CERTIFICATE OF APTITUDE TO WORK (ACAL) Minimum Age 1 year old http://acal-atan.com/
ACAL 1
In order to be awarded the ACAL 1 title, the dog must be subjected, with favorable outcome, to the following
exercises:
Behavior towards friendly strangers
The dog must remain calm in front of friendly persons. On indication of the steward, the handler walks the dog with a loosened leash and without giving orders. As friendly strangers walk by, the dog must remain calm; he should also remain calm when the handler approaches or is approached by strangers in order to shake their hand, to ask information. The dog however should not be touched. Care must be taken that during this exercise everything is handled as casual as possible.
Indifference to firearm noise
For each dog, a pistol is fired twice in rapid succession from a distance of approximately 20 meters. The exercise is executed with the dog held to a loosened leash of approximately 2 meters of length.
Defense of the handler
A decoy, armed with a flexible stick is placed behind a blind (hiding place). The handler, with the dog on leash (the leash is approximately 5 meters long)
but held to a length of approximately 1 meter, proceeds ahead according to the instructions given by the steward. A stake is placed at a distance of approximately 10 meters from where the decoy is hiding, and, as the dog and handler reach the stake they stop. At the same time, upon orders given by
the steward, the decoy exits from the blind and threatens the handler and dog. The handler, remains still by the stake, but incites the dog to face the threat by loosening the leash, therefore allowing the dog to approach the decoy/aggressor. The dog must react immediately and energetically defend its handler. There should never be contact
between the decoy and the dog. This exercise must be done with a hidden sleeve or a bite suit top (NO SLEEVES) This exercise is interrupted by the steward when the dog has demonstrated with its reaction readiness, its real defense attitude. The dog that shows indifference, shyness or manifests fear should not be given a passing grade.
ACAL 2 In order to be awarded ACAL 2, the dogs must be subjected, with favorable outcome, to the following exercises:
Behavior towards friendly strangers (Same as ACAL 1)
Indifference to firearm noise (Same as ACAL 1)
Defense of the handler
A decoy, armed with a flexible stick is placed behind a blind (hiding place). The handler, with the dog on leash (the leash is approximately 5 meters long) but held to a length of approximately 1 meter, proceeds ahead according to the instructions given by the steward. A stake is placed at a distance of approximately 10 meters from where the decoy is hiding, and, as the dog and handler reach the stake they stop. At the same time, upon orders given by the steward, the decoy exits from the blind and threatens the handler and dog. When confronted with this threat, the handler must immediately let the dog free and urge it to attack. The dog must immediately and decidedly react biting the sleeve or bitesuit of the decoy and maintaining, possibly, the hold until the end of the exercise. During this action the dog does not have to be hit in any way, but only threatened. The dog that does not succeed in maintaining a constant hold for the entire duration of the exercise – unless due to apparent shyness – must however uninterruptedly maintain a decidedly aggressive attitude toward the decoy. The test ends on indication of the steward which, in estimating it, does not have to hold in account the length of the attack, and that it is not needlessly prolonged, but above what is taken into consideration is the decision and reaction readiness of the dog when confronted with the threat. The dog that shows fear, the total lack of aggressiveness and sleeve hold, indifference, are always considered highly negative factors.
COMMANDS: “Attack” – “Stop” (optional)
ACAL 3
a) The handler enters the ring with the dog on a leash and addresses the judge. Always with the dog on the leash, he walks or runs at the direction of the judge the dog will then be let loose and three shots from a pistol will be fired immediately. The dog shall not show any fear at the shot, nor react with excessive aggression. Curiosity and interest is well accepted.
b) The handler enters the ring behind the dog with a stranger holding him by the leash while the handler distances himself about 30-40 paces. Upon orders from the judge, the dog responds as he is being attacked by an aggressor who appears from a hidden spot. At this point, the dog is let loose by the stranger and runs to defend the handler while attacking the aggressor, holding onto his sleeve or bitesuit even if he is struck 2 or 3 times by a stick.
c) Immediately after, the handler restrains the dog by the collar while the aggressor runs away 40 or 50 paces. At this point the aggressor carries out a lunging attack with only the appearance of hitting with the stick. Also during this test, the dog must grab onto his sleeve or bitesuit.
There is only one conclusive judgment: “Pass” – “Fail”
Note: If you do a Cal 1,2,&3 the same day change blinds or hiding places for each.
