DOG TALENT ASSOCIATION

PART FIVE

ATHLETE TITLES

Refer to the site for rules and regulations.  Dog Talent Association 

NOVIE ATHLETE

1 Get inside the box Dog hops in or steps into a box with 4 sides at least the height of dog’s elbow. The box length needs to be smaller than the dog’s body length. All 4 paws of the dog need to be in the box for a minimum of 3 seconds. 
2 Spin (both directions) Dog spins around itself in a full circle in both directions. 
3 Sit pretty Sit on back legs with both front paws and the body raised up for 3 seconds without support. 4 Crawl Dog crawls on belly for 5 strides. 
5 High 10 Dog raises both front paws and touches the handler’s hands (vertically held) with them, resembling a high 10. Perform twice. 
6 Stand tall Dog stands tall on its back legs for at least 3 seconds. 
7 Play football On cue dog rolls a football or another ball with either the nose or paw(s). Repeat 3 times. 
8 Catch it On cue dog gets ready and catches a toy thrown toward it. 
9 Back up on flat Dog backs up for at least 3 dog body lengths on a flat surface. 
10 Hoop jump Dog jumps through a hoop — once in each direction. 
11 Jump Dog jumps over a raised stationary object. The handler needs to choose a safe object and make sure it is safe for the dog’s height. 
12 Jump up On cue dog jumps up on a spot 3 times with or without handler. 
13 Jump over leg Dog jumps over handler’s legs while handler is sitting or standing, once in each direction. 
14 Hand signals novice Dog performs 3 different behaviors on silent hand signals from the handler. The behaviors can be from any category, but should not be previously submitted. 
15 Balance Dog walks on a long raised object, plank or tree trunk which is slightly narrower than the dog’s shoulder width for at least 5 steps. The handler should be ready to support the dog if required. 
16 Jump over me With handler on hands and knees, dog jumps over the handler’s back. It’s OK for dog’s feet to touch the back or if the dog jumps on and then off. 
17 On it On command dog walks, jumps or hops on the object, placing all 4 feet there and staying for at least 3 seconds. 
18 Crawl under Dog crawls all the way through under a horizontal object which is lower than the dog’s shoulder height. 
19 Faster Dog goes faster. This can be off the  lead or on the lead. There should be a clear change of speed/pace. 
20 Slower Dog goes slower. This can be off the lead or on the lead. There should be a clear change of speed/pace. 
21 Distance work novice Dog performs 3 tricks at a distance of approximately 5m away from the handler. Voice or hand commands or both are allowed. Any tricks are permitted.  
22 Jogging Dog jogs sufficiently close to the handler on a loose lead without pulling, stopping, or running across the handler’s path for approximately 25 m. Dog’s pace matches that of the handler. 
23 Simple frisbee catch Dog is able to catch frisbee. 
24 Go up the stairs On command the dog climbs to the top of the flight of stairs.
25 Shuffle Dog places its front feet on a horizontal long object and shuffles sideways along the object on the back legs while keeping the front paws moving on the top of the object. The object can be vertical such as wall or lower such as bench. Demonstrate in both directions. 
26 Meerkat Dog raises its front feet on the ground but keeps the hind end in contact with the floor - like a meerkat and stays in this position for at least 3 seconds 
27 Hold the tail On cue dogs bends sideways and holds the tail gently in its mouth for at least 2 seconds 
28 Hind leg raise On cue dog raises one of its back feet off the ground. Repeat twice 
29 2 paws on a raised object On cue dog puts 2 front feet on a raised stationary object and stays there for at least 3 seconds. Repeat with 3 different objects 
30 2 paws on different objects On cue dog puts each of the front feet on a separate raised off the ground object (could be pods, books, cushions etc). The e objects can be the same or different. Dog stays in this position for 3 seconds. 
31 High 5 Dog raises one front paw and touches the vertically held handler’s hands in front of it, resembling high 5. Perform twice 
32 Competitive heel Dog walks with the handler at competitive style heel position maintaining eye contact with the handler with high raising front paws- for 5 dog steps 
33 Roll left From the “down” position dog rolls left and ends up lying flat-on it’s left side 
34 Roll right From the “down” position dog rolls right and ends up lying flat-on it’s right side 
35 Horizontal hoop jump Dog jumps into and out of the horizontally positioned hoop in a flowing movement. The hoop size should be appropriate for the dog. Repeat once in each direction 
36 Swim Dog willingly demonstrates swimming in the water for at least 5 dog body lenghts. The dog’s feet must not touch the bottom 
37 Splash On cue the dog splashes the water signet’s paws 
38 Jump into the water On cue the dog jumps into the water.

