OBJECTIVES

The Intermediate Course continues to expand on the groundwork taught to handlers and their dogs in Beginners. All exercises (sits, stands, downs, examination and the recall) are to become more reliable, with reduced (preferably removed) luring of the dog to perform the desired exercise. Reinforcement should be completely randomised.

A higher emphasis is placed on teamwork between the handler and the dog, with the dog working reliably on a loose lead within an arm's length, with the handler giving clear hand and voice signals and the dog responsive and working to them.

NEW EXERCISES INTRODUCED

The clicker training method is revised in the first week, and will be used for the introduction of each new exercise.
New exercises at this level include:

1. Heel work:

- straight line heel work as a group exercise
- left about u-turn
- static turns - right, left, right about and left about
- slow pace
- downs and stands on the move (introduced at slow pace)
- heeling around witches hats
- techniques for improving heel position

2. Sit for examination at end of loose lead

3. Sit stay and down stay

4. Return around back of dog

5. Long line recalls (up to 6 metres)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND ASSESSMENT

An assessment day will be held in the last week of the session. Handlers will be assessed on:

1. Controlled walking: The dog is to remain approximately within an arm's length of the handler, mainly on a loose lead during the heelwork.

a) Normal and slow pace, with automatic sits and downs and stands on the move at normal and slow pace
b) Left and right turns
c) Left about "U" turn and right about turn

2. Sit for Examination: Dog to be thoroughly examined in the SIT position with handler at the end of a loose lead.

3. Recall: At length of long line (about 6m) from a 'sit', 'wait' to a sit in front.

4. Sit Stay*: 1 minute - Handler in front of dog, at length of lead (on the ground with foot on end). Return around back of dog.

5. Down Stay*: 2 minutes - Handler in front of dog, at length of lead (on the ground with foot on end) Return around back of dog.

*Stays are completed as a group exercise, with dogs approximately 1.5m apart. Handler may give occasional reinforcement commands to the dog during the stays.