Hoopers FAQ

It is a fun activity to take part in with your dog. It not only gives them mental stimulation but physical exercise as well. Hoopers is a low impact sport that consists of hoops, barrels and tunnels. The aim is to teach the dog to run flowing courses using directional commands, with the handler at a distance.

Our Hoopers courses are generally run over six weeks, consisting of a weekly class for one hour.

The six week course is £110, with a discount of £20 for LWDT members.

Hoopers courses are based at our outdoor venue: LWDT Training Field East Haddon, Northants

Please e-mail admin@lwdt.info for information on upcoming courses and how to secure a place.

Laura Wyllie is a member of the APDT UK with approximately 20 years of dog training experience. Over the years she has lived with a variety of breeds, from small fluffy ones to 40kg Shepherds. Laura has worked with a variety of breeds throughout the years, as well as experienced lots of training disciplines including obedience, flyball, agility, heelwork to music, rally and scentwork. She became an accredited Canines Hoopers UK instructor in 2017. Find out more about Laura and her class assistants on our "Team" page!

Dogs can start Hoopers from 6 months old, as it is a low impact sport. You dog must be happy to be around other dogs/people, have some basic training (including recall in order to train off lead), be physically fit (I recommend a vet check before starting) and be up to date with vaccinations. Dogs MUST be able to work off lead alongside other dogs to take part.

The aim of Hoopers is to teach you to handle your dog from a distance, although some people still prefer to run alongside their dogs. The better your training… The less you run!

Yes, we encourage junior handlers providing it is a safe combination (we don’t want a 50kg dog dragging a 4 year old around the field!). Under 16s must be supervised by an adult at all times during classes.

Small, soft and tasty treats (eg- cheese, ham, sausage...) and you dog's normal kibble. Also a treat pouch (makes training lots easier!), a non-squeaky dog toy and poo bags. Your dog needs to be wearing a flat collar with ID disc, harnesses are fine, and a good length lead. You need to wear suitable footwear (no slip-on shoes), and comfortable clothing that you can run in. Please do NOT bring extendable leads, choke chains or slip leads - these are not permitted in any of LWDT’s training sessions.

Dogs must be handled inline with the APDT UK and CHUK ethos - kind, fair, effective and without force. Please keep your dog on lead unless instructed by Laura to let them off. The field is not 100 % secure. There are gaps under gates that an escape artist could find. If you are concerned about your dog escaping the field, please speak to Laura before booking a place on this course. Please do not put your dog on any equipment unless you have been instructed to do so by Laura. Please keep a close eye on your dog and do not give them opportunity to wee up any equipment in the field Dogs are not allowed in classes if they are in season or unwell (eg - sickness, diarrhoea, coughing etc), however you may attend on your own in order to observe the class and not miss out. You will be taught how to use the equipment safely but there is still a risk of human and/or dog error which could result in injury. Classes will be postponed if the weather would make running the class dangerous. This includes snow, high winds and very heavy rain. Refunds are at the discretion of the LWDT team, and only given under exceptional circumstances. Laura has the right to ask individuals to leave the class if the behaviour of them and/or their dog is putting others’ safety/enjoyment at risk.