Train your dog from home!
- Short videos about obedience training
- Dog obedience how-to guide
- Agility training - Train your dog to run through tunnels, weave through poles and more.
- Be sure to connect with your local extension office and county dog trainer for local options.
See many more 4-H activities you can do at home.
What you'll learn and do
- How to care for and train a dog
- Leadership, sportsmanship and teamwork
- Careers that involve working with dogs
- Compete in a 4-H dog show
Topics include
- Diseases
- Breeds
- Grooming
- Health and nutrition
- Responsible breeding
- Service dogs and therapy dogs
- Careers working with dogs
Levels of learning
Get started with 4-H'ers in your area
- Find a club near you or contact your local 4-H office for more info.
Get started on your own
-
Dog activity books from National 4-H (for sale)
- Dog activity hot sheet from Iowa 4-H (free download)
- Dog activity book from Utah 4-H (free download)
- Conformation for Beginners videos and activities from the American Kennel Club's Canine College series
- The Complete Dog Book For Kids (ISBN 0876054602) Visit your local bookstore or library or order online
-
First aid tips for pet owners from the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook - Fourth Edition (ISBN 0470067853) Visit your local bookstore or library or order online
Dog organizations
- American Veterinary Medical Association
- Merck Veterinary Manual
- Minneapolis Kennel Club
- Key City Kennel Club
- Rochester Kennel Club
- Wright County Kennel Club
- Granite City Kennel Club of St. Cloud
- Minnesota Agility Club
- American Kennel Club
- North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC)
- United States Dog Agility Association, (USDAA)
Already enrolled in the 4-H Dog Project?
Join the 4-H Dog Project Development Committee
This is a leadership opportunity for 4-H members in grade 9 and up. Represent your fellow 4-H'ers on the PDC, serving with adult volunteers.
How to apply
See complete details and apply on our volunteer site.
Contact
Sharon Davis, Extension educator and advisor, davis051@umn.edu
Dog project resources for volunteers
Find training, project development committees (PDCs) and more support for volunteers on our volunteer site.
To volunteer with 4-H in your area, contact your local 4-H office.
Competitions
You can choose to compete with your dog in agility, obedience, rally or showmanship. Start at your county fair and if you do well you could make it to the Minnesota 4-H State Dog Show, held every September at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul.
In this competition, show judges that you can control your dog's movements.
- Short videos about obedience training
- Dog obedience how-to guide
- Dog Obedience Rules & Guidelines book Updated May 2017
- Dog Obedience Rules & Guidelines addendum April 2020
- Connect with your local extension office and county dog trainer for local options.
Score sheets
- Foundation (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Beginner (Printable PDF) Updated April 2018
- Graduate beginner (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Novice (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Graduate novice (Printable PDF) Updated April 2018
- Pre-open (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Open (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Graduate open (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Pre-utility (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Utility (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Veterans (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Brace (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Four-dog team (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
- Long sit & long down (Printable PDF) Updated May 2017
Race your dog through an obstacle course. You'll score points for accuracy and speed.
- Agility training videos - Train your dog to run through tunnels, weave through poles and more.
- Dog Agility Rules & Guidelines book Revised 2019
- Dog Agility Rules & Guidelines amendments April 2020
- Agility classes release form Updated April 2019
- A Brief History of Dog Agility posted April 2019
- Connect with your local extension office and county dog trainer for local options.
Score sheets
Rally is a sport that combines the fast pace of Agility with the exercises of Obedience.
- Short videos rally training - Learn about rally signs for all levels
- Rally Obedience Rules & Guidelines book Updated April 2017
- Rally score sheet or Printable PDF Rally score sheet Revised April 2017
- Printable PDF Rally signs Revised April 2017
- Connect with your local extension office and county dog trainer for local options.
In Showmanship, you and your dog work as a team, showing that you are composed and in control at all times.
- Showmanship Rule Book - updated March 2021.
- Showmanship Guidelines - updated April 2022.
- Connect with your local extension office and county dog trainer for local options.
Score sheets
Fairs and exhibits
Record keeping & evaluation
-
4-H youth record keeping — reflect on your project and share it.
-
Animal science project interviews evaluation - junior level (PDF)
- Animal science project interviews evaluation - senior level (PDF)
Contact your local 4-H office for sign-up deadlines and more info about how to get started showing your dog and/or your dog knowledge.
Agility
- Pre-Agility
- Beginner
- Elementary
- Intermediate
- Senior
- Advanced
- Limited Agility
- Jumpers IA
- Jumpers IB
- Jumpers II
- Jumpers III
- Limited Jumpers
Rally
- Foundation
- Pre-Novice
- Novice
- Pre-Advanced
- Advanced
- Excellent
- Veterans
Obedience
- Foundation
- Beginner
- Graduate Beginner
- Novice
- Graduate Novice
- Pre-Open
- Open
- Graduate Open
- Pre-Utility
- Utility
- Veterans
- Brace
- 4 Dog Team
Showmanship
- Novice Junior
- Open Junior
- Novice Senior
- Open Senior
- Excellent
Your knowledge
- Dog interview
- Dog poster
- Dog project bowl
Future study
You could study veterinary medicine at the University of Minnesota.
Reviewed in 2020