Example: Use a car for the Cal1, trees for the Cal2, and a blind for the Cal3. Anything to change the setting for each Cal.
ACAL 1
In order to be awarded the ACAL 1 title, the dog must be subjected, with favorable outcome, to the following
exercises:
Behavior towards friendly strangers
The dog must remain calm in front of friendly persons. On indication of the steward, the handler walks the dog with a loosened leash and without giving orders. As friendly strangers walk by, the dog must remain calm; he should also remain calm when the handler approaches or is approached by strangers in order to shake their hand, to ask information. The dog however should not be touched. Care must be taken that during this exercise everything is handled as casual as possible.
Indifference to firearm noise
For each dog, a pistol is fired twice in rapid succession from a distance of approximately 20 meters. The exercise is executed with the dog held to a loosened leash of approximately 2 meters of length.
Defense of the handler
A decoy, armed with a flexible stick is placed behind a blind (hiding place). The handler, with the dog on leash (the leash is approximately 5 meters long)
but held to a length of approximately 1 meter, proceeds ahead according to the instructions given by the steward. A stake is placed at a distance of approximately 10 meters from where the decoy is hiding, and, as the dog and handler reach the stake they stop. At the same time, upon orders given by
the steward, the decoy exits from the blind and threatens the handler and dog. The handler, remains still by the stake, but incites the dog to face the threat by loosening the leash, therefore allowing the dog to approach the decoy/aggressor. The dog must react immediately and energetically defend its handler. There should never be contact
between the decoy and the dog. This exercise must be done with a hidden sleeve or a bite suit top (NO SLEEVES) This exercise is interrupted by the steward when the dog has demonstrated with its reaction readiness, its real defense attitude. The dog that shows indifference, shyness or manifests fear should not be given a passing grade.
ACAL 2 In order to be awarded ACAL 2, the dogs must be subjected, with favorable outcome, to the following exercises:
Behavior towards friendly strangers (Same as ACAL 1)
Indifference to firearm noise (Same as ACAL 1)
Defense of the handler
A decoy, armed with a flexible stick is placed behind a blind (hiding place). The handler, with the dog on leash (the leash is approximately 5 meters long) but held to a length of approximately 1 meter, proceeds ahead according to the instructions given by the steward. A stake is placed at a distance of approximately 10 meters from where the decoy is hiding, and, as the dog and handler reach the stake they stop. At the same time, upon orders given by the steward, the decoy exits from the blind and threatens the handler and dog. When confronted with this threat, the handler must immediately let the dog free and urge it to attack. The dog must immediately and decidedly react biting the sleeve or bitesuit of the decoy and maintaining, possibly, the hold until the end of the exercise. During this action the dog does not have to be hit in any way, but only threatened. The dog that does not succeed in maintaining a constant hold for the entire duration of the exercise – unless due to apparent shyness – must however uninterruptedly maintain a decidedly aggressive attitude toward the decoy. The test ends on indication of the steward which, in estimating it, does not have to hold in account the length of the attack, and that it is not needlessly prolonged, but above what is taken into consideration is the decision and reaction readiness of the dog when confronted with the threat. The dog that shows fear, the total lack of aggressiveness and sleeve hold, indifference, are always considered highly negative factors.
COMMANDS: “Attack” – “Stop” (optional)
ACAL 3
a) The handler enters the ring with the dog on a leash and addresses the judge. Always with the dog on the leash, he walks or runs at the direction of the judge the dog will then be let loose and three shots from a pistol will be fired immediately. The dog shall not show any fear at the shot, nor react with excessive aggression. Curiosity and interest is well accepted.
b) The handler enters the ring behind the dog with a stranger holding him by the leash while the handler distances himself about 30-40 paces. Upon orders from the judge, the dog responds as he is being attacked by an aggressor who appears from a hidden spot. At this point, the dog is let loose by the stranger and runs to defend the handler while attacking the aggressor, holding onto his sleeve or bitesuit even if he is struck 2 or 3 times by a stick.
c) Immediately after, the handler restrains the dog by the collar while the aggressor runs away 40 or 50 paces. At this point the aggressor carries out a lunging attack with only the appearance of hitting with the stick. Also during this test, the dog must grab onto his sleeve or bitesuit.
There is only one conclusive judgment: “Pass” – “Fail”
Note: If you do a Cal 1,2,&3 the same day change blinds or hiding places for each.
Example: Use a car for the Cal1, trees for the Cal2, and a blind for the Cal3. Anything to change the setting for each Cal.