Moving From IGP1 to IGP2

Moving From IGP1 to IGP2

Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 is a pivotal step. The work is longer, the judging is tighter, and the dog must show more clarity and composure. At Smart Dog Training, we prepare handlers and dogs with a proven system that turns pressure into polished performance. If you are moving from IGP1 to IGP2 this guide lays out the path we use to raise standards without losing drive or joy. Early in your journey, working with a Smart Master Dog Trainer SMDT gives you a clear map, fair accountability, and reliable results.

I have spent years building dogs for top level sport, and the same principles apply when moving from IGP1 to IGP2. The Smart Method is our framework for calm, precise and powerful work. We combine motivation with responsibility so your dog understands the job and loves doing it. Your next title demands more structure, so let us walk you through what changes and how we build it step by step.

What Changes From IGP1 to IGP2

Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 means longer tracks, older scent, more complex corners and stronger article indication. Obedience requires tighter heeling, faster positions, and confident retrieves over obstacles. Protection brings a fuller blind search, deeper guarding, cleaner outs, and steadier transports. The upgrade is not only technical. It is about emotional control under rising pressure.

The Mindset Shift

The biggest difference when moving from IGP1 to IGP2 is the shift from showing skills to proving reliability. The dog must work in a higher arousal state while staying accountable. We build a dog that expects clarity, respects pressure and release, and trusts the picture. That is how you keep strong grips and fast obedience with no confusion.

Handler Skills That Matter

• Plan the session with one clear objective and a defined finish point.
• Mark behaviours with precision. Reward the exact moment you want repeated.
• Use pressure and release fairly. Pressure guides. The release confirms the right choice.
• Track every rep. Video key sessions and score them using your trial rulebook.
• Protect your dog’s emotional state. High effort needs high quality recovery.

The Smart Method For IGP2 Readiness

Smart Dog Training uses five pillars to guide teams that are moving from IGP1 to IGP2. We build clarity with distinct markers and consistent pictures. We apply pressure and release to teach responsibility without conflict. We sustain motivation through smart rewards, engagement, and surprise. We layer progression in small steps until behaviour holds anywhere. We protect trust between dog and handler so performance stays willing and confident.

When you commit to moving from IGP1 to IGP2, these pillars keep training honest. Each pillar shows up in every phase. That is how we create a dog that tracks with purpose, heels with intent, and bites with control.

Tracking For IGP2 Reliability

Tracking is where many teams feel the step up most. Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 often means a track laid by a stranger, longer legs, older scent, and more corners. The dog must stay methodical and committed even when scent is thin and distractions rise.

Motivation First Then Responsibility

We begin by building a deep love of the track. Food placement is dense and predictable at first. The dog learns that nose down commitment pays. As we progress toward moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we thin the food strategically and layer minor challenges. The dog earns success by solving the line with a calm rhythm. That is motivation. Responsibility comes as the dog learns to rework a corner and find the line without handler help. The reward returns only after the dog solves the task.

Corners Articles And Aging

• Corner work: Teach overshoot and rework as a game. Reward the first honest recovery.
• Article indication: Commit to one clear behaviour. Sphinx down or focused stand. Pay big for precision and stillness.
• Aging: Start with short aging, then add minutes slowly. Keep success high. Log wind, cover, and temperature.

When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we also sharpen line handling. The handler must move like a metronome. No tension spikes. No sudden stops. The dog should feel free to work while the line records the story.

Problem Solving For Common Faults

• High nose on light cover: Go back to heavy food in that cover, then thin food in micro steps.
• Cutting corners: Build a corner box of food beyond the corner to reward the turn, not the straight line.
• Article creeping: Pay only for freeze. If the dog creeps, quietly replace and reset. The jackpot comes for stillness.
• Handler pulling: Practice blindfold line handling in a field. Learn to feel the dog without steering.

Obedience That Scores And Holds Under Pressure

Obedience at IGP2 is about picture clarity and speed with control. Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 requires heeling with deeper concentration, clean transitions in pace, and confident positions. Retrieves must be powerful and straight. The recall must be fast and targeted. Every piece must look the same in training and in trial.

