VEHICLES

  •  A vehicle is any wheeled apparatus larger than 1 cubic metre where possible which provides multiple suitable hide placement areas.  It must be suitably secured to prevent injury to the searching dog and handler. which provides suitable hide areas and can be secured to prevent injury to the searching dog and handler.
  • A motorised vehicle can include (but is not limited to) a standard car, van, utility, truck, tractor, forklift, bobcat, large motorbike, golf cart, wheelchair, mobility scooter or ride-on mower. A non-motorised vehicle can include (but is not limited to) a trailer, dog trailer, horse float, caravan or boat/jet ski on a trailer.
  • Items such as wheelie bins, garden wheelbarrows, bicycles, scooters (including e-scooters), a wheeled esky and children's toy cars are not considered suitable for vehicle searches. This is because they do not provide sufficient environmental challenges for airflow in and around a vehicle, have limited suitable hide placement areas and are unstable. 
  • Vehicles will be parked in a safe open outdoor area.
  • Hides can only be placed on the frame (bumper, seams and number plate), wheels or wheel wells.
  • Hides will not be placed in the interior, on the roof or bonnet, or be placed more than 5cm under the vehicle.​ 
  • Vehicles must be no less than 1.5 and no more than 2 metres apart.

At Advanced level and above, there can be up to two hides on a single vehicle.

In the table below, the duration range specified is the minimum and maximum timeframe that a judge can set for a search. ​
Value
​ NOVICE
ADVANCED
EXCELLENT
MASTERS
NUMBER of VEHICLES
2 -3​
2 - 3
3 - 4
3 - 4
PLACEMENT
​2 - 3 in a line and facing the same way
2 - 3 in a line and facing in different directions
3 - 4 placed in any pattern or randomly placed
3 - 4 placed in any pattern or randomly placed
HIDES
1 known
2 known
3 known
1 - 3
​ unknown to handler
TIME LIMIT
2 - 4 mins
2 - 4 mins
3 - 5 mins
3 - 5 mins
DISTRACTIONS
None
1 non-food
2 non-food, food
3 non-food, food, mimic
​or human
REQUIRED CALLS
Alert only
2 Alert calls and
​Finish
3 Alert calls and
​Finish
Alert(s) for each find 
​and Finish
​