ADVANCED ATHLETE

1 Under and over Dog understands and differentiates between under and over command for the same raised object. Needs to be repeated 4 times, twice over and twice under in any sequence.
2.  Play basketball Dog picks up and puts a ball into a low basketball net. Repeat 3 times. 
3 Cross paws while walking Dog walks crossing its front paws for 4 strides or copies the handler as he/she crosses the legs while walking. 
4 Tic tack Dog jumps onto a vertical or slightly angled stable surface and then performs a tight turn landing straight back down. Each foot must touch the object, ideally only once, and the length paw contact should be minimal. Needs to be performed from both sides. 
5 Penguin Dog positions itself between the handler’s feet, puts its front paws one on each of the handler’s feet and walks with the handler that way forward and backwards for at least 5 steps each way.
6 Tango Dog is facing the handler and on cue places its front paws on each of the handler’s feet. Together they move forward and backwards for at least 5 steps without the dog removing its paws off the handler’s feet. 
7 2 paws up on a vertical object Dog puts 2 front paws up on a vertical, solid, stationary object like a wall, and keeps the position for at least 3 seconds.
8 Push along Dog puts two front paws on a moving object and pushes it along for at least 5 steps. 
9 Roll over On cue dog rolls sideways and over, completing the full rotation, in both directions. 
10 Walk tall Dog walks for 5 steps, standing tall on its back legs without support, demonstrating good balance. 
11 Front paws stand with support Dog goes backwards and puts its back paws against a vertical or nearly vertical stationary object and performs front paws stand for at least 2 seconds. Dog needs to demonstrate a good balance and the ability to do it on its own. The handler needs to choose a safe and appropriate place for this trick and be ready to support the dog. 
12 Circle backwards Dog circles the handler or a stationary object by going backwards and performs a full circle remaining as close to the object as possible. Demonstrate in both directions. 
13 Back up onto an object Dog backs up for at least 3 dog body lengths to a slightly raised object (dog’s bed, mat etc), puts its back feet on it, and stays in that position for at least 3 seconds. 
14 Train walk Dog puts front feet up on the handler’s back and they walk together like that for 5 steps. The handler must not interfere with or support the dog’s feet. 
15 Play volley ball Dog bounces a passed ball back to you using its nose. No penalties if you don’t catch it. Repeat 3 times 
16 Goal Dog uses its nose or paw(s) with intent and direction and rolls a ball into a football net or between two “goal posts”. Repeat 3 times. The goal needs to be clearly attempted but not necessary succeeded. 
17 Over arm jump The handler lowers themselves the dog’s level and on cue the dog performs a jump over each of the handler’s outstretched arms. The handler can hold two objects at appropriate level instead of arms for smaller dogs or those who can’t jump that high. 
18 Jump through arms The handler makes a hoop with his/her arms and dog jumps through the arm hoop once in each direction. 
19 Jump through leg hoop The handler makes a leg hoop by bending one leg in the knee and touching with the foot another leg. Dog on cue jumps through the leg hoop made by the handler in both directions. If necessary the handler can use a stationary solid object for support. 
20 Hand signals advanced Dog performs 6 different behaviours/skills on hand signals from the handler. The behaviours can be from any category. 
