IGP Competition Checklist

Why This IGP Competition Checklist Matters

Stepping onto a trial field should feel calm, clear, and controlled. That only happens with a plan. This IGP competition checklist gives you a start to finish system so nothing is left to chance. At Smart Dog Training we use the Smart Method to bring structure and confidence to every phase. A certified Smart Master Dog Trainer will walk you through each step so you and your dog are ready for the real world demands of trial day.

Use this IGP competition checklist as your roadmap. You will tighten your training, reduce stress, and make better choices under pressure. It is the same structured approach our team uses for handlers at every level, from first timers to seasoned competitors.

The Smart Method Behind Your Trial Plan

Smart Dog Training builds trial performance on five pillars. They guide how we use this IGP competition checklist and how we coach you on the field.

• Clarity. Precise markers and cues tell your dog exactly when they are right.
• Pressure and Release. Fair guidance with an instant release builds understanding and accountability.
• Motivation. Food, toys, and praise create strong, happy responses.
• Progression. We increase distraction, duration, and difficulty step by step until it holds up anywhere.
• Trust. Consistent training strengthens the bond and keeps the dog willing and confident.

These pillars reduce doubt and remove conflict. With the Smart Method your IGP competition checklist becomes more than a list. It becomes a path to reliable performance.

IGP Competition Checklist

Below you will find a complete IGP competition checklist broken into clear sections. Work through them in order and you will arrive at trial day calm and prepared.

1. Paperwork and Registration

• Memberships. Ensure club membership and national body registration are current. Have proof on hand.
• Dog paperwork. Keep pedigree, microchip, and vaccination records in a single folder. Add a passport if you need travel.
• Scorebook. Verify entries, past results, and space for the new trial.
• Entry form. Fill it in clearly, check the level, and confirm your details match the scorebook.
• Rules version. Read the current rule set provided in your Smart Dog Training materials so there are no surprises on the field.

2. Health and Welfare Checks

• Veterinary check. Confirm your dog is fit for tracking, jumping, and protection.
• Conditioning status. Assess weight, hydration, coat, and feet. Trim nails and check pads for wear.
• Injury plan. If you see stiffness or soreness, pause high impact work and use low stress training until cleared.
• Heat and weather. Prepare shade, water, and cooling routines for warm days. Prepare warm layers and a dry crate for cold or wet days.

3. Essential Kit and Equipment

Pack your bag a week out and do one full rehearsal. This is a core part of the IGP competition checklist. Keep items grouped by phase.

• Crate and vehicle setup. Safe crate, slip resistant mat, water, and ventilation.
• Tracking kit. Line, tracking harness, flags, articles, scent box, and treats if used in training.
• Obedience kit. Flat collar, long line, dumbbells, retrieve stand if you use one in practice, toys, and food rewards.
• Protection kit. Muzzle for off field work if needed, tug toy, and post work recovery snacks.
• Welfare kit. Towels, first aid, tick tweezers, sun cover, and poop bags.
• Handler items. Stopwatch, spare leads, spare collar, spare line, spare gloves, whistle if used for recall proofing in training, and a clipboard for notes.

4. Tracking Phase Preparation

Tracking is about rhythm and responsibility. Smart Dog Training builds a clear start ritual and a consistent pace so the dog works with intent.

• Start ritual. Rehearse the same leash handling, harness routine, and scent start every time.
• Line handling. Practice line management with zero tangles and smooth feed. Use marks in a field to check your own pace.
• Articles. Train strong article indication in isolation. Then blend back into full tracks without confusion.
• Corners and aging. Run short tracks with clean corners and long tracks with aging. Vary ground and weather.
• Proofing. Introduce light cross tracks, food on the track if allowed in training, and natural disturbances. Increase difficulty only when the dog is calm and correct.
• Tracking checklist on the day. Warm up with a short focus pattern, confirm the wind, gear your dog, then move to the start with quiet confidence.

5. Obedience Phase Preparation

Smart Dog Training builds engagement first, then precision, then pressure and release, and finally consistency with distractions. This order keeps the dog clear and willing.

• Heeling picture. Reinforce focused position and tempo changes. Practice straight lines, corners, and attention under noise.
• Recall clarity. Mark the instant the dog commits to you. Reward to the front or to heel based on the exercise.
• Retrieve skills. Build grip, calm hold, and fast return separately. Only add jumps when hold and recall are strong.
• Send away. Teach a clear target and a strong down with calm body language.
• Group and neutrality. Practice passive stays with people and dogs at varying distances. Reward the dog for staying in the pocket mentally.
• Ring routine. Rehearse the exact order and handler movements as laid out in your Smart Dog Training plan.

