© 2004 Copyright of Sally Hopkins - www.dog-games.co.uk - BOUNCE & HAND

BOUNCE & HAND - EQUIPMENT NEEDED

In addition to the equipment used in Hand you will need -

At least two 8 inch/20cm high flyball jumps. Their dimensions and templates for making your own can be downloaded from this website. It is possible to teach a dog the principles of Bounce & Hand using only two jumps. One jump can be placed on or near the jump 4 marker (which is 15ft/4.5m from the black rubber mat) while the other one can gradually be moved further down the lane, as the dog progresses, until it is on jump 1 marker. This jump can then be used as the first jump as the dog is sent to the mat, and also the last jump on its return. Some Dog-Games handlers buy either one or a pair of jumps and then get together to make a set of four as the training progresses. They may ask us for contact details of other handlers in their area by looking at We Do Dog-Games. However, it is Dog-Games policy that no one's personal details are given without their written permission on each and every occasion.

VERY RARELY USED -

Very occasionally wings may be used to make the flyball jumps seem wider on either side, and to stop those dogs that persistently run round the jumps rather than over them. These can either be agility training or competition wings, or home made screens - even people standing with their back to the dog and their legs slightly apart can be used if nothing else is readily available! However, we strongly recommend that you do not use wings or other physical barriers as it is all too easy for handlers, trainers and dogs to become too dependent on these very visual training aids and the dog never learns to choose to jump. Remember, these aids will not be there to help your dog when you do a Dog-Game stage. Therefore, it is far better to teach the dog slowly and thoroughly each part of Bounce & Hand, without resorting to the use of wings, so that the dog really understands that it has to jump in order to get its motivator.