Every dog can jump since early age and does it very gladly. If you have a puppy, you have definitely made sure of that.
Now we need to train a dog to do it on your command. Let's start with the dog jump barrier not more than 45 cm high. Start walking with the dog on a lead, take it to the barrier and jump over it yourself simultaneously commanding 'Jump!'.
No doubt, your pet will follow your example. Praise the dog for it and give some treat. You may gradually increase the dog training barrier height after some lessons. Besides, having jumped over the barrier you should jump back saying the 'Jump!' command. Repeat this exercise several times. Then you should give the command again, but not jump yourself. Having jumped over the barrier the dog will be confused that you haven't followed it, and it will quickly jump back to be together with the owner. That's exactly what we strive for.
After several dog command training lessons the pet will understand that it should jump over the barrier, and then come back to the owner, even without a dog lead. Your aim is to teach the dog jump from the position standing on your left, then to come back on your command, and stand next to you on the command. You mustn't force, scold or punish the dog if it doesn't want to jump or does it clumsily. This exercise should be an exciting game for the dog.
In case of mistake, just don't praise and treat the dog. At the same time you shouldn't stint your praise, if your pet performs the command properly.
Dog steeplechase exercises look the same as jumping over a low barrier. At the first lessons you should make a barrier quite low and step over it together with the dog holding it on a lead. Gradually increasing the barrier you should demand from the dog to jump over the it, and you just pass round it from the side.
Then you may let the dog free from the dog lead. When the dog learns to take the barrier and go over the obstacles, you may combine these two exercises with fetching. Of course, the dog should already master this command by that time. The dog's position is on the left from you. You should throw the fetching item over the barrier, and then say the following dog commands one after another: 'Fetch!', 'Jump!', 'Come!', 'Give!', 'Heel!'. If you don't spare time and have enough patience, you can achieve perfect results in dog jumping training, and in dog steeplechase.
You mustn't be carried away by these exercises excessively. They look very spectacular and motivate the owner to show his dog's abilities in front of his friends, not taking into consideration the fact the dog is already tired. You shouldn't misuse the fact that the dog performs such exercises with pleasure. If the dog feels tired, it will start making mistakes, which may become systematic.
Dog training supplies for the best results in jumping training:
