How to Start IGP With Your Dog

How to Start IGP With Your Dog

If you are wondering how to start IGP with your dog, you are in the right place. IGP blends tracking, obedience, and protection into one sport. It demands calm focus, precise control, and a stable mind. At Smart Dog Training we use the Smart Method to prepare dogs and handlers from the first session to the trial field. A certified Smart Master Dog Trainer will guide you through clear steps so your dog learns safely and with real confidence.

This guide explains how to start IGP with your dog in a way that builds strong foundations. You will learn what IGP is, how the Smart Method works, when to begin, and how to build the key skills. We cover tracking, obedience, and protection basics, the gear you need, your first twelve weeks, common mistakes, and how to prepare for the BH VT. Everything here reflects the structured approach we deliver every day across the UK.

What IGP Is and Why It Matters

IGP is a three phase dog sport. There is tracking, obedience, and protection. It tests your teamwork under rules that reward accuracy, calm power, and control. The goal is a stable dog that can work with clarity and purpose. You do not need a perfect dog to begin. You need a clear plan, fair guidance, and consistent practice.

Smart Dog Training builds this through step by step progression. We keep your dog motivated and focused. We grow skills in layers so the dog can handle distractions and pressure. That is how to start IGP with your dog without stress or confusion.

The Smart Method Approach to IGP

The Smart Method is our system for reliable behaviour in real life and in sport. Every IGP plan we deliver follows five pillars.

• Clarity. Commands and markers are precise so the dog always knows what to do.
• Pressure and Release. We give fair guidance and clear release so the dog learns accountability without conflict.
• Motivation. Rewards build engagement and a positive mind so the dog wants to work.
• Progression. We add duration, difficulty, and distraction in steps until skills hold anywhere.
• Trust. Training strengthens the bond between you and your dog so you get calm and confident behaviour.

These pillars shape how to start IGP with your dog from day one. A Smart Master Dog Trainer uses this structure to keep progress smooth and measurable.

Is Your Dog a Good Candidate

Most healthy dogs can benefit from IGP style training. The ideal candidate enjoys food or toys, likes to learn, and recovers quickly after new sights or sounds. Your dog should be physically sound and free from pain. Strong nerves and stable character help, and we can grow these traits with the right plan.

If you are unsure how to start IGP with your dog, begin with an assessment. We check drive, grip on toys, hunt for scent, and response to noise and movement. We also look at how your dog deals with handler guidance. From there we design a programme that fits your dog and your goals.

What Age to Begin and Early Foundations

You can start early foundations with a young puppy. Formal trial skills come later, yet you can build focus, food drive, toy play, and confidence right away. Keep sessions short and fun. Avoid high impact work until growth plates close. We will advise on safe timing for your breed and size.

For young dogs we focus on engagement. The dog learns to enjoy working with you above all else. That is the heart of how to start IGP with your dog the right way. Once engagement is reliable, we layer tracking games, basic positions, and controlled play that prepares for protection.

Building Motivation and Engagement

Motivation powers the sport. Smart Dog Training builds it on purpose.

• Food drive. Use small tasty rewards. Mark and pay for eye contact, following, and fast responses.
• Toy play. Teach a calm full grip on a tug. Teach an out on command. Keep wins frequent.
• Personal play. Use praise and touch to keep the dog linked to you, not just the toy.
• Session flow. Short and upbeat. End with the dog wanting more.

When you plan how to start IGP with your dog, make motivation your first habit. The sport gets harder. Motivation keeps your dog trying when pressure rises.

Marker Words and Clarity in Commands

Clarity speeds learning. We teach a simple marker system.

• Good. A calm bridge for ongoing behaviour.
• Yes. A release to the reward.
• No reward marker. A neutral reset. No scold, no emotion.
• Out. Clean release of the toy on command.

Pair each marker with a result every time. That consistency is central to how to start IGP with your dog and keep your communication clean.

Pressure and Release with Fairness

IGP requires accountability. Smart Dog Training uses pressure and release that is fair and light. We guide, then release the moment the dog makes the right choice. The release is the reward. This builds a dog that takes responsibility without conflict.

We combine this with strong motivation. The dog learns that effort and focus bring relief and reward. That balance is the Smart Method. It is how to start IGP with your dog while keeping trust intact.

Tracking Foundations

Tracking teaches a calm mind and deep focus. Start simple.

• Hunt drive. Scatter food in short grass and let your dog use its nose without pulling you.
• Footstep tracking. Lay short straight tracks with a treat in each step. Use a line and harness. Keep the line quiet.
• Indication habits. When your dog finds an article, mark and reward in place. Keep the dog calm and precise.
• Progression. Add length, corners, and light wind as your dog stays steady.

In our programmes, we set clear rules from the first steps. Nose down, steady pace, and a clean line. That is how to start IGP with your dog so tracking becomes a stable skill, not a race.

Obedience Foundations

Obedience in IGP is about precision and joy. We shape positions and movement with energy and control.

• Heel position. Build it with luring, then a target, then free shaping. Reward a high head and tight position.
• Sits downs stands. Teach fast and straight responses from heel and from motion.
• Recall. Make the recall a game. Reward speed and a clean front position, then a quiet finish.
• Retrieve. Build a calm hold on a dumbbell. Reward stillness first, then add movement and jumps later.

We split each skill into small steps. We proof each step in low distraction first. That is the Smart Method way and the best answer to how to start IGP with your dog and keep progress smooth.

Protection Foundations

Protection in IGP is about control and clear targets. It is never about uncontrolled aggression. We build drive in a safe way with structure and rules. Only train this phase under expert guidance from Smart Dog Training. Do not attempt bite development on your own.

