Working Dogs of America K-9 Police Dog Tracking Title

Level 2 (PDT2) 2026

This  evaluation is designed to determine if a dog can track an unknown subject in an unfamiliar place and indicate on articles that the person had dropped while leaving the scene of a crime . This test is intended to simulate real working situations.  It will test the dog s ability and the handler s control of the dog. 

General Rules and Regulations: Click here

JUDGING:

Judging begins as you report to the judge to receive your instructions. The dog’s responses to commands will be judged.  Any dog determined to be un-controllable and aggressive to the judge or spectators will be dismissed.

The judge will follow behind the handler/dog team as would a backup partner do in a real working condition. Judges may also use an assistant who will follow the team to pick up articles.

Judging of the test will be on a scale of 0 to 100 with 70 being required to pass.  The handler and dog team will be judged on control, responsiveness of the dog to commands, desire of the dog to work, intensity the dog indicates, and the time it takes for the dog to work out the track.  If a dog cannot complete the track, it will not receive a passing score.

TRACK LAYER:

The suspect/track layer will be unknown to the dog. The suspect/track layer will receive instructions from the judge as to what directions the track will be laid. The judge will also inform the suspect/track layer as to what type of articles are to be dropped on the track and the distance between articles.  At the end of the track a piece of clothing (ball cap, shirt, glove, shoe, etc.) will be left.

TRACK:

The handler and dog will be secluded from view of the track while it is being laid.  When the evaluation begins the judge will inform the handler of the approximate area within 50 yards as to the start of the track.  The handler will be told in which direction the track leads. There will be three different articles dropped on the track and the piece of clothing that will be at the end of track.  The track will be 1/2 mile long (880 yards) and have three different types of surfaces (dirt, grass, concrete, asphalt, woods, gravel, etc.).  The track will be at least (45 minutes) old prior to beginning the test and will have three turns in it.

MANDATORY REST:

The level 2 track will have a mandatory Stop rest period of four minutes, the judge will stop the tracking time during this period, and it will be his/her decision when to call for this rest period. The objective is to give the needed rest time on hot days, but to also prove the dog can be allowed to rest yet finish the track.

TIME:

Level 2 allows (30) minutes to complete the track, time will begin when handler announces to the judge that the dog is on the track.  The handler and dog have (7) minutes to locate the start of the track once the judge has given the approximate area the track starts. 

ARTICLES:

The three articles used in the Level 2  evaluation will be  of different materials from one another. The handler will inform the judge of his/her dog s indication response prior to the start of the track.  If dog indicates in any other form than what the handler informed the judge points will be deducted.  If dog fails to indicate on last article of clothing 20 points will be deducted.

COMMANDS:

The handler is allowed to use both verbal and hand signals, the handler may encourage his/her dog with commands and praise.  The judge will evaluate the responsiveness of the dog to obvious commands given. The handler is allowed to give a down command to the dog if a perceived danger is occurring (such as an approaching vehicle, loose dog).  A command to begin tracking after each article indication has been performed is mandatory.

EQUIPMENT:

The handler shall use the appropriate equipment while tracking; the tracking line must be at least 15 feet long up to  40 feet. Dogs can be tracked using harness and/or flat collar, fur saver, pinch collar on dead ring.