These activities concentrate on moving skills. You will need access to a space of at least 4m by 4m.
You can download a printable copy of this Challenge board and expanded explanations at the bottom of the page.
General Notes:
Heel position is when your dog is on your left hand side with their shoulder roughly level with your leg and within an arm’s length of you. You should both be facing in the same direction and they should maintain a consistent position as you move.
Camera setup Where a setup has not been defined the handler can choose their camera angle ensuring that all elements of the exercise are visible.
| Videos to follow – in the meantime example videos can be found in the Guides of our dedicated Facebook Group |
1 – SIDESTEPS in front
With your dog standing in front of, and facing you, ask them to take at least 2 steps sideways, as you also step to the side, your dog should finish in a stand and facing you. They may move to their left or their right and should remain roughly in front of you as you move with them.
Setup Facing the camera.
2 – STOP at a distance (SIT)
Throw a treat. Once your dog has eaten it and is either looking at you or returning towards you, ask them to stop in a sit. Once the sit is established this square is complete but we recommend you return and feed them in position. You should aim for your dog to be at least 1.5m away from you when they stop.
3 – SLOW to NORMAL pace
Lay 3 markers approx. 2m apart, heel past the first in slow pace, change into normal pace at the 2nd marker and maintain this pace until you have passed the 3rd marker.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
4 – DOWN on the MOVE
As you heel forward with your dog ask them to drop into a down as you keep moving. You should continue for at least 3 steps after leaving your dog. Although the square is now complete, we recommend you return to your dog and reward them before releasing them.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
5 – STOP in STAND and forward
From heelwork stop with your dog standing at heel and then move off together back into heelwork
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
6 – From heelwork pause SEND AROUND forward
From heelwork stop as you send your dog around you, as they come back into the heel position (draw level with you) then move off together into heelwork
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
7 – Leave in STAND forward, past & return
Starting with your dog standing at heel. Leave them and walk forward approx. 2m turn and return walking past your dog by approx. 1m, turn again and rejoin your dog’s side. You should remain on your dog’s right-hand side throughout this exercise.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside)
8 – Leave in STAND forward, past & return
Your dog needs to be roughly in line with and in front of you. To achieve this either leave your dog in an informal wait or throw a treat forward. You can then call them to come straight to your left-hand side without looping behind you, once they are level with you (in the heelwork position) you should move forward into heelwork together. Your dog should demonstrate that they understand not to go to front for this exercise. They should not sit at heel.
Setup Facing the camera.
9 – From heelwork pause SEND AROUND catchup
From heelwork pause as you send your dog around you, as soon as they have cleared your path take off and they should catch up with you in heelwork,
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
10 – Circuit distraction RIGHT
Heel forward a minimum of 1m and then perform a right hand circuit of a distraction obstacle such as a cone, bucket, flowerpot etc. exiting back onto your original line for at least another metre.
11 – CALL to heel (RIGHT) forward
Your dog needs to be roughly in line with and in front of you. To achieve this either leave your dog in an informal wait or throw a treat forward. You can then call them to come into heel by looping behind you from your right, once they are level with you (in the heelwork position) you should move forward into heelwork together. Your dog should demonstrate that they understand not to go to front for this exercise. They should not sit at heel.
Setup Facing the camera.
12 – About turn LEFT
Set up 2 markers approximately 4m apart and directly in line with your camera. Starting with the first marker directly behind you, heel forward with your dog to the far marker, perform an about turn to your left and return on your original line ending up where you began.
13 – STOP at a distance (DOWN)
Throw a treat. Once your dog has eaten it and is either looking at you or returning towards you, ask them to stop in a down. Once the down is established this square is complete but we recommend you return and feed them in position. You should aim for your dog to be at least 1.5m away from you when they stop.
14 – FAST to NORMAL pace
Lay 3 markers approx. 2m apart, heel past the first in fast pace, change into normal pace at the 2nd marker and maintain this pace until you have passed the 3rd marker.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
15 – NORMAL to SLOW pace
Lay 3 markers approx. 2m apart, heel past the first in normal pace, change into slow pace at the 2nd marker and maintain this pace until you have passed the 3rd marker.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
16 – STAND on the MOVE
As you heel forward with your dog ask them to remain in stand as you keep moving. You should continue for at least 3 steps after leaving your dog. Although the square is now complete, we recommend you return to your dog and reward them before releasing them.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
17 – REJOIN handler on the MOVE
Throw a treat behind you, , as your dog finishes the treat, turn so you are facing away from them and call them to heel while walking away, your dog should rejoin you into heelwork and you should continue together for at least 2 steps so we can see them settle into heelwork.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
18 – Send and CALL THROUGH distractions
Place 2 distraction obstacles i.e. cones, buckets, flowerpots, chairs etc 1.5m apart. Standing approx. 2m beyond them throw a treat between them and call your dog back to sit in a present in front of you. There is no finish. Please do not use open treat tubs or food as your distraction obstacles.
