What is Mondioring?

By Ed Frawley  |  Last modified: April 12, 2022

URL Copied!

The Mondioring dog sport is the most difficult dog sport in the world. If you've never seen a Mondioring competition, you can visit our Free Streaming Video section and watch Cindy in her 2nd place finish in the 2010 Mondioring One Championship.

If you are tired of the politics and the un-sportsmanlike corruption at the highest levels of Schutzhund USA, give Mondioring a hard look because the dogs love it and the training is fun!

Cindy also wrote an excellent article on what it was like training in her first Mondioring trial. Read My First Mondioring Trial.

Mondioring is an F.C.I. authorized international dog sport developed in the late 80s by representatives from every major country that has a competition dog sport. The 'new' sport was designed to "level the playing ground" and allow competitors from any of the world's disciplines to compete in a common sport. French Ring, Belgian Ring, IPO (SchH), and KNPV were all represented. The result is a sport that combines the best of all of these dog sports: Mondioring.

Like most protection dog sports, Mondioring has a series of exercises to be executed by the dog/handler team in the categories of obedience, agility (jumps), and protection. At the Mondioring III level, there are a total of 17 exercises, completed without interruption, and lasting approximately 45 minutes. An interesting possibility in Mondioring is that a dog that has titled in another protection sport—for example, French Ring or Schutzhund—is allowed to enter Mondioring at the level that it has achieved in its own country.

The obedience in Mondioring is based on functionality with the emphasis being on control despite of distraction. The jumps in Mondioring test the structure and willingness of the dog. The protection phase of the competition requires that the dog demonstrate tremendous control. A Mondioring dog competes at each level without collar or leash throughout the trial, thus testing the control of the animal from the very beginning. The complexity of the trial field, combined with the demands of extreme control, requires that the dog be clear-headed and have excellent character.

Each trial (competition) is based on a theme, much like a theatre setup on a field. Props, scenarios, and distractions are placed at strategic points on the trial field. While the exercises remain the same from trial to trial, the order and setup will change with each judge's own creativity. No two trials are ever alike, thus preventing the possibility of preparing a dog 'by rote'.

Mondioring has grown steadily in the United States since the first trial in 2000. There are several full member clubs and a variety of other clubs forming around the country. Trials are held regularly and provide an opportunity to earn titles in this fascinating sport. Mondioring titles are recognized internationally. Each year the organization in America, the USMRA, sends a team to compete in the International Championship of Mondioring in a different country in Europe. An interesting note is that international competition is quite "do-able", as we are still a relatively small organization in a new sport.

Mondioring is represented in this country by the Unites States Mondioring Association.

Start training for mondioring with these items:

Shop Training Supplies

Enroll in Training Courses

About Author

Ed Frawley

Ed Frawley is the founder and owner of Leerburg.com and has been producing professional dog training videos since 1982. Over the years, he has collaborated with some of the most respected dog trainers in the country. His body of work includes 194 full-length training DVDs and 95 comprehensive online courses. In addition to these, he has produced and published over 4,000 short training videos available free of charge on Leerburg.com and across the company's social media platforms.

Ed and his wife, Cindy—also a professional dog trainer—bred working-line German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois for more than 35 years. Although they retired from breeding in 2009, they had produced over 300 litters by that time.

Ed also served as a K9 handler for the local sheriff's department for 10 years, working in partnership with the West Central Drug Task Force. During his time in law enforcement, he handled multiple narcotics and patrol dogs and conducted more than 1,000 K9 searches. If you want to learn more about Ed, read about his history here.

Share this article on social media:

URL Copied!

Have a dog training question?
Ask Cindy.