Jump Through ArmsDog leaps through a hoop formed by your arms
A dramatic trick that looks harder than it is. Start with a hula hoop on the ground, progress to holding it low, then replace it with your arms. The target stick guides the dog through. Not for puppies or dogs with joint issues.
Also known as: Hoop Jump, Through
At a glance
- Tier
- 4 · Expert
- Time to fluency
- 4–8 weeks
- Practice
- 3× per week, 5 min each
- Equipment
- A hula hoop, Target stick, Small soft treats
Prerequisites
Your dog should know these words first:
How to teach jump through arms
Lure
Start with a hoop on the ground, lure through, then raise it
- Place a hula hoop flat on the ground and lure the dog through for treats
- Raise the hoop 2 inches at a time, rewarding each pass-through
- Once the dog clears a 12-inch hoop, switch to your arms in a circle
- Keep your arm circle large at first, then shrink it
Hand Signal
Form the arm circle and present the target stick on the far side
- Use the target stick through the hoop to guide the dog
- The target stick tip on the far side gives the dog a clear destination
- Fade the stick once the dog jumps through the arms reliably
Verbal Cue
The word sends the dog through your arm circle
- Say the word, present the arm circle, mark the jump
- Build from a walk-through to a hop to a jump
- Never force the jump height higher than the dog is comfortable with
- Skip this skill entirely for dogs with hip, knee, or back issues
Success criteria
- Unlearned
- Does not pass through a hoop or arm circle
- In progress
- Jumps through your arm circle on the word alone
- Mastered
- Jumps cleanly through arm circle from 5+ feet, on verbal cue, any environment
Common mistakes
- Raising the hoop too fast before the dog is confident at a lower height
- Practising with puppies or dogs whose joints are not fully developed
- Making the arm circle too small, which scares the dog or causes a collision
- Not using a target on the far side, so the dog does not know where to go