For us, this is “Did you wash your hands?” but it could also be “Stick ’em up!”. What can you get her to do with that? Bow? Spin? Back up? Circle you? Stand on her back legs? Sit Pretty? Scuba’s most popular trick is to show me her front pads.
She learned to follow a touchstick way back in Level 4. Be careful – make sure the dog continues to go out straight in front of you!ĭog performs a lured trick. DISCUSSION: This should be the easiest trick. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: More distance is all we need at this Level. The examination is more detailed than the earlier one, involving holding the dog’s head, touching the ears and tail, and running hands under the chest and partway down the legs.ĭog pawtouches a wall 20’ away with two cues only. Do your StandStay in a line of dogs practicing SitStays or DownStays, and have your tester go over the dog while she’s in line. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: The Group Exam isn’t part of obedience competition any more, but it’s a good test of a dog’s skills.
The dog performs a full Group Examination for one minute with the handler 20’ away. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: Part of the Utility Stand For Examination exercise, considered to be very difficult to teach. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: Increasing the time is boring for the trainer, but well worth the work you put into it if you’re planning on competing.ĭog Stands from Heeling, the handler does not stop. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: Increasing the effective distance on the signal.ĭog performs a full out of sight Sit Stay for two minutes. The dog Sits from Down on a hand signal only at 10’. Start thinking of all the great tricks you can do with scent! This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: Now she really knows what she’s doing. Obedience trials are pretty much handled!ĭog finds the correct article of eight, three times in a row. Appropriate cues. DISCUSSION: This covers the retrieve part of the Flat Retrieve, Retrieve Over High Jump, Directed Retrieve, and Scent Discrimination. The dog must pass the Level Four tests in a strange location.ĭog performs three 40’ Retrieves – one metal object, one official dumbell, one article of the handler’s choice. Now we’re asking for default control with the car door open as well as the leash behaviour. In car, handler exits, dog stays WITH NO CUE, dog exits on invitation, maintains loose leash into training area with appropriate cues. DISCUSSION: One more twist.
Can you see that this entire formal exercise, except for height, could be taught to a 6 month old puppy? Other than needing practise, height really has very little to do with this exercise.
Height of the jump must be practiced to ensure the dog understands how to handle it. The formal Retrieve Over High Jump therefore includes a SitStay at least 8′ from the jump, handler throwing the dumbell, sending the dog to take the jump and retrieve the bell back over the jump, Sit in Front, holding the dumbell until it is taken by the handler, and a Finish. This is an optional behaviour. DISCUSSION: Anytime I use the word “formal” to describe an exercise, I mean it to include the full competition exercise. Dogs under 18 months may do this over an appropriate jump, but it must be 30’ long. Pick your optional behaviours with an eye to what sports you’re aiming your dog for, or whatever looks like it would be a fun and interesting behaviour to teach your dog.ĭog does a 20’ official Retrieve over a half height jump. In Level Six, a dog must pass 8 of the 16 optional behaviours. This colour indicates behaviours that are optional. This colour indicates behaviours that must be done without food, clicker or other training aid, in a ring or similar. This colour indicates behaviours that are mandatory. Be sure your dog has passed the Level One behaviours, Level Two behaviours, Level Three behaviours, Level Four behaviours, and Level Five behaviours before starting Level Six. Please read the INTRODUCTION before you start working.