HAND - BRONZE © 2004 Copyright of Sally Hopkins

HAND - BRONZE

Having completed Starters, the dog is now able to do Hand - ie retrieve a "ball" from a black rubber mat that is 51ft from the start/finish poles, return through the finish poles to its handler and place the "ball" in the handler's hand in exchange for its motivator.

Bronze level concentrates on training the dog to consistently do Hand correctly while also teaching the dog to do the Game pointing in different directions. The handler raises his expectations of what he wants the dog to do, while the dog gains a deeper understanding of what is expected of it through thorough training methods.

It is tempting to rush dogs through their basic training in our eagerness to show how clever our dogs can be. However, in the early stages of training an exercise, many dogs are accidentally doing it correctly.

This can be because of -

coincidence
because it is watching the handler's unconscious body movements (ie not necessarily those chosen by the handler to be the visual commands for the exercise)
or because it has associated the environment with the exercise rather than the handler's visual and spoken commands, so that the dog cannot understand what is required from it when asked to do the exercise in a new direction or location.

The Bronze stage helps overcome these difficulties.

Having successfully achieved a certificate in Bronze, a dog must not attempt another Bronze certificate for at least an hour (it is preferable that the stages should be done on different days so that the handler and trainer can check whether the dog has really learnt and understood the Game). Combining this time delay with turning the Hand lane round so that the dog has to run in a different direction, helps to reinforce the exercise for handler and dog.

TRAINING

See Guidelines for a full explanation of how to set up for success. Ideally the dog should be trained in exactly the same location that it was first taught Recall.

Training and test for 1^st certificate

Dog does a Hand run with the "ball" on the mat 51ft from the poles - but in the opposite direction from the one done in Starters. As with all Dog-Games, the handler must instantly reward the dog with its motivator as soon as the "ball" is in their hand. A Certificate will be awarded for doing 5 correct runs in a row with no errors in the training session. The dog can then progress to the 2^nd certificate.

Change the layout of the Hand training area (making new marks for the poles and the mat area) so that the dog runs in the opposite direction to that done in Starters.

Training and test for 2^nd Certificate

Dog does a Hand run with the "ball" on the mat 51ft from the poles - but in the opposite direction from the 1^st certificate, or in a new part of the training area, or at a new training venue. As with all Dog-Games, the handler must instantly reward the dog with its motivator as soon as the "ball" is in their hand. A Certificate will be awarded for doing 5 correct runs in a row with no errors in the training session. The dog can then progress to the 3rd certificate.

Either use the lane and direction as used for Starters or relocate the training area to another part of the venue. Remember to mark out the positions of the poles, and the mat location.

Training and test for 3^rd Certificate

Dog does a Hand run with the "ball" on the mat 51ft from the poles - but in the opposite direction from the 2^nd certificate. As with all Dog-Games, the handler must instantly reward the dog with its motivator as soon as the "ball" is in their hand. A Certificate will be awarded for doing 5 correct runs in a row with no errors in the training session.

Rotate the lane from the 2^nd certificate so that the Hand lane is in the opposite direction (remembering to mark the new locations of the poles and the mat)

The dog has now earned its Bronze Hand rosette.

The dog can now progress on to Silver Hand

*With each certificate, please send in your Dog-Games Entry Form giving the details of where and when you passed the Bronze Hand certificate and with the appropriate fees.

As soon as the Entry Form and fees are received the Dog-Games staff will enter your dog's details on the website Roll of Honour, so that you have a record of its achievements as it progresses through the Dog-Games, and your certificate (and your rosette when you gain the third certificate) will be posted to you.

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