Strategies

  1. Specify practical and challenging Society trials to test and identify the brilliance, as well as the inadequacies, that dogs possess – to reinforce the necessity of Essential Natural Traits of working stock dogs for both sheep and cattle work. (see: AUSDS Inc. Essential Natural Traits for High Quality Practical Working Stock Dogs – Aiming at Excellence –)
  2. Regulate the running of Society trials which must be true tests of the ability and merit of dogs. *NB   The degree of difficulty of Society trials corresponds to the level of competition, but the minimum standards of the trials can only be changed by a unanimous decision of the full Committee.
  3. Assess dogs for each section of the Society trials for which they compete by giving a score out of a possible number per section, rather than negative deductions, based upon the four major ‘utility’ aspects of a dog’s work: (a) long searching casts and mustering, (b) paddock and obstacle work, (c) yard work and (d) cattle handling. *NB   (i)    The priority is about assessing the dogs, rather than the handler’s expertise, as some handlers can portray dogs better or worse than they actually are. (ii)   The dogs’ work experiences may have a significant effect in assessing their ability and merit. (iii)  Some essential attributes may be difficult to detect and assess during trials. (iv)  Sheep are used to assess (a), (b) and (c).
  4. To encourage handlers and their dogs to ‘have a go’ at Society trials. *NB   Trial sections that are found too difficult can be cut short without disqualification.
  5. Accredit experienced stock and stock-dog men and women, who are acknowledged as being highly competent, to assess competitions in Society trials. Judges can only be approved by an ‘absolute majority’ of the Committee.
  6. Promote the importance and need for sound training and handling techniques.
  7. Establish an AUSDS Inc. Dog Register of working stock dogs, regardless of breed, for all dogs competing in Society trials, and for Members who wish to register stock dogs with the Society, and for Members who wish to register a stock dog stud. *NB   (i)   Any known or recognised breeding details are to be recorded including stud prefixes. (ii)  The register distinguishes between dogs assessed and those unassessed.
  8. Promote the benefits of assessing working dogs.
  9. Maintain an overall record of all working stock dog assessment results of Society trials, including the individual assessments of 3. (a), (b), (c) and (d) above.
  10. Create an AUSDS Inc. Hall of Fame for exceptional working stock dogs, sires, bitches, breeders and handlers, as evidenced by the consistently exceptional performances in Society trials of the working stock dogs themselves, their progeny, their breeders and their handlers.
  11. Make available, on request, the AUSDS Inc. Dog Register, to Members of the Society.
  12. Publicise to the general interested public, by means of the AUSDS Inc. website and Facebook page etc., the overall assessment results of the trials, as soon as practical after an event, which includes the total percentage score, and the percentage scores for each of the 4 aspects. Also, publicise to Members, Associate Members, and Junior Members, that the full breakdown of assessments, including individual section scores, are available to them upon request.
  13. Organise promotional campaigns to support the Aim and Purpose and Objectives of the Society.

 The training, handling and welfare of all working stock dogs is acknowledged by the Society as being extremely important, but it  emphasises that it is the essential natural traits that determine the future of high quality ‘all-round utility stock dogs’ in Australia and internationally.

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