Setup Facing the camera
19 – Diagonal SIDESTEPS
You need to film this heading directly away from the camera. From heelwork take 2 diagonal sidesteps before continuing on a straight line parallel to your original path. Your dog should move sideways with you. We need to see at least 2 steps before and after your sidesteps making a minimum of 6 steps in total
Setup Away from the camera.
20 – REJOIN handler to STAND at heel
Throw a treat behind you, as your dog finishes the treat, turn so you are facing away from them and call them to rejoin you in a stand at heel. You should remain on the spot.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
21 – STOP in DOWN and forward
From heelwork stop with your dog down at heel and then move off together back into heelwork.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
22 – From STAND SEND AROUND forward
Starting from a stand send your dog around you, as they come back into the heel position (draw level with you) then move off together into heelwork.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
23 – From heelwork SIT, REMOVE lead, send around forward
With your dog onlead heel forward into a sit. Remove their lead while they remain sitting at heel. Either place your lead around your body or into a pocket. Then send your dog around you and move forward together into off lead heelwork. NB: for safety please do not just loop your lead around your neck.
24 – Leave in DOWN forward, past & to heel
Starting with your dog down at heel. Leave them and walk forward approx. 2m, turn and return walking past your dog by approx. 1m, turn again and rejoin your dog’s side. You should remain on your dog’s right-hand side throughout this exercise.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
25 – About turn RIGHT
Set up 2 markers approximately 4m apart and directly in line with your camera. Starting with the first marker directly behind you, heel forward with your dog to the far marker, perform an about turn to your right and return on your original line ending up where you began.
Setup Away from the camera.
26 – Circuit distraction LEFT
Heel forward a minimum of 1m and then perform a left hand circuit of a distraction obstacle such as a cone, bucket, flowerpot etc. exiting back onto your original line for at least another metre.
27 – From heelwork SIT, ATTACH lead, send around forward
Starting with your lead fixed around your body or in a pocket, heel forward with your dog off lead into a sit. Attach their lead while they remain sitting at heel. Then send your dog around you and move forward together into onlead heelwork. NB: for safety please do not have your lead looped around your neck.
28 – Heelwork into CALL to front
Facing your camera move forward in heelwork for approx. 2-3m with your dog, then ask them to come to front and sit in front of you in a present. You may step backwards up to 3 steps to achieve this. There is no finish.
Setup Facing the camera.
29 – SIT on the MOVE
As you heel forward with your dog ask them to sit as you keep moving. You should continue for at least 3 steps after leaving your dog. Although the square is now complete, we recommend you return to your dog and reward them before releasing them.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
30 – From STAND SEND AROUND catchup
Starting from a stand send your dog around you, as soon as they have cleared your path take off and they should catch up with you in heelwork.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
31 – STOP in SIT and forward
From heelwork stop with your dog sitting at heel and then move off together back into heelwork.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
32 – STOP at a distance (STAND)
Throw a treat. Once your dog has eaten it and is either looking at you or returning towards you, ask them to stop in a stand. Once the stand is established this square is complete but we recommend you return and feed them in position. You should aim for your dog to be at least 1.5m away from you when they stop.
33 – NORMAL to FAST pace
Lay 3 markers approx. 2m apart, heel past the first in normal pace, change into fast pace at the 2nd marker and maintain this pace until you have passed the 3rd marker.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
34 – Leave in SIT forward, past & to heel
Starting with your dog sitting at heel. Leave them and walk forward approx. 2m, turn and return walking past your dog by approx. 1m, turn again and rejoin your dog’s side. You should remain on your dog’s right-hand side throughout this exercise.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
35 – BACKUP from heelwork and forward
In heelwork heel forward approx. 2m, then take 2-4 steps backwards with your dog still in heelwork before moving forward together for another 2m.
Setup Horizontal from right to left (dog inside).
Thanks to our dog models – Brodie, Eeva, Lola, Jasper and Orsa.
Downloadable resources:
A printable version of the Challenge board:
A printable guide to the exercises:
A printable copy of the Frequently asked questions