Kuvateksti

Ability trial for go-to-ground breeds  The trial consists of two parts: the empty cave inspection and the test with the actual game. The empty cave inspection is to determine whether the dog has the ability to check the empty caves as completely as possible and in silence so that the owner knows that there is no quarry in the cave. The dog must pass the empty cave trial before getting the permission to go to the actual game trial. 
 In the actual game trial, there is a live fox behind a grate in a so called "search nest" and the dog must find it. The dog has to stay 10 to 15 cm from the grate and bark loudly that the game is been found. After that the grate behind the fox is opened and the fox is given a chance to move to a branch base and after that the grate in front of the dog will be opened and the dog will follow the fox. The dog starts to work the quarry and depending on how close and how well the dog bays and pressures the fox, the judge will evaluate the dog's abilities. 
Dog's work can be considered as very good or excellent only if the way the dog is working is completely dominant. If there is a confrontation between the dog and the fox the trial will be terminated to protect the animals. Dog owner or handler lets his dog go into the tunnel on his own responsibility. The foxes used in the trials are farmed red or silver foxes. Foxes have been vaccinated, they are healthy and in good condition. In a trial the fox has to be replaced after three full-time trials or sooner if the dogs have been particularly hard and the fox has had a tougher than normal pressure.  
Development Stages  In the trials the abilities of the dogs will be classified in different stages of development.  
  •   E-trial Development stage E = a dog that during the trial has gone through the needle-eye and indicated by baying about finding the fox from the "seach base" behind the grate has completed an acceptable job. Trial time is 10 minutes.  
  • D-B-trial After going through the needle-eye and indicating by baying about finding the fox from the search base, the grate behind the fox is being opened and the fox moves to branch, corner or end base. The dog needs to follow and start baying the fox with no grate between the fox and the dog. There are lowerings in front of the bases . The trial time is 20 minutes. 
  Development stage D = dog, who during the trial has shown a satisfactory ability.  Development stage C = dog, who during the trial has shown a good ability.  Development stage B = dog, who during the trial has shown a very good ability.  After gaining the development stage B twice, the dog can attempt the A-trial. 
  •   A-trial Otherwise like the D-B -trial but the dog must dig through a sand barrier before getting to the search base. The foxes used in an A-trial are normally a bit tougher. Trial time 20 minutes. 
To get the Working Champion title the dog needs: A development stage (excellent abilities), inspection of a natural den and the minimum quality grading of Good from a dog show. 

The tunnels  The dimensions of the tunnels are width 18cm x height 20cm. The dog goes in from the funnel (60cm long) through the needle - eye (50cm long and dimensions 18x13cm). In front of the bases (except the search base)  there is a 70cm long lowering part where the tunnel is 18cm x 15cm. Each tunnel is 2m long and the bases are 40x40x20cm. The size of the double base is 40x80x20cm.