21 Rear foot target touch Dog touches a target with a rear foot. 
22 Distance work advanced Dog performs 6 tricks at a distance of approximately 5 m away from the handler. Voice or hand commands or both are allowed. Any tricks are permitted. 
23 Press-ups On cue dog alternates between lowering its front legs to the floor like when taking a bow and then straightening them up like when standing. Repeat the sequence 3 times. 
24 Hind legs push-ups Dog is in the down position and on command lifts its hind legs of the floor and then goes flat in its down position again. Repeat 3 times. 
25 Loop the loop On command dog continuously spins around until the handler gives the stop command (for at least 5 circles). Demonstrate in both directions.
 26 4 paws on small object Dog steps, jumps or hops to put 4 of the paws on a small object which is about half of the dog’s body length in size or less. The object needs to be raised off the floor, but at a safe height for dog and the handler should be ready to support the dog if required. 
27 Get inside a small box Dog climbs or hops inside an object with 4 sides which is equal or smaller in size than half a dog’s length. All 4 paws must get inside of the object and stay there for at least 3 seconds. 
28 Frisbee catch with a vault Dog catches frisbee with a vault using the handler’s back, leg or a stationary solid object. 
29 4 feet on targets On cue dog puts each of the 4 feet each on a separate target. The targets can be flat toys, cushions, mats, paper, etc. 
30 Spin while holding the tail Dog performs at least 360 degrees spin in both directions while holding the tail in it’s mouth 
31 2 back paws on different objects On cue dog puts each of the back feet on a separate raised off the ground object (could be pods, books, cushions etc). The objects can be the same or different. Dog stays in this position for 3 seconds.
 32 Crab Dog moves sideways and places a front and back paw that are on the same side on a raised object. Repeat with both the left side and the right sides. 
33 Rails Dog walks forward on two parallel long objects that are raised off the floor (like 2 planks of wood or similar) that are apart from each other at about the dog’s shoulder width or less- for 5 dog steps. Be ready to support the dog if required. 
34 Competitive heel with turn and automatic sit Dog walks with the handler in competitive style heel position maintaining eye contact. Execute one turn in each direction together with the handler and demonstrate the automatic sit when the handler stops. 
35 Spanish steps Dog independently of the handler on cue walks forward raising feet high in a marching fashion. Perform for 10 dog steps counting dog’s front feet. 
36 Horizontal hoop sequence Dog jumps through a series of two or more horizontally positioned hoops or similar objects with sides that are raised above the ground. Demonstrate one in each direction 37 Retrieve from water On cue the dog retrieves an object from water and delivers it to handler’s hand. The dog needs to get into the the water but does not need to swim 
38 Retrieve from under the water On cue the dog retrieves an object from under the water requiring the dog to fully submerge its head under the water
39 Back stall On cue dog jumps onto the handler’s back and stays there for at least 3 seconds until released. Repeat  3 times. The handler needs to bend and present a flat back for the dog to jump on. Handler can be standing, sitting or kneeling. The handler needs to be responsible and aware of own and dog’s safety and choose the appropriate height and surface.

