Obedience and working disciplines
Imagine a working-dog sport moved onto a theatre stage. A Mondioring trial might have a circus or market theme, and the dog has to work just as cleanly among props and helpers in costume.
About the discipline
Mondioring started out as a bridge between the French, Belgian and Dutch ring schools. It took a bit from each and threw in something of its own: the scenery.
Every trial has a theme and the field gets dressed to match. The exercises don't change, but you do them among odd objects, with distractions put there on purpose to test the dog's nerves.
The order of the exercises is drawn by lot on the day, so there's no routine to learn by heart. The dog has to know each exercise on its own, anywhere and whenever you ask for it.
How it works in practice
From the FCI regulations
The International Rules of FCI-Mondioring require the dog to be at least 12 months old, with an FCI-recognised pedigree, a scorebook and an FCI-recognised sociability test. All breeds are admitted; males need a veterinary certificate of normal testicles.
The competition has three levels: I (200 points), II (300) and III (400). To enter Level III the dog must twice score at least 160 out of 200 at Level I and twice at least 240 out of 300 at Level II. The handler may stay at a level as long as wished; at Level III two or three decoys share the exercises.
| Exercise | Level I | Level II | Level III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heeling without leash | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Absence of the handler (1 min) | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Refusal of food | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| Send away | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Retrieve of a thrown object | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Positions | 10 | 20 | 20 |
| Search for an object | - | 15 | 15 |
| Palisade | 15* | 15* | 15 |
| Hurdle | 15* | 20 | 20 |
| Long jump | 15* | 15* | 20 |
| Face attack with baton (+ obstacles in II and III) | 50 | 40 | 50 |
| Flee attack | 50 | 30 | 30 |
| Defence of the handler | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Stopped flee attack | - | - | 30 |
| Search and escort | - | 40 | 40 |
| Face attack with accessories | - | 40 | 50 |
| Guarding an object | - | - | 30 |
| Total | 200 | 300 | 400 |
Source: FCI, International Rules of FCI-Mondioring competitions, chapter VII "Table of points". * In Level I the handler chooses one of the three jumps; in Level II the hurdle is mandatory and the handler chooses between the palisade (2.1 m) and the long jump (3.5 m); in Level III all three are performed.
| Jump | Level I | Level II | Level III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palisade (height → points) | 1.8 m = 15 | 1.8-2.1 m = 12-15 | 1.8-2.3 m = 5-15 |
| Hurdle (height → points) | 1.0 m = 15 | 1.0-1.1 m = 16-20 | 1.0-1.2 m = 12-20 |
| Long jump (length → points) | 3.0 m = 15 | 3.0-3.5 m = 10-15 | 3.0-4.0 m = 12-20 |
Source: chapter V "Jumping exercises". The dog has three attempts at each jump (at the hurdle: three forward and three back). The jump command is voice only; a refusal or going round costs 4 points, knocking the boards 2 points.
The exercises fall into three groups: obedience (heeling, absence, refusal of food, send away, retrieve, positions, search for an object), jumps and biting (attacks, defence of the handler, search and escort, guarding an object). Every extra command, gesture or hesitation costs points according to each exercise's scale; the handler is briefed on the field and the theme at the start (the "theme" changes the setting from one competition to the next).
At Level III the qualifiers are: excellent 360-400, very good 340-359, good 320-339, sufficient 300-319, insufficient below 300. Ties are broken by the points in the biting exercises, then obedience, then the jumps.
Frequently asked questions
In IGP tracking sits alongside obedience and protection, and the exercises are fixed. Mondioring drops the tracking. Jumps and object guarding take its place, plus a themed set that changes from one trial to the next. The order of exercises is drawn by lot.
So the judge can see whether the dog has really learned the exercise or just remembers the place where it does it. If a dog works perfectly on its home field and freezes next to a bright umbrella, it hasn't generalised.
No. You need a solid obedience foundation and access to a qualified helper. Most teams get here after years of training in other sports.
The rule figures on this page come from FCI - International Rules of Mondioring. Rules change and federations differ - always check the rulebook of the competition you are entering.
From the same category
The Belgian ring school: obedience, jumps and protection.
French ring sport: obedience, jumps and protection, with the palisade as its calling card.
The Dutch programme for working and selecting utility dogs.
Britain's utility discipline, with obedience, tracking, article search and jumps.
This page is informational. We work in mantrailing, search and rescue and preparation for the TSAC and BH exams - but if you want an honest opinion on what would suit your dog, write to us anytime.