Brain overload? Sometimes keeping track of multiple hides is enough to keep your brain busy. Print this summary of SDS rules and you’ll be sure to set up practice searches that abide by Sniffing Dog Sports rules:

SDS Summary by Level (PDF)

The same information is pasted below.

SDS JUDGE’S SUMMARY: REQUIREMENTS BY LEVEL

General SDS Rules

	Novice	Advanced	Excellent
Odor	B	B + A	B + A + C
Max time	5 min	6	10
Max height	<2 ft	< 3 ft	< 4 ft
Accessible?	Accessible only	Accessible and/or inaccessible	Accessible and/or inaccessible
Finish required?	No	Yes, must call finish to stop the time, even if known # hides

• May give 30 sec warning
• Once the handler calls an alert, can’t cue next search until the judge confirms the call. After judge confirms the call, handler may reward or give cue to search again.

Area search

	Novice	Advanced	Excellent
Search area	<900 sf	<1200 sf	<2000 sf
#hides	1-2	1-3	0-4 UNKNOWN #

All levels MAY include multiple rooms. If there’s a transition time between areas, time will stop and timer will record both times, to be added by the score room later. If searches in flow, time will run continuously.

Container search

• Always 6-12 containers per cluster
• Each cluster is a different type of container.
• 5 ft between clusters
• Containers spaced 2-3 ft apart
• NO CLEAR CLUSTERS ALLOWED

	Novice	Adv	Ex
Container type	Boxes, cans, hard sized containers	Any	Any
Clusters	1-2	2-3	3-4
#hides	1 hide/cluster	1-2 hides/cluster	1-3 hides /cluster UNKNOWN #
Distractions	N	Y	Y

• Teams may search clusters in any order. Once team leaves a cluster, can’t return to previous clusters. Don’t need to say “clear” to move on to the next cluster”. Time runs continuously throughout clusters.

Distance Game 1 (Sitting)

• Always 1 hide, only birch
• containers only, 2-3 ft apart, straight line(s)

 

	Novice	Advanced	Excellent
Container type	Boxes only	Any	Any
Distance & rows	1 row at 10 feet		·         MAY be 2 rows ·         First line of 8 boxes at 10 ft ·         Second line of 8 boxes 13 ft
#containers	8	12	16

 

• 10 secs to take off leash & send, then immediately sit. Reward at source.

Distance Game 2 (Standing)

• One hide = birch only?

	Novice	Advanced	Excellent
Distance box to hide	5-6 ft	7-9 ft	10-12 ft

 

• Interior or exterior
• May offer off leash
• Handler area taped or marked. Don’t cross the line, but can move freely
• Cue search then go into the box and stay there until call alert
• Dog must cross start line, but can enter/exit/recross line freely
• Reward at source

Speed Search

• Always 1 hide, only birch
• Always 3 clusters of boxes, Max 1 hide/cluster
• Clusters 12-15 ft apart
• Time = 1 minute

 

	Novice	Advanced	Excellent
Hides	Must be 1 hide/cluster	1 cluster MAY be clear ?known # hides	2 clusters MAY be clear ?unknown # hides
Finish?	Not required. Time stops when handler calls the 3rd alert	Must call finish to stop the time

 

Distractor Mania

• Try to make distractors inaccessible.
• Always 1 hide, only birch
• May be container, interior and/or exterior. If you see a container, don’t assume the hide is there.
• Areas smaller or same area as above

 

	Novice	Advanced	Excellent
Hides	1 hide
# Distractions	2	≤ 3	≤ 4
Type	Dry kibble or cookies	+ dog toys & chews e.g. bully sticks	All (cheese, peanut butter, croissant)

 

Goldilocks

• Handlers search several rooms/areas
• Only birch
• Hides and number of hides conveyed in handler briefing depends on level
• May be container, interior and/or exterior. If you see a container, don’t assume the hide is there. Excellent may be more complex, intentional distractors and/or limited time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note this is my quickly typed summary and may contain errors. If you spot mistakes, please let me know. Questions and comments are always welcome.