Because I have worked for years in busy Chicago with a high drive Dutch Shepherd, and because I simply love dog training, I have spent thousands of hours playing training “games,” some of which I copied from others and some of which I do fancy myself as having invented (like this one today!)
Most of these games are competition obedience skill based in origin, since AKC OB is what made me fall in love with training. They typically have a heavy emphasis on listening and thinking, which is surprisingly exhausting to most if not all dogs. On top of this impulse control, oftentimes body awareness and precision is a component, which is another layer of excellent enrichment for our working-minded dogs.
I’m organizing some of these games so that I can share them with you. So, without further ado….
OB GAMES CHALLENGE 1: WRAPS TO FRONT
Challenge Level: Intermediate to Advanced
I just came up with this one last week, and so the videos you see here are Cupid’s second and third sessions ever playing this game. It’s very hard for him! I historically have been bad about practicing straight fronts; it just does not spark joy the way that practicing heel position does. But I’m hoping this game will change that. There’s no need to lose those couple of points for every sloppy front in trial!
In regards to convincing Cupid that “front” does not involve him breaking his neck on my crotch… I plead the fifth.
KEY PREREQUISITES:
Find front from different angles:
Front pivots:
Send out wrap (single):
Send out wraps (directional - for the later levels of challenge):
This should be some form of directional send out wraps. This example is figure 8 wraps like in IGP blind searches.
And this is a kind of figure 8 wrap triangle thing.
WRAPS TO FRONT CHALLENGE
LEVEL 1: Send Out Wrap + Straight Front
This should be pretty similar to a recall out of a sit-stay or your average recall from a distance.
LEVEL 2: Send Out Wrap + Face Away Front
Some dogs might find Level 3 more challenging for various reasons, but facing directly away from Cupid makes the straight front easier for him, because the seconds he spends pivoting gives him more time to think about what he is doing.
LEVEL 3: Send Out Wrap + Side Angle Front
This one is really hard for Cupid because he has to correct a more subtle angle into front position while combating the speed and intensity associated with his send out wrap skill.
LEVEL 4: Multiple Send Out Wraps + Side Angle Front
This is REALLY hard for Cupid because once I tell him to wrap a couple of times, he gets into “wrap mode” and is super not used to having to switch gears to think about something as precise as being called to front.
Other things to think about?
You could possibly make this easier by having a perfectly sized platform in front of you.
If your send out wrap skill is not strong, this challenge will take on a different flavor and emphasis than what I have described for Cupid.
Either way, it will likely be challenging! Remember that that is the point, and you should not get frustrated with your dog if their performance is not what you were expecting. Games like this are designed to show you where the “holes” in your training are. Work through the issues properly.
Show me how it goes! I’ll be attempting to promote this “challenge” on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venus.and.mars.k9/
Happy training!
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