200+ Trick ideas for dogs with hoops and rings
- Dog Talent Association
- 17 hours ago
- 10 min read
Looking for some inspiration for Task 1 of the International Trick Dog Competition 2026?
We’ve put together more than 200 ideas using hoops, rings, tyres, toys, everyday objects, handler-made hoops and plenty more.
From simple beginner tricks to creative sequences, two-dog teamwork and show-stopping challenges, there’s something here for every dog.
Pick an idea, adapt it to your team, or use it as a starting point to invent something completely new!
1. Through, Under & Over
Jump through a hoop held vertically.
Walk through a hoop without jumping.
Crawl through a low hoop held just above the ground.
Back through a hoop without turning around.
Jump into a hoop held parallel to the floor
Jump out of the hoop held parallel to the floor
Crawl under a hoop held parallel to the floor
Forward and reverse — go through, stop, then back through the same hoop.
Hoop sequence — travel through two or more hoops presented at different positions or heights.
Carry through — carry a small ring or another object while passing through a much larger hoop.
Alternating over/under several hoops
Figure-of-8 in and around a hoop
Figure-of-8 reverse in and around a hoop
Moving figure-of-8 involving handler stepping forward or backwards and 2 hoops
2. Paws, Positions & Body Awareness
Front paws inside a floor hoop.
Back paws inside while the front paws remain outside.
All four paws inside the hoop.
Sit inside a hoop.
Lie down inside a hoop.
Spin inside without stepping outside.
Front-paw pivot — front paws stay inside while the hindquarters circle.
Rear-paw pivot — hind paws stay inside while the front end moves around.
One front paw in each of two rings.
Front paws in one hoop, back paws in another.
Move between two hoop “islands” on cue.
Reverse into a tyre or large floor hoop and stop inside it.
Head-through pose — only the dog's head passes through a large hoop (photo shoot)
Chin rest in a doughnut cushion.
Hide behind a standing (with support) tyre
Sit in the centre opening of a flat tyre.
Swing on a suspended tyre
Hopscotch using small hoops on the floor as paw marks
2 paws up on a standing tyre
Head through a vertical hoop or a tyre
Reverse and place 2 hind paws onto a tyre
3. Moving Around Ring-Shaped Props & Spaces
Circle a hoop (clockwise, anticlockwise or both) lying on the floor.
Circle the hoop and finish inside it.
Figure-eight around two hoops.
Follow the edge of a large round floor marking.
Travel around the inside of cones arranged in a ring.
Weave around cones arranged in a ring.
Travel around circular fencing surrounding a tree.
Go halfway around a round enclosure, reverse and return.
Elephant trick — front paws remain on a circular platform (such as tyre) while the hindquarters pivot.
Clock positions — move to different numbered positions around a large round layout.
Circle a tyre backwards.
Figure of 8 backwards around 2 tyres
Jump from one tyre lying flat on the floor to another (floor is lava).
Hop with one paw in the air around a hoop lying on the ground
Run while holding an object around several tyres
4. Retrieve, Carry, Find & Choose
Retrieve a ring-shaped toy.
Catch a ring-shaped frisbee.
Carry a large lightweight hoop.
Retrieve a named coloured ring from several choices.
Choose the largest or smallest ring on cue.
Find a matching ring or another ring-shaped object from the selection
Retrieve rings in a specified colour sequence.
Find a hidden ring among unrelated objects.
Choose the ring-shaped object from several different shapes.
Find the dog's collar from a group of objects.
Retrieve a large key ring with safe oversized keys.
Carry a toy lifebuoy to a person.
Retrieve a small ring from inside a tyre or larger hoop.
Find a hidden ring-shaped object
5. Place, Sort, Stack & Tidy
Ring toss — place a soft ring over a cone or broad peg.
Stack several rings onto one cone.
Colour match rings to corresponding cones.
Move a ring from one cone to another.
Remove rings from a cone and put them away.
Build a children's stacking-ring toy.
Take a stacking-ring tower apart.
Sort rings by colour.
Sort rings by size.
Nest a smaller ring inside a larger one.
Place a ring frisbee inside a tyre or large target hoop.
Put an oversized jewellery ring into a ring box.
Sort scrunchies and larger rings into different containers.
Hang a lead loop over a low safe hook.
Hang a lightweight wreath on a low peg.
Drop a soft ball through a large vertical hoop into a target behind it.
6. Push, Roll, Stop & Operate
Nose-push a flat ring across the floor.
Roll an upright hoop with nose or paw.
Stop a gently rolling hoop with nose or paw.
Chase and retrieve a rolling ring.
Raise a lightweight hoop from flat to upright.
Knock an upright hoop down on cue.
Nose-target a hanging ring.
Touch several hanging rings in a specified order.
Paw-target a floor ring.
Alternate left and right paws between two rings.
Turn a toy steering wheel with a paw or nose.
“Drive” with paws on a steering wheel and add left/right looks.
Flip a ring frisbee from one side to the other.
Spin a circular selector or wheel to determine the next behaviour.
Catch a ring-shaped toy after balancing it on the nose
Open a door by pulling on a ring-shaped handle
7. Tricks Involving the Handler
Jump through an arm hoop formed with both arms.
Walk through a low arm hoop.
Crawl through an arm hoop near floor level.
Pass through an opening made by one arm and the handler's body.
Pass through an opening made by an arm and bent leg.
Go through the handler's legs.
Figure-eight through the handler's leg that is bent at knee and held to the body as a hoop.
Moving arm hoop — find and pass through the opening as the handler changes position.
Shared carry — dog and handler hold opposite sides of one soft ring and walk.
Shared bow while dog and handler hold opposite sides of the ring.
Tug-and-turn — gently hold opposite sides while rotating together.
Ring orