Teaching Your Dog to Jump

Your dog may be a long way yet from retrieving, but why not brighten the training routine by teaching the JUMPING exercise?

Place the Solid, the Bar, and the Broad Jumps in different parts of the training area. Keep the Hurdle and Bar Jumps LOW, and the Broad Jump NARROW. The jumps can be raised or widened after your dog has become an expert at leaping obstacles, but to simplify the training and make proper corrections, it is important that the jumping be ridiculously easy the first few times.

With your dog on leash, hold the leash in BOTH hands, as when teaching the heeling exercises. Approach the Bar and the Hurdle Jumps slowly, and STEP OVER with your dog. Keep the leash sufficiently taut so the dog can't dart off to one side. If she balks at the hurdle, pull her gently over, WITH PRAISE! If she ducks under the bar, cuff her nose to make her draw back, then encourage her to go over the top. When approaching the Broad Jump, speed up a little, and leap over WITH the dog.

The JUMPING command may be "Jump!" "Over!" or "Hup!" and should be given BEFORE the leash is used to pull the dog across. Avoid a lifting motion. Use a forward thrust that will not throw the dog off balance, and give praise while the dog is jumping. After she lands, command "Heel!" and jerk backward on the leash, PAT YOUR SIDE, and encourage the dog to walk at heel position.

The important thing to keep in mind when teaching the JUMPING exercise is NEVER let your dog refuse a jump once you have given her the jumping command. Make her go over, even if you have to lower the jump almost to the floor, or tip the individual boards of the BROAD Jump on their sides. Refusing a jump, thus getting her way, will encourage her to balk whenever she feels like it.

When your dog is familiar with the different types of hurdles, and will leap them on command, it will no longer be necessary to step over with the dog. Walk past the hurdles instead, and meet her on the other side. While the dog is jumping, hold your LEFT arm away from your body so the leash extends STRAIGHT UP FROM THE CENTER OF THE HURDLE. While the dog is landing, drop your left arm, so as not to throw her off balance when she lands. After she jumps, slow down or come to a standstill, and command "Heel!" Snap backward on the leash, pat your side, and give praise.

When your dog will jump and stay at heel without corrections, try the JUMPING exercise without leash. Approach each hurdle in a fast walk, POINT TO IT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND, and give the jumping command. Pass by the hurdle quickly, slow down, command "Heel!" and signal backward and pat your side. Don't run when teaching JUMPING. Running gets a dog excited and causes confusion. As a result, you may inadvertently make a bad correction that could affect your dog's jumping career.

Whether schooling a dog for Obedience competition or for fun and exercise, the accepted height of a jump is one and one-half times the height your dog measures at the withers (this is from the top of the shoulder to the floor). The Broad Jump is twice as wide as the height of the High Jump. For instance, if your dog measures 16 inches at the shoulder, she should jump 24 inches in height and 48 inches in length. For certain heavy-set breeds, these measurements are even less, so don't expect your dog to jump exaggerated distances. In her efforts to please, she could have a bad fall, or she may learn to climb the hurdle instead of clearing it, which, in Trials, counts as a penalty.

As your dog progresses in the JUMPING exercise, set the three jumps in a row, approximately fifteen feet apart. This is a fun-exercise that is enjoyed by both dogs and owners. Place the Broad Jump on one side of the Solid Hurdle and the Bar Jump on the other. With your dog on leash, leave her on a sit-stay in front of a NARROW Broad Jump. Face her on the opposite side. Tell her "Jump!" then snap the leash toward you with praise. Tell her to sit, then pat her.

Lead her to the LOW Solid Hurdle. Tell her "Stay!" and face her from the opposite side. Stress the JUMPING command when you call her. After she jumps, make her sit, pat her, then move on to the Bar. The Bar Jump, too, must be absurdly LOW.