Beginning Open Obedience Syllabus

Week 1:
*Introductions
*Starting DOR (drop on recall)
(1) Teaching the Drop movement
(2) Introducing dogs to the bar
*Starting Jumping
(1) Teaching the “get it” game
(2) Teaching dog to tuck legs by playing “get it” game over low bar

Week 2:
*Jumping Continues:
(3) Teaching spike jumping to regulate stride – fade “get it” add “jump” command
(4) Teaching turning over jump
*DOR continues:
(3) Introduction to drop-at-bar game
(4) Handler begins to move back
*Starting the Retrieve
(1) Evaluate the Dogs
(2) Choose methods – Intro first steps
*Working for Speed Begins:
(1) Learning to Tug / How to play with your dog handout
(2) Evaluating Tugs

Week 3:
*Jumping Continues:
(5) Teaching angled jumping (introducing directed jumping hand signal)
(6) Adding speed to jumping
*Starting Broad Jump:
(1) Intro to front platform / chute
(2) “get it” – “get it” or “get it” -front game
*Starting Out of Sight Stays
(1) Evaluating Dogs Stays
(2) Taking Yourself Out of the stay-picture
*DOR continues:
(5) dogs moves back / handler moves forward
*Retrieve Continues:
*Working for Speed Continues:
(3) Intro to restrained recall followed by “get it” (teaching twist back with dumbbell)

Week 4:
*Jumping Continues:
(7) Evaluate Jumping
(8) Jumping corrections
*Broad Jump Continues:
(3) Intro wrap around object
(4) Change “get it” – front to wrap around object front
(5) Add broad jump boards around jump (remove yourself from picture)
*Out of Sight Stays continue:
(3) Add Chairs
*DOR continues:
(6) dog and handler move back – add occasional recall
(7) showing dog what to do
*Retrieving Continues:
*Working for Speed Continues:
(4) Intro to restrained retrieve (with toy or dumbbell)

Week 5:

REVIEW WEEK

Week 6:
*Jumping Continues:
(8) Introduction to high jump
*Broad Jump Continues:
(6) Evaluate person-less broad jump
(7) Evaluate wrap – front
*Out of site stays continue:
*DOR continues:
(8) Evaluate DOR – occasional recall over
(9) Fade bar + add two bar
*Retrieve Continues:
*Working for speed Continues:
(5) Intro to “watch my hands” game
*Start Figure 8:

Week 7:
*Jumping Continues:
(9) learning to walk, run, jump with something in mouth
*Broad jump continues:
(8) Putting it all together --- fading the props
(9) Broad jump corrections
*Out of sight continues:
*DOR continues:
(10) Evaluate DOR and fade of bar
(11) Corrections for DOR
*Retrieve Continues:
*Work for speed Continues:
(6) Intro to Rah-game
*Figure 8 continues:

Week 8:
*Work for speed Continues:
(7) Play Rah-game from sit & down
(8) Happy Pop-ups