Heeling Precision And Focus

We teach heel position as a target, not a hope. Use dynamic reward placement to keep the head and shoulder exactly right. Vary pace and patterns early so the dog learns to adjust without losing position. Build the gunshot picture with distance first. Pair neutral markers with neutral outcomes so the dog learns gunshots predict work, not worry. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 this neutral plan is the difference between confidence and conflict.

Positions Out Of Motion

Split the chain. First teach sit, down, and stand via clean verbal cues from a static heel. Reward the first frame of the position. Then add motion and cue earlier than you think, so the dog lands the position sharply without creeping. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we add proofing. We call for a position as a decoy jogs past at a distance, then pay the dog for staying honest.

Retrieves On Flat And Over Obstacles

Retrieves at IGP2 demand strong drive out, fast pickup, full grip, straight return, and a clean front. Build each part separately. Teach the front hold with stillness games. Teach the send with two dumbbells and a chase reward so speed stays high. Introduce the hurdle and A frame with jump mechanics first. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 our focus is symmetry. The takeoff and landing should look the same on every rep. If form breaks, reduce height and rebuild confidence.

The Long Down Under Distraction

The long down is a test of nerve. We build it as a calm clarity drill. The dog learns that neutrality earns release and reward. Start short, add time in small steps, then add distance and distraction. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we also add decoy movement at range, then pay for stillness. The long down becomes a reset rather than a stress point.

Protection That Shows Control And Power

Protection must express controlled intensity. The judge wants to see a dog that searches with purpose, guards with focus, grips full and calm, and releases cleanly on command. Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 means longer search patterns, stronger guarding, faster outs, and steady transports under pressure.

Blind Search Structure

Build the six blind picture through success. Start with two blinds, then three, then all six. Reward the correct line to the next blind. Keep the path the same every time until the dog shows automatic patterning. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we proof the first pass. No cutting across. Hills, wind shifts, and helper placement are introduced gradually so the dog stays committed to the plan.

Bark And Hold With Clarity

Guarding must be intense but stable. We reinforce bark rhythm and body stillness. The dog learns that the decoy is active only when the bark is clear and the body is honest. If the dog bumps or nips, the picture pauses and the dog yields responsibility. On the first clean bark sequence, the helper reactivates. This fair pressure and release builds accountable guarding as you are moving from IGP1 to IGP2.

Outs And Secondary Control

The out should be a reflex that predicts more work. We teach the out as a clear verbal cue followed by instant reengagement. At first the dog outs to a second bite. Later the dog outs to a guard and a transport. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we add distractions, decoy movement, and handler approaches. The cue must cut through the picture every time.

Drives And Transports

We coach handlers to stay neutral and athletic. Keep the line clean, the body square, and the voice calm. Transports become the place where control shines. A steady dog with focused eyes and a quiet mouth scores well. That steadiness is built through many short correct reps and low emotional pressure. This is a key tipping point when moving from IGP1 to IGP2.

Conditioning And Health For IGP2 Work

Performance depends on a healthy body. If you are moving from IGP1 to IGP2 your dog needs better strength, better jump mechanics, and better recovery.

Jump Mechanics And A Frame Technique

• Teach a consistent takeoff point using ground markers.
• Cue a collected approach and a clean landing to protect joints.
• Lower heights during high volume work, and raise heights only for short quality sets.

Strength And Cardio Programming

• Two strength sessions per week. Focus on hill walks, controlled backing up, and core stability.
• Two aerobic sessions per week. Trotting beside a bike or jogging at a steady pace on soft ground.
• One speed session per week. Short sprints with full recovery.

Warm Up And Cool Down

Warm up with mobility and short position changes. Add a few low jumps before the first real rep. Cool down with a slow leash walk and gentle range of motion. Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 magnifies the cost of poor preparation, so make this routine non negotiable.

Handler Strategy And Trial Day Execution

Great teams win or lose on routine. The jump from IGP1 to IGP2 is easier when your plan removes guesswork.

Handling Under Pressure

• Rehearse the exact heeling pattern with timing cues whispered to yourself.
• Practice silent breathing resets before key cues like the out or the recall.
• Prepare a pre ring routine that brings your dog to the ideal arousal state.