6. Protection Phase Preparation

Protection requires control with drive. The Smart Method balances motivation and accountability so the dog works with power and clarity.

• Search pattern. Teach a tidy blind search with consistent cues and reinforcement.
• Bark and hold. Reward steady rhythm and full commitment without forward creep.
• Out command. Use fair pressure and instant release to teach reliable letting go. Pay the release with a quick win so the dog stays confident.
• Reengagement control. Reward the dog for waiting for your cue rather than self launching.
• Transport and guarding. Practice neat heel positions between exercises and neutral behavior around the helper.
• Drive recovery. After bites use calm handling and a settled routine to return the dog to a thinking state.

7. Conditioning and Recovery Plan

Your IGP competition checklist must include physical preparation. Fitness reduces injury and gives your dog a steady rhythm through all three phases.

• Strength. Hill walks, low jumps, and controlled tug build the right muscles.
• Cardio. Long trotting, bike trotting for advanced teams, and interval play sessions.
• Flexibility. Simple range of motion drills and warm down walks.
• Recovery. Two easy days after heavy sessions. Massage, hydration, and sleep in a quiet crate.

8. Food, Hydration, and Energy

• Trial week meals. Keep the same food and timing. Avoid new treats or extras.
• Trial day plan. Light breakfast early. Water often in small amounts. Use high value rewards only in warm up.
• Post phase snacks. If your dog drops energy, offer a small snack after tracking or protection, then let them rest.

9. Proofing That Holds Up Anywhere

Proofing turns training into performance. Smart Dog Training layers distraction, duration, and distance in a planned way.

• Distractions. Add noise, people, food, and other dogs one at a time. Mark the right choice.
• Duration. Hold positions for longer times before adding harder distractions.
• Distance. Increase your distance after the dog shows they understand the position and the release.
• Mixed routines. Rehearse the entire order with a steward so the dog learns the flow and you learn pacing.
• Surface changes. Train on grass, dirt, and synthetic surfaces if possible.

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.

10. Trial Day Timeline

A calm, repeatable timeline is part of a strong IGP competition checklist. Build your plan then stick to it.

• Arrival. Reach the venue early. Park in shade or with airflow. Walk your dog to toilet and loosen up.
• Check in. Present paperwork, confirm your order, and note the location of each phase.
• Crate time. Settle your dog in the crate with light cover. Keep the area quiet and consistent.
• Warm up windows. Plan short, sharp warm ups before each phase. Less is more.
• Recovery. After each phase, praise, water, and rest. Save training feedback for later.

11. Ring Etiquette and Stewarding

• Respect the judge. Listen carefully. If unsure, ask for the instruction once, politely.
• Follow the steward. Move when told, stand where asked, and handle your dog with quiet hands.
• Neutral handling. On and off the field, keep your dog close and calm. Your dog reads your posture.

12. Warm Up Routines That Work

Warm up is where you set the emotional state. Smart Dog Training keeps it short and focused.

• Tracking warm up. One short focus drill and a calm walk to the start. Avoid overworking the nose.
• Obedience warm up. Two or three engagement bursts, one to two precision reps, then put the dog away still wanting more.
• Protection warm up. One or two quick power games away from the field if allowed, then settle the dog.

13. Handler Mindset and Nerves

Dogs take their cue from you. The Smart Method builds trust through clarity. Your IGP competition checklist should include mental habits for calm control.

• Breathe and reset. Use a slow inhale and longer exhale routine before you step on the field.
• Self talk. Use one phrase that triggers focus, such as here we go or work with me.
• Pre trial walk. Move with purpose for five minutes. Keep your shoulders down and your hands soft.
• Focus on the next cue. Do not chase points in your head. Give the next marker at the right moment and move on.

14. Scoring Awareness Without Obsession

Know what the judge is looking for, but do not let it change your handling. Smart Dog Training teaches you to handle the dog you have on the day.

• Tracking. Pace, line handling, corner accuracy, and clear article indication.
• Obedience. Attention, transitions, straight fronts, clean finishes, and confidence over jumps.
• Protection. Targeting, grip, guarding, clear outs, and control between exercises.

15. Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes

• Over warming up. Keep energy in the bank. Two minutes of engagement beats twenty minutes of drills.
• Handler chatter. Use only the allowed cues. Extra words create noise and cost points.
• Rushed transitions. Slow down your steps between exercises. Clear breaks help the dog reset.
• Forgotten gear. Use the gear list section of this IGP competition checklist and pack the night before.
• Chasing a bad rep. If something goes wrong, finish the phase with calm handling. Adjust in training later.

