Phase 1: Classroom
- Ethics and standards
- Legal boundaries
- Hit assessment & sign
- Dog behavior & scent
Phase 2: Field
- Harness & long line
- Starting tracks correctly
- Handling loss of scent
- Terrain challenges
Phase 3: Mentored Calls
- Supervised real recoveries
- Performance evaluation
- Documentation standards
- Graduation to certified status
Quality over quantity: certification is earned by demonstrated judgement, control, and consistency.