Mondioring is an F.C.I. authorized international protection sport developed in the late 1980s by representatives from every major country with a protection sport.
This "new" dogsport was designed to "level the playing field" and allow competitors from any of the world's disciplines to compete in a common dog sport. French Ring, Belgian Ring, IPO (SchH) and KNPV all were represented. The result is a dog sport that combines the best of all of these sports: Mondioring.
Like most protection sports, Mondioring has a series of exercises to be executed by the dog/handler team in the categories of obedience, agility (jumps) and protection. At the Mondioring III level, there are a total of 17 exercises, completed without interruption, and lasting approximately 45 minutes. An interesting possibility in Mondioring is that a dog that has titled in another protection sport - for example French Ring or Schutzhund - is allowed to enter Mondioring at the level that it has achieved in its own country.
The obedience in Mondioring is based on functionality with the emphasis being on control in spite of distraction. The jumps in Mondioring test the structure and willingness of the dog. The protection phase of the competition requires that the dog demonstrate tremendous control. A Mondioring dog competes at each level without collar or leash throughout the trial, thus testing the control of the animal from the very beginning. The complexity of the trial field, combined with the demands of extreme control combine to require that the dog be clear-headed with excellent character.
Each trial (competition) is based in a theme - much like a theatre set up on a field. Props, scenarios, distractions are placed at strategic points on the trial field. While the exercises remain the same from trial to trial, the order and the setup will change with each judge's own creativity. No two trials are ever alike, thus preventing the possibility of preparing the dog 'by rote.'
Mondioring has grown steadily in the United States since the first trial in 2000. There are several full-member clubs and a variety of other clubs forming around the country. There are currently no clubs in the UK but we do have "John Rumble", who won the 2011 Mondioring World Championship in Switzerland.
Mondioring titles are recognized internationally. Each year, teams compete in the International Championship of Mondioring in Europe. An interesting note is that international competition is quite "do-able," because it is still a relatively small organization in a new sport.
Mondioring Level 1 Trial
Published on 25 Oct 2012 - courtesy of Leerburg Productions
"For those of you have not had the opportunity to see a Mondio trial, we thought you would enjoy seeing Forrest Micke and his dog, Elzer, securing the first leg of their Mondioring 1 title..."
Basic Principles
Mondioring's main principle is to:
♦ to entertain the audience
Test guidelines:
♦ dog's skills
♦ dog's level of education
♦ handler's skills
♦ and especially, the dog's genetic inheritance
The program consists of three disciplines;
1. Obedience exercises
2. Agility exercises
3. Bitework exercises.
The Decoy
Without analyzing the work of the Decoy technically, there are three golden rules never to be forgotten:
1. The Decoy will be absolutely impartial
2. He will never inflict, in any manner, physical pain upon the dog
3. He will have to behave as if he were not wearing a protective bite suit and therefore, use promptness, deception, threats and dodging to defend himself or impress the dog - the Decoy will in no case strike the dog with the baton.
What is Mondioring Training?