Refusal of Food

Level I: 5

Level II: 10

Level III: 10

PENALTIES:

Dog licks, eats, or takes food in its mouth (either thrown or on the ground)

-5

-10

Dog moves when food is thrown (per meter)

-1

Handler breaks in or interferes

-5

-10

Dog moves during the throwing of the food: 1 point per meter, up to 3 meters; beyond that: 0

Dog moving upon the handler’s return

-2

Dog changes position after the handler left, but before first piece of thrown food

-2

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXERCISE:

In Level II and III, six different kinds of food, chosen by the Judge, are placed on the ground. In Level I, nothing is placed on the ground. Bones and raw pork cannot be used (risk of infection by the Aujeszky virus).

It is forbidden to place food closer than 5 m to the small pieces of wood during the Search for Object or the Retrieve exercises. The same applies in the 2 m circle during the Guard of an Object exercise. The Refusal of Food is an exercise, which cannot be executed during another exercise.

ACCOUNT OF THE EXERCISE:

At the beginning of the exercise the dog is placed in a down position. If the dog sits after first piece of food is presented, no penalty.

In Level I, only one piece of food is thrown during the obedience exercises, at the place and moment chosen by the Judge. In Level II and III, two pieces are thrown or presented (at the same time or separately). The food must be the same for all dogs.

The goal is not to set up the dog deliberately, so do not place the food in the work zones, landing area of the jumps, start line of Send away). If the food is thrown and falls into the dog’s open mouth, and dog spits it out, no penalty. If dog eats or licks the food, exercise is lost (0).