Tricks

---

 ANKC Tricks became an official competition sport in Australia in 2020 and is run under the Dancing with Dogs umbrella.

Trick Dog tests encourage owners and handlers to teach their dogs skills and to display various behaviours in a positive and fun environment. The rules are designed in such a way that handlers and dogs of all abilities are able to compete on an equal footing.

The objective in Trick Dog training and competition is for the dog and handler to perform a selection of tricks, presented with obvious cooperation between a dog that is willing and working well and a supportive handler. Tricks allow us to improve communication and thereby increase our bond with our dogs.

Training at PDODC is run by people competing in the competition and like any discipline we are all continuously learning. Some tricks have different interpretations and instructors do their best to work out what the judge is actually looking for.

Tricks competition consists of 4 levels:

• Starters
• Novice
• Intermediate 
• Advanced

Each level has a list of tricks from which the handler is to choose a set number that they wish to compete with. The same Tricks do not necessarily have to be used each time.

Each level has a number of passes needed and a set score to be above to qualify for a title.

The official rules and the additional information ie Trick Lists etc can be found by going to the ANKC Website.

As all levels of Trick competitions are performed off lead in a trial atmosphere, we feel that at a minimum dogs should probably be in grade 2 club level obedience before contemplating joining the tricks class.  That doesn’t mean however you can’t start asking questions and doing things at home much earlier with your dog.

Alot of Tricks can be started on lead but dogs need a basic stay and focus to start formal training in tricks. 

As the Tricks instructors have their own dogs that they trial the class may not be on every week and time may change. 

At this stage it runs from 11-15am to 12pm on Sundays.

 
Please look up the ANKC Trick rules (link above) if you are thinking of joining the class and come talk to us about it.