An inside or outside area with items used to hold other items such as boxes, toolboxes, lunch boxes, totes, buckets, bins, luggage, etc. Space must be free of any safety hazards (e.g., broken glass, garbage, sharp objects, exposed wires, etc.).
Containers must be a minimum of 24” apart (61 cm) from one another and any rows must be a minimum of 36” apart (91 cm). Hides must be placed within an odor vessel (e.g., plastic tube or straw) and placed close to a seam of said container to allow odor to escape.
If the container is elevated (placed on top of something, such as a chair seat or attached to a wall or lattice or suspended), the maximum the container may be off the ground is 2’ (61 cm).
Considerations and Tips
For food and paired odor searches, all containers must be open to allow the dog to self-reward.
All odor containers should be "aged" for 15-20 minutes before running the dog. This means placing the odor vessel inside the container and closing it to allow the container to fill with the odor.
For odor searches, place the odor vessel near the seam of the container to allow the dog to properly source the hide.
Use care when using insulated lunch bags as they can prevent odor to properly escape.
For containers such as buckets, flower pots, baskets, etc., fill them with crinkle paper or crumpled up newspaper.
For containers such as tote bags, fill them with crumpled newspaper instead of having them completely flat.
Beginner Level
Requirements
# of Containers
10-12 containers
Container Orientation
Straight row, two straight rows, three straight rows, two staggered row or three staggered rows.
Advanced Level Requirements
# of Containers
15-20 containers/search area
# of Containers
Straight row, two straight rows, three straight rows, two staggered row, three staggered rows, clusters, a circle or square.
Novice Level Requirements
# of Containers
12-15 containers
# of Containers
Straight row, two straight rows, three straight rows, two staggered row or three staggered rows.
Master Level Requirements
# of Containers
15-25 containers/search area
# of Containers
Straight rows, staggered rows, scattered, clusters or shapes (circle, square, U, Z, S, etc.). Containers may be elevated.
Intermediate Level Requirements
# of Containers
15-20 containers
# of Containers
Straight row, two straight rows, three straight rows, two staggered row or three staggered rows, clusters or circle.
Expert Level Requirements
# of Containers
15-35 containers
# of Containers
Straight rows, staggered rows, scattered, clusters or shapes (circle, square, U, Z, S, etc.). Containers may be elevated.
Beginner Level
Requirements
# of Vehicles
2-3 vehicles
Vehicle Orientation
Straight row, side-by-side or perpendicular.
Advanced Level Requirements
# of Vehicles
3-5 vehicles/search area
Vehicle Orientation
Straight row, side-by-side, circle, square, triangle or perpendicular.
Novice Level Requirements
# of Vehicles
2-4 vehicles
Vehicle Orientation
Straight row, side-by-side or perpendicular.
Master Level Requirements
# of Vehicles
3-5 vehicles/search area
Vehicle Orientation
Straight row, side-by-side, circle, square, triangle or perpendicular.
Intermediate Level Requirements
# of Vehicles
3-5 vehicles
Vehicle Orientation
Straight row, side-by-side, circle, square, triangle or perpendicular.
Expert Level Requirements
# of Vehicles
3-5 vehicles/search area
Vehicle Orientation
Straight row, side-by-side, circle, square, triangle or perpendicular.