Reading The Dog And Managing The Judge

Present your best picture. If the dog is hot, use a brief neutral pause before the next exercise. If the dog is flat, inject a short look alive routine before you begin. Stand with presence, handle with calm. When you are moving from IGP1 to IGP2 consistency in your rhythm earns trust from the judge and from your dog.

Equipment And Routine Checklist

• Two dumbbells sized properly and checked for tight end caps
• Clean leash, regulation collar, and a spare
• Line and harness for tracking plus articles
• Light reward toys and food for pre and post ring routines
• Weather plan for cover and heat

Common Mistakes When Moving From IGP1 to IGP2

• Training long before the dog understands the picture. Fix by shortening sessions and raising clarity.
• Adding pressure without a clear release. Fix by pairing pressure with an instant path to success.
• Letting trial training replace skill building. Fix by drilling isolated pieces with high reward density.
• Ignoring the handler’s body language. Fix by video and coaching with a Smart Master Dog Trainer SMDT.
• Chasing scores in rehearsal and losing joy. Fix by keeping two to one ratio of wins to challenges.

A Sample 12 Week Plan For Moving From IGP1 to IGP2

Use this outline to structure your push from one title to the next. Adjust the pace to your dog. The quality of reps matters far more than the count.

• Weeks 1 to 2: Reset foundations. Heel target work. Obedience positions from static. Tracking with dense food. Protection focus on bark rhythm and clean outs.
• Weeks 3 to 4: Add motion positions. Introduce jump mechanics at lower height. Tracking with first aging steps and simple corners. Blind search with three blinds.
• Weeks 5 to 6: Flat retrieve mechanics. Long down with mild distraction. Stranger style track layers and stronger corners. Protection with first transport proofing.
• Weeks 7 to 8: Retrieve over hurdle at reduced height. A frame at reduced height. Heeling with pace changes and gunshot neutrality. Full six blind pattern introduced.
• Weeks 9 to 10: Full chains in obedience at eighty percent effort. Tracking with mixed covers and article stillness. Protection with faster outs and stable guarding under movement.
• Weeks 11 to 12: Trial rehearsals at ninety percent intensity with fewer reps. Focus on recovery between sessions. Taper volume in the last week. Keep the dog hungry to work.

When To Seek Professional Support

If you feel stuck while moving from IGP1 to IGP2 it is time for targeted coaching. A Smart Dog Training coach will assess your chain, clean up communication, and design short blocks that fit your dog. We specialise in building clear pictures and real confidence that holds under pressure.

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.

FAQs On Moving From IGP1 To IGP2

How long should it take when moving from IGP1 to IGP2

Most teams need three to six months of focused work. The exact time depends on tracking foundations, retrieve mechanics, and the dog’s emotional control. Smart Dog Training builds a plan that fits your team rather than a generic timeline.

What are the biggest training priorities for IGP2

Tracking responsibility, heeling precision, clean outs, and confident retrieves over obstacles. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 these areas create the largest score swings, so we invest time there first.

How do I keep drive high while adding control

Use short high value reps, fast releases, and clear markers. Separate power drills from control drills, then blend only when each is solid. This is central to the Smart Method for moving from IGP1 to IGP2.

Should I trial during the build

Only if you can protect the picture. Many teams benefit from a mock trial first. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 we often run one rehearsal with full rules, then adjust the plan before a real entry.

What if my dog struggles with the out

Rebuild the out as a cue that predicts more work. Out to a quick reengagement, then to a guard, then to a calm transport. Smart Dog Training uses pressure and release with immediate reward to keep the out fast and clean while moving from IGP1 to IGP2.

How do I handle inconsistent tracking

Lower difficulty in one dimension at a time. Add food density, reduce aging, or choose easier cover, but not all at once. When moving from IGP1 to IGP2 change only one variable per session to teach responsibility.

Do I need specialist coaching

If progress stalls, yes. A Smart Master Dog Trainer SMDT will see patterns you miss and fix them fast. Strategic coaching saves months when moving from IGP1 to IGP2.

Conclusion

Moving from IGP1 to IGP2 is a test of structure, clarity, and trust. With the Smart Method, we build dogs that work with power and precision, and handlers who deliver calm leadership under pressure. If you want consistent scores and a dog that loves the work, choose the team that sets the standard across the UK.

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