What is springpol?

As a separate sports discipline, springpol appeared in the United States in the 1990s. However, such training of serious dogs such as the bull terrier was known in England as early as the XNUMXth century. The breeders noted the love of these animals for grasping objects and tug-of-war exercises, so they deliberately trained their wards in this way.

Springpole today

In Russia, springpol competitions are only gaining popularity. For the first time their organizer was the United Commonwealth of Breeders and Lovers of the American Pit Bull Terrier Breed. Today, friendly competitions can also be held by other clubs of lovers of fighting dog breeds.

Who can participate?

The main criterion for the participation of a dog in the competition is its age: as a rule, it must be older than 10-12 months. It is important that by this time all the teeth have already changed in the animal and an overbite has formed.

Breed does not matter in springpol competitions. If your pet loves tug of war games, you can enter the competition. But I must say that most often the winners are Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Pit Bull Terriers and Bull Terriers due to genetic characteristics.

Training

Preparation for competitions in springpol begins with puppyhood. However, in no case should you immediately start playing with a rope, as you can injure your pet’s jaw. First you need to satisfy his need for chewing with rubber balls and other toys. As you grow older, you can offer more gambling games, develop a dog’s determination and perseverance.

At the next stage, they begin to get acquainted with the rope, sticks, rubber bands – more solid toys. At the same time, the rope is gradually raised so that the dog tries to reach it, standing on its hind legs. It is very important not to make this transition too abrupt, otherwise you may lose your pet’s interest.

If you have little experience in dog training, you should entrust the preparation for the competition to a specialist during the OKD course.

Benefits from the lessons

If your dog loves to play tug-of-war, you can consider springpol training as a full-time activity, even if you don’t intend to compete. Such training has a lot of advantages:

• Increases the dog’s stamina;

• These are excellent strength training;

• Fun for animals who love rope play;

• Daily workouts for especially active pets are a great opportunity to throw out energy.

How are the competitions going?

If the pet shows good results, you can try to take part in the competition. To do this, you need to know the following:

• The main thing in the springfield is the projectile, which consists of a rope, canvas tape or sling on the mount. At the free-hanging end of this projectile is a grip. It should be located about 1,5 meters from the ground so that the dog can reach it to its full height;

• The participant starts about 5 meters from the target. When the dog is released, he must not only grab the rope, but also hold it;

• The maximum execution time is 3-5 minutes depending on the specific competition;

• As a rule, the animal is given three attempts.

In each round, the dog earns points: while hanging, it receives the main ones, and can also receive additional ones, for example, for swinging on a rope. Penalty points may also be awarded, for example, for an incorrect start, an attempt to provoke a fight, or comments on discipline.

The dog with the most points at the end wins the competition.