be specific areas for exercising and “airing” dogs so that they do not interfere with dogs on the course. It will then be your responsibility to keep track of how the running order is progressing. Leave yourself time to “air” your dog prior to your run and to make sure that you are at the holding blind when it is your turn to run.

Once you are in the holding blind you are going to be asked by the shed planter to draw a plant card. The plant card you draw will determine how the course is planted for your run. Now is the time to relax, stay calm and go over in your mind how you plan to work the course. When the Judge indicates that the course is ready for your run you will bring your dog to the starting line on lead. Feel free to ask the Judge any specific questions you may have regarding the course. Once any questions have been answered you will be asked to ready your dog for the start. Champion Class dogs are required to be steady off leash at the starting line. They may do so in either a sit or standing position. Working Class dogs are not required to be steady at the line and may be kept on leash but should do so calmly and quietly.

At this point your palms should be getting sweaty and you should be able to feel the butterflies in your stomach! That is the excitement that comes with participating in a licensed event with your dog! Even the seasoned pros will readily admit that this feeling never entirely goes away with experience. If it ever does, that is when you will know that it’s time to find a different hobby.

The Judge will then instruct you to turn your dog loose and that the clock is running. But remember, even though the clock is running, you cannot! This is a walking event and you can be failed for running on the course. Work your dog over the entire course and pay attention to the signals the dog is providing you. You may handle your dog with voice commands and hand signals through the course. You may encourage your dog with voice commands during the retrieve. The only thing you may not do is handle your dog via hand or voice commands to a shed. If you happen to find a shed before your dog does, position yourself no closer than 15 feet from the shed. If you have any questions about the distance you may ask the Judge if you are okay where you are at.

When your dog indicates that it has found a shed, the Judge will typically acknowledge the find. At that point, you may not move any closer to your dog. In a Working Class run, you may retreat slightly if necessary to keep your dog advancing to you with the retrieve. Your Judge will indicate once a retrieve has been successfully completed. Until that time, continue to encourage your dog on the retrieve. But remember, you may not physically encourage or assist the dog.

Your run will be complete once your dog has retrieved the appropriate number of sheds for the class requirement or the Judge stops the run on a time limitation. At that point, you may call in and leash up your dog. The Judge will complete the scorecard and ask that you sign it. That’s it for your first run. Head back to your vehicle and water or tend to your dog. If the event you are attending is being run as a double run format, you will need to start thinking about moving to your second course and watching the run order again. If it is being run in a single run format, you can relax unless you have another dog to get ready.

A quick reminder regarding spectators at ESDS events. Clubs are encouraged to design courses that accommodate spectators a view of the course. Spectators are to remain quiet and courteous so as not to interfere with any of the dogs participating. Handlers are not permitted in the spectator area until all of their runs in that particular class are completed. It is permissible for handlers in the Working Class who are not handling Champion Class dogs to watch the running of the Champion Class. This is a great opportunity to learn from experienced handlers. Any spectator found to be attempting to provide course information to a handler will be dealt with accordingly. This is something that is taken very seriously so you should be mindful of it.

ESDS events are designed to be fun and family friendly. They are designed to provide much support for new and beginning handlers. We hope you will take the opportunity to enter your dog and attend an ESDS event in the near future!

A Kalamazoo, Michigan-based company founded in 1898, United Kennel Club is the largest all-breed performance-dog registry in the world, registering dogs from all 50 states and 25 foreign countries. Celebrating the unique Total Dog philosophy, UKC events highlight the instincts and heritage of dogs that look and perform equally well, as more than 60 percent of its annually licensed events are tests of hunting ability, training, and instinct. United Kennel Club prides itself on its family-oriented, friendly, educational events, welcoming both purebred dogs and dogs of unknown ancestry.