Dog sports for the home

The dog buddies are missing, the run is limited? This is the best time for a new trick!

Fitness level 1

Material: Plastic ring (hula hoop/gymnastics hoop), large enough for the dog to walk through comfortably. (Alternatively, or for starters, a fully inflated 26- 28 bicycle inner tube is suitable). Treats!

Goal: The dog learns to jump through a hoop on command.

 For beginners

Place the tyre on the ground in front of the dog. Let the dog sit down. Come "through" or "hop" and lure the dog through the hoop with a treat. Let the dog sit again and lure it back through the hoop.

Important: The dog must wait until the command is given.

If the dog has understood the task and is healthy, the hoop may be held a little higher. The dog jumps

Advanced beginners:

Have dog dismount, move one metre away, call dog with chosen command.

Next level: The same game, but this time you leave the room after the dog has dismounted. Now lift the hoop and call the dog with the chosen command.

The dog does not want to jump? Then the hoop is too high or too small

You have several dogs?

This is a perfect exercise for basic obedience. Call the dogs one after the other. This requires some practice and patience.

Do you have several hoops? In your home, you can attach medium-sized tyres to the legs of chairs and build a course.

Important: The hoop must be tight and must not come loose when the dog jumps through it.

Do you have small children? Let them play along and climb through the hoop first. Then the child holds the hoop and you call the dog.

 

For advanced players:

There is a hoop in each room. On your mark, get set, go: You run into room one, pick up the hoop, the dog jumps ahead through the hoop and back again. Continue (e.g. around chairs and tables) to the next room, lift the hoop, etc.

 

 

Attention! Take breaks if the dog is nervous. Continue only when the dog can concentrate again (no barking or jumping around).

Advanced II

You need: At least one tyre and flutter tape (red/white striped marking tape or plastic bag cut into strips or even 10 sheets of toilet paper.

First hang a (!) strip on the bottom of the tyre and let the dog jump. In the next step, tie strips to the left and right of the tyre that hang down (the dog must first get used to the new sight).

If this works: Step 3: Turn the hoop so that one of the strips hangs down into the hoop. Give the dog time. The aim is for him to jump through the hoop despite the strips. With each exercise you can add more strips. Attention: This is very easy for some dogs, for others it is a real test of courage!

 

Of course, the game also works in the garden!

The fields marked with * are required.