Canine Work and Games (C-WAGS)

C-WAGS (Canine Work And Games) runs Scent Detective alongside its obedience, rally and games programs, and its trials often share a weekend with them. It uses four odors — birch, cypress, clove bud and anise — and splits the sport into three tracks instead of one ladder: the Detective series (the classic search progression), the Ranger series (the handler stays behind a distance line while the dog works), and the Dasher series (speed searches with no time warning). Every search is pass/fail, with no placements, which keeps the pressure low.

Canine-Work And Games (C-WAGS), founded in 2007 by Shirley Ottmer, held its first Rally trials in February 2008. Any dog six months or older can compete once dog and handler are registered as a C-WAGS team; no other papers are needed, mixes and rescues are welcome, and registration can be completed on the day of the trial. The dog must be handled by its registered handler or an immediate family member. Courses are scored from 100 and 70 qualifies; deductions come in whole points, and minor faults that would cost half a point in traditional obedience are not scored. Teams may start in any class. Handlers may talk, praise and encourage throughout, and after each stationary exercise may pet the dog or give a treat from food kept in a pocket.

Canine-Work And Games (C-WAGS) held its first Obedience trial on June 23, 2007, at Fortunate Fido in Columbia Station, Ohio, built as an obedience venue where handlers talk to their dogs the way they do in Rally. Any dog six months or older can compete once dog and handler are registered as a C-WAGS team; mixes and rescues are welcome, and registration can be completed on the day of the trial. The dog must be handled by its registered handler or an immediate family member. Levels 1 through 4 are scored from 100, and a qualifying score is 70 or more with at least half the points on every exercise. Handlers may talk, praise and encourage throughout, and after the judge's "Exercise Finished" may pet the dog and give a treat from food kept in a pocket. No class has group stays, the exercise order varies from class to class, and teams may start in Level 1, 2 or 3.