Praise and Touching the Dog

Praise — When and How

UO/GW: “Praising the D briefly after ending an exercise is permitted.”

• Only after the exercise ends (GS given, TJ directive received) — not during.
• Verbal or physical — both permitted.
• “Briefly” — no prolonged reward interaction between exercises.

Nosework: No specific timing restriction stated. Physical and verbal praise permitted; praising during active search = interference.

Hard stops — never permitted during work:

• Food → Termination
• Motivational articles (toys, tug, etc.) → Termination
• Both banned for the entire work phase.

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Touching the Dog — Nosework and UO/GW

Rule: touching the D during nose work and UO/GW is prohibited — except for praise. First offence = warning (−5 pts); second = phase terminated.

• Physical guidance, positioning, steering by hand = Warning
• Praise (verbal or physical) = the one permitted form of touching — but timing still applies (see Praise section above): UO/GW only after the exercise ends; nosework not during active search
• At alert conclusion, after judge calls DH to dog: physical contact is part of the prescribed ending procedure (taking off leash, leading to down) — implicitly permitted as required procedure, not guidance during work.
• Giving water — UO/GW: not permitted during exercises. Nosework: permitted with TJ permission — DH must request it; judge decides the moment.
• Tracking exception: DH may also clean the dog’s head, eyes, and nose during work — explicitly permitted.
• Horizontal ladder specific: DH walks alongside but must not touch the dog or the apparatus — even incidental contact is prohibited.

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Physical Handling at Nosework Start — Unresolved Gap

The regulations do not address whether DH may physically hold or orient the dog at the start. Every discipline uses “the DH readies the D for the search work” without defining what that involves physically.

The tension:

• General rule: touching during nose work is prohibited except for praise.
• Practical reality: presenting a scent article (tracking, MT) or orienting the dog at the start line may inherently involve physical contact.

The judge applies judgment:

• Physical contact that is part of the necessary start procedure (e.g., holding dog still while presenting scent article) — difficult to call a warning; this is standard handling.
• Physical steering, orienting by hand, or positioning as a tactical aid — closer to the prohibited zone (body help = hidden aid).
• Key distinction: necessary procedural contact vs. directional assistance.

This is a genuine gap in the written rules. No precedent is provided in the document.