ASTM_F_1879_-_14.pdf

Designation:F187914Standard Guide forDemonstrating Obedience and Agility in Search and RescueDogs1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1879;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide establishes the minimum obedience andagility expected of canines that are part of a search dog team orcrew.1.2 Further training is required for a canine before it mayperform as a member of a search dog team or crew.1.3 This guide applies to canine members of all searchresources classified in ASTM F1848 Standard ClassificationSystem for Canine Search Resources.1.3.1 The advanced obedience and agility skills required forcanine members of Kind D(Disaster/Collapsed StructureSearch)dog teams or crews are not defined in this guide.1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2F1633 Guide for Techniques in Land SearchF1848 Classification System for Canine Search ResourcesF2209 Guide for Training of Land Search Team Member2.2 Other Document:3SWGDOG SC1 Terminology3.Terminology3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:3.1.1 about turn,nan abrupt 180 reversal of directionperformed by a dog upon the command of the handler.3.1.2 aggressive behavior,nattempted or actual unpro-voked attack on another canine or person.Acanine may also beevaluated as aggressive if it exhibits significant warning signsof imminent unprovoked attack(continuous growling,snarling,fear-barking,etc.)3.1.3 agility,nan aspect of a dogs physical condition thatcharacterizes the dogs dexterity and ease of movement.3.1.4 obedience,nan aspect of a dogs behavior thatcharacterizes the dogs ability to follow instructions.3.1.5 off-lead,na working mode for a dog where the dogand handler are not connected physically,and control of thedog is established through audible commands or visual signals.3.1.6 on-lead,na working mode for a dog and handlerphysically attached by a leash.3.2 Definitions of terms not defined in this standard can befound in Guide F1633,Guide F2209,Classification F1848,andSWGDOG SC1.4.Significance and Use4.1 This guide establishes the minimum level of obedienceand agility required for canines to perform safely and effec-tively on a search dog team or crew.4.2 Obedience skills ensure that a dog is under the control ofthe handler,that it will not interfere with other resources suchas search team members,rescue personnel,other search dogs,and members of the public,it can be left without the handlerssupervision,and it can be evacuated by someone other than thehandler.4.2.1 All search dogs shall demonstrate the on-lead obedi-ence skills defined in this guide.4.2.2 All search dogs that work off-lead shall also demon-strate the off-lead obedience skills defined in this guide.4.2.3 Off-lead obedience skills shall be demonstrated in thevicinity of a group of people and other dogs,with theaccompanying noise and confusion common to search andrescue operations.4.3 Agility skills demonstrate the dogs ability to negotiateterrain and obstacles that may be present in a search area.They1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F32 on Search andRescue and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F32.02 on Management andOperations.Current edition approved Dec.1,2014.Published February 2015.Originallyapproved in 1998.Last previous edition approved in 2005 as F1879-98(2005)which was withdrawn in April 2014 and reinstated in December 2014.DOI:10.1520/F1879-14.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal detector Guidelines,FIU-MMC,Miami,FL 33199,http:/casgroup.fiu.edu/pages/docs/1062/1335294274_SC1_Terminology_%28abcdefghijk%29.pdfCopyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 also demonstrate the dogs ability to work in an unfamiliarenvironment with unstable or loose objects underfoot.4.3.1 All search dogs shall demonstrate the agility skillsdefined in this guide.4.3.2 Off-lead search dogs shall perform all agility skillsoff-lead.On-lead search dogs may perform agility skills on oroff lead,at the discretion of the handler.The use of a lead shallneither enhance nor diminish a dogs ability to demonstrate itsagility.4.3.3 Spotters should be provided for dogs demonstratingagility skills.The spotters,however,sh