EXPERT ATHLETE

 1 Circle backwards while moving Dog performs a full circle moving backwards around a moving object, a moving handler or a sequentially the moving handler and an object. Demonstrate in both directions. 
2 Go up stairs backwards Dog goes backwards up at least 5 steps on stairs. 
3 Double hoop sequence Handler holds 2 hoops, dog performs a sequence of 6 hoop jumps as instructed by the handler. This is done through the same hoop, alternating the hoops and changing the direction of the jump. 
4 Skip Dog skips over a moving rope or skipping rope with or without the handler 3 times in a row. ]
5 Figure of 8 over jumps Dog performs a figure of 8 over a jump by going over it, turning one direction, then going over and turning another direction. Repeat twice. Handler can indicate the direction of the turn each time, but it needs to be performed as flowing sequence without stopping in-between the jumps. 
6 Climb a ladder Dog climbs on the secure, appropriate for the dog ladder. The ladder can be placed horizontally on a flat between raised objects or standing at an angle. Handler must be ready to spot the dog where necessary. If required the dog needs to be picked up and safely put back on the floor by the handler 
7 Skateboard Dog places at least 3 feet on a skateboard and moves with it for at least 1 meter. 
8 Hold while sitting pretty Dog holds and object in mouth while sitting pretty for 3 seconds. Dog must sit pretty without support for the duration of this trick and then release the object into the handler’s hand. 
9 Shy while sitting pretty Dog covers its eyes with one or two front paws while sitting pretty and holds this position for 2 seconds. 
10 Hand signals expert Dog performs 10 different behaviours/skills on hand signal from the handler. The behaviours can be from any category. 
11 Tic tack off the handler Dog jumps up, performs tight turn and rebounds off the handler and lands straight down. Each foot should touch once. 
12 Balance beam with turn Dog walks on a long raised object, plank or tree trunk which is narrower than dog’s shoulder width for at least 5 steps then makes a turn without stepping off the object and walks 5 steps back. 
13 Distance work expert Dog performs 10 tricks at a distance of approximately 5 m away from the handler. Voice or hand commands or both are allowed. Any tricks are permitted. 
14 Ride a scooter On a flat surface in a safe area the dog stands on a stable scooter (not a 2 wheeled variety) with its front feet on the handle bars and one back foot on the foot board. It pushes from the floor with the other back foot. Perform 3 strides. Handler needs to ensure that the area is safe, that they are ready to support/stop the dog, and that the scooter is of appropriate height for the dog. 
15 Backwards reverse between handler feet from distance Dog reverses backwards into a position between the handler’s feet from the distance of 5 m or more. 
16 Row of hoops jump weave Dog sequentially jumps thorough minimum 3 hoops that are positioned alongside each other in a weaving fashion by alternating the side of entry between the subsequent hoops. The hoops can be held by an assistant, stationary and any object resembling a hoop will be accepted including tires, hand circles, etc.
17 Walk backwards on hind legs Dog stands tall on its hind legs and makes at least 3 steps backwards maintaining a good balance without any external support. 
18. Rails reverse Dog walks backwards on two parallel long objects that are raised off the floor (like 2 planks of wood or similar) that are apart from each other at about the dog’s shoulder width or less- for 5 dog steps. Be ready to support the dog if required. 
19. Side rails Dog walks sideways on two parallel long objects that are raised off the floor (like 2 planks of wood or similar) that are apart from each other at about half of dog’s body length- for 5 dog steps. Be ready to support the dog if required. Perform to the left and to the right. 
20. Perch Dog climbs on or jumps on on a narrow long object about as wide as dog’s paw. It can be a beam, rail, a suspended tight rope or anything similar. Dog places all 4 feet on the object and balances in that position for at least 3 seconds. 
21. Alternate heeling styles Dog alternates on cue between competitive heel position and relaxed heel position. Demonstrate each style for at least 5 steps and then switch between them without stopping 
22.Pod hops Dog stands with all 4 feet on a small raised object and on cue hops to another similar size object. Repeat twice. The objects can be no bigger than half the dog’s body length and have to be stationary. The objects can be anything from pods to books, to boxes, to bollards with flat tops etc. Handler needs to be ready to support the dog if needed.
23. Swing balance Dog balances itself on a swing (flat board which is half the dog’s length or less) suspended on ropes. The swing does not need to swing. Maintain the balance for at least 3 seconds. Handler can help to put the dog up into the swing and put it down back onto the floor. The trick needs to be performed safely 
24. Handstand shuffle On cue dog stands on its front feet with the back feet above dog’s head against a raised or a vertical object (wall) in supported handstand like position and on cue moves sideways in that position alongside the object for 5 steps each way




 

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