16. Post Trial Review

Your IGP competition checklist ends with a review. This is where growth happens.

• Immediate notes. Write two wins and two improvements for each phase within one hour.
• Video review. Watch at normal speed, then slow motion. Note handler timing and the dog’s emotional state.
• Plan updates. Feed your notes into your next four week plan using the Smart Method pillars.
• Recovery first. Give your dog two easy days. Light walks, simple engagement, and extra rest.

Deep Dive Sections To Lock In Performance

Building Rock Solid Start Lines

Every phase starts before the first cue. Smart Dog Training trains a start line routine so the dog enters work mode the same way every time.

• Marker for readiness. A quiet good and a gentle touch on the chest tells the dog they are in the game.
• Handler posture. Shoulders relaxed, leash still, eyes forward.
• Release philosophy. When you add mild pressure, release the instant the dog offers the right choice. This builds responsibility without friction.

Article Indication That Never Wavers

Many points are lost on articles. Use this IGP competition checklist to keep it crisp.

• Separate the skill. Train articles in a neutral place. Reward the down or sit and the nose on the item.
• Blend with tracks. Start with short lines that include one article. Increase distance and aging as the dog stays sure.
• Handler habit. Freeze the line when the dog hits the article. Let the behavior finish before you mark and reward in training.

Retrieve Mechanics That Earn Points

• Hold and calm mouth. Reward stillness, not chewing.
• Launch and land. Train the jump alone first. Add the dumbbell only when the arc is smooth.
• Front and finish. Reward straight sits to the front, then clean finishes. Do not rush both at once.

Out Command With Confidence

Smart Dog Training uses pressure and release for clear letting go. Pair a fair cue with an instant release and a quick new win to keep the dog willing.

• Teach on a tug first. When the dog opens, mark and pay with another bite. Build trust that out does not end the game.
• Transition to sleeve work with the same pattern. The rules stay the same.
• Proof with simple distractions. Add more only when the out is automatic.

Environmental Neutrality

Trial fields have noise, dogs, helpers, and crowds. Your IGP competition checklist should include neutral time on new grounds.

• Quiet visits. Sit with your dog near fields without training. Reward calm observation.
• Micro sessions. One or two reps of engagement then leave. Keep the dog fresh and curious.
• Crate calm. Train resting in the crate at busy venues so the dog learns to switch off.

Putting It All Together

Use this IGP competition checklist as a living document. Update it after each session and trial. The Smart Method will keep you on track. If you want direct coaching on any step, our team will help you build a clear plan and stay accountable from first track to final out.

Ready to step onto the field with confidence? Book a Free Assessment and speak with a certified Smart Master Dog Trainer about your IGP goals.

FAQs

How far out should I start using an IGP competition checklist?

Start eight to twelve weeks before your trial. That gives time to review paperwork, build fitness, proof critical skills, and run full rehearsals. Smart Dog Training will map those weeks through the Smart Method so each step progresses cleanly.

What should I do the day before the trial?

Keep it light and calm. Pack your gear using this IGP competition checklist, do a short engagement session, take a relaxed walk, and rest. Avoid heavy drills or new training.

How long should my warm up be?

Short and sharp. Two to five minutes of engagement and one or two precision reps. The goal is to spark focus and leave your dog wanting more. Smart Dog Training keeps this routine the same at every event.

What if my dog struggles with the out on the field?

Handle with calm and clarity. Give the cue once, support fairly, and release the instant the dog lets go. After the trial, rebuild with Smart Dog Training using pressure and release paired with strong rewards so the dog stays confident.

How do I manage trial nerves?

Use a simple breath routine and a single focus phrase. Rehearse your ring steps until they feel automatic. Train the handler as well as the dog. Smart Dog Training builds this into your IGP competition checklist so your mind is ready.

Do I need a coach for my first trial?

A coach speeds up learning and reduces stress. A Smart Master Dog Trainer will guide you through tracking, obedience, and protection, and help you avoid common pitfalls. You can study and practice alone, but expert guidance keeps you efficient and fair to your dog.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Your success on the field is the product of clear steps taken week after week. This IGP competition checklist gives you those steps. With the Smart Method, you build clarity, pair fair pressure and release with strong rewards, progress your work until it holds up anywhere, and deepen trust with your dog. Make this plan your routine and your trial day will feel familiar and calm.

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