Level Four Training Skill Set

Mandatory Behaviors

February 2008 Level Four Graduates:

Les with Henry (Boxer);
Judy with Sheila (Australian Cattle Dog);
Gary with Brady (Shetland Sheepdog);
Rex with Rawhide (Australian Shepherd)

The following behaviors require mandatory mastery in order to pass the level four training portion.

Come
The dog comes from 40' away on one cue only through milling dogs. The dog may come from a stay, or may be held by someone.
Crate
The dog enters the crate on one cue and remains quiet for 2-minutes with the door closed.
Down
The dog downs from a stand on one cue only.
Down Stay
The dog downs and stays for 3 minutes while the handler walks 40' away, turns and faces the dog, and makes a formal return. There will be two distractions.
Finish
The dog demonstrates a swing finish into heel position while the handler pivots to the left with voice cues only - that is, no other body language cues than the pivot, and no hand signals.
Go to Mat
The dog goes to his mat, bed, or pause table from 10' away, lies down and remains down with no fussing for 2-minutes. Appropriate cues allowable.
Handling
The dog allows handling of muzzle and teeth by the handler. This may be done on a table or on the floor.
Heel
The dog heels an about turn and walks 10' with eye contact, one cue only.
Homework
The handler describes, in writing, 10 slices in shaping the dog to go 10' out to go around a pole.
Leash Manners
The dog must maintain a loose leash while walking 80' through milling dogs. Appropriate cues - that is, as many cues as necessary, but the dog must appear to be in control and willing to maintain the loose leash without excessive interference from the handler.
On the Road
The dog must pass level two in a strange outdoor area.
Sit
The dog sits from down with one cue only.
Sit Stay
The dog sits and stays for 2-minutes while the handler walks 40' away, turns and faces the dog, and makes a formal return. There will be two distractions.
Stand Stay
The dog stands on appropriate cues and remains standing while the handler walks 10' away and back. No formal "return" is required.
Target
The dog follows and catches a touch stick, on the end only, with his nose, eager to touch the stick. There should be a voice cue, but the cue should be redundant in the presence of the stick. At some time the dog should demonstrate response to the cue.
Trick
The dog and handler demonstrate "101 things to do with a box" or chair.
Watch
The dog finds the handler's face and holds eye contact for 30 seconds from 10' away with no more than two voice cues.
Zen
The dog must stay off treat on floor for 30-seconds, two cues only. Treat is shown to dog, cue (or cues) given, then treat is placed on floor, dog allowed to approach within a foot.

Optional Behaviors

Successful completion of Level Four, requires training team to pass 4 out of 8 eight optional behaviors.

Contacts
The dog walks a flat board and stops on, in the middle of, or after, the down contact on his own. The dog's contact behavior must be determined before the testing.
Distance
The dog goes around a pole 10' away on one cue only.
Front
The dog hits the bulls eye of a front-circle three times in a row with no more than four tries.
Jump, Broad
The dog seeks out and jumps over one board on body language cues only, with the handler 3' away from the jump.
Jump, High
The dog seeks out and takes a 2" jump over and back with body language cues only (being near the jump, the dog should commit and jump following the handler's body language for direction).
Retrieve
The dog takes and holds two objects in his mouth (one at a time), one of them metal.
Scenting
The dog finds the correct article of two, three times, with hand scent only, on one cue each. The dog may retrieve the correct article, or simply indicate the correct one. Whether the dog will retrieve or indicate, and what indicator will be used, must be determined before the behavior.
Stand
The dog stands from sit on one cue only with the handler 10' away.

Once your team has successfully completed Level Four, you are ready to move on to Level Five.