If k9 breaks from handler prior to the nod and k9 makes contact 3 times, what happens?

• A. Disqualified
• B. Warning
• C. Points deduction
• D. Re-test

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that the dog must remain under the handler’s control until the official go signal. If the dog breaks away from the handler before that signal and then makes contact with the target three times, it shows a clear loss of control and the dog is acting on its own, not on the handler’s commands. That kind of pre-release behavior is a serious fault in this stage of the competition, and the standard rule is to disqualify the run to maintain safety and fairness. A mere warning or a small point deduction wouldn’t address the fact that the dog engaged before the signal and did so multiple times, which compromises the test’s integrity. A re-test wouldn’t fix the current violation either since the act occurred already during this performance.