This DVD will teach trainers and dog handlers how to establish a proper foundation for the object guard for the various ring sports such as Mondioring and French Ring sport competition.

The object guard is one of the most difficult exercises in all dog sports. In a competition the dog is left alone with an object while the handler moves out of site. When the decoy approaches the dog guarding the object, the dog must bite on its own and release without an OUT command.

Michael explains exactly what a dog should know before it starts object guard training. You will learn why Michael prefers to begin teaching this exercise at 7 to 9 months of age. We show the very first training sessions on a number of young dogs.

We also show the 3rd and 4th training lesson on Cindy's dog Rush and then the dog in training a year later.

Dogs that start object guard training later in life have often been exposed to a great deal of obedience. When that happens these dogs get "STICKY" – meaning they get stuck on the object and it becomes difficult to get the dog to leave the object to bite the decoy. This is demonstrated by showing a dog that isn’t started until its 18 months old. You will see what happens when a dog "STICKS" and the training steps to help a dog get over the problem.

The end of the video shows Michael Ellis and his dog Pi in an actual Mondioring three competition doing the object guard.