• Prey games. Teach chase on cue and stillness on cue. The dog learns to switch on and off.
• Grip quality. Build a calm full grip on the tug. No chewing, no thrashing.
• Out on command. The release is trained with clarity, then rewarded at once.
• Nerve and confidence. Introduce movement, noise, and spatial pressure in small steps so the dog stays clear headed.

A Smart Master Dog Trainer will progress your dog only when control is solid. This is how to start IGP with your dog and keep the protection phase precise and safe.

Equipment You Need

You do not need a lot to begin. Start with simple, high quality kit.

• Flat collar and well fitted harness.
• Long line for tracking.
• Short lead for obedience.
• Tug toy and a ball on a string for play and grip work.
• Tracking articles and flags.
• Treat pouch and high value food.

Smart Dog Training will advise on fit and safe use. Good kit supports clarity and comfort, which is key when planning how to start IGP with your dog.

Your First Twelve Weeks Plan

Here is a simple plan that reflects how we structure early training. Adjust volume and pace to your dog.

• Weeks 1 to 2. Engagement games, marker system, food drive, toy play with clean outs.
• Weeks 3 to 4. Short footstep tracks with food, heel foundations with attention, calm holds on a tug.
• Weeks 5 to 6. Add corners in tracking, sits and downs with speed, recall games, controlled arousal on the tug.
• Weeks 7 to 8. Article indication, heeling with turns, start hold and bark foundations under coaching only.
• Weeks 9 to 10. Longer tracks with light wind, retrieve hold proofing, out under mild pressure with fast pay.
• Weeks 11 to 12. Mini mock sessions for flow. Track, then obedience, then controlled play. Keep it short and upbeat.

Keep records of sessions. Note what worked and what needs work. That log helps your trainer adjust the plan. This is a real world map of how to start IGP with your dog that keeps you honest and on track.

Find Coaching and Safe Spaces

Quality coaching matters. IGP has rules and skills that take expert eyes to shape. Smart Dog Training delivers this through the Smart Method and a national network. We create safe environments for protection work and keep tracking sites clean and controlled. If you want to know how to start IGP with your dog with confidence, work with a certified SMDT who understands progression and accountability.

Ready to turn your dog’s behaviour around? Book a Free Assessment and connect with a certified Smart Master Dog Trainer - available across the UK.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping foundations. If engagement is weak, everything else wobbles.
• Long sessions. Stop while your dog still wants more.
• Muddled markers. If your words change, your dog will hesitate.
• Too much pressure. Use guidance that is fair and light, then release fast for correct choices.
• Chasing scores too soon. Build habits first. Points come later.
• DIY protection. Bite work needs expert handling. Keep it safe and structured with Smart Dog Training.

Many teams struggle because they rush or mix systems. The Smart Method gives you one clear path. Follow it and you will feel the difference.

Prepare for the BH VT

The BH VT is your first formal step. It tests obedience and temperament in public. We prepare you through progressive proofing that reflects real life. Your dog learns to work near dogs, people, noise, and movement without losing clarity.

• Heel patterns with changes of pace and turns.
• Sit in motion and down in motion with a recall.
• Down stay with handler out of sight.
• Temperament checks in traffic and around another dog.

If you ask how to start IGP with your dog and reach the BH VT on your first attempt, the answer is to build calm focus first, then layer distraction. A Smart Master Dog Trainer will set the right challenges at the right time.

Next Steps After the BH VT

With the BH VT done, you can aim at IGP 1. We maintain tracking consistency, increase obedience precision, and shape protection routines with more control. We protect the dog’s joy while we add more responsibility. That is how to start IGP with your dog and keep rising through the titles without burning out.

We also look at handler skills. Your footwork, timing, and line handling matter. Smart Dog Training coaches you so your dog gets the same picture every rep. The team improves together.

FAQs

Can any breed learn IGP

Many breeds can start foundations. Strong nerves, good health, and motivation help. We assess each dog and design a plan. That is the safest way to decide how to start IGP with your dog.

How old should my dog be to begin

You can start engagement and simple tracking games with a puppy. Formal protection and impact work wait until the body and mind are ready. We will guide safe timing for your dog.

Do I need special equipment to start

No. A flat collar, harness, long line, short lead, a tug, a ball, and food are enough. We will advise on fit and use so you know how to start IGP with your dog without wasting money.

Is protection training safe

Yes when done under expert coaching in a controlled setting. We build control and confidence first. We never allow uncontrolled aggression. Safety and clarity come before power.

How often should we train

Short daily sessions work best for engagement and obedience. Tracking two to four times per week is common. Protection is scheduled with a trainer. Quality beats volume.

How long before my first BH VT

Most teams need several months of consistent work. Time varies with age, experience, and practice. The Smart Method keeps progress steady so your first test feels smooth.

Can I train alone

You can build engagement, markers, obedience basics, and tracking foundations on your own. Protection and trial prep need expert eyes. A certified SMDT will keep you safe and efficient.

What if my dog is reactive

We can help. We stabilise behaviour first, then add sport goals. With structure and trust many reactive dogs learn to work with calm focus.

Conclusion

Now you know how to start IGP with your dog in a structured way. Build motivation, add clarity with markers, guide with fair pressure and fast release, and progress step by step. Smart Dog Training delivers this through the Smart Method so you get real progress without confusion. With certified Smart Master Dog Trainers across the UK, you can begin with confidence and keep moving toward your goals.

Your dog deserves training that truly works. With certified Smart Master Dog Trainers (SMDTs) nationwide, you'll get proven results backed by the UK's most trusted dog training network. Find a Trainer Near You