Teaching your dog a jump is an essential skill for canine sports such as agility. In fact, a standard agility course includes 15 or more jumps! Teaching a jump also helps build your relationship with your dog as well as your dog’s physical strength. It is a skill that any size dog can learn. However, be sure to check with your veterinarian to ensure that jumping is a safe activity for your dog.

Pivoting, a behavior that requires a dog to change direction by moving her rear end while keeping her feet in place, is an essential skill for many canine sports including obedience, rally, freestyle, agility, and more. It is also a terrific way to work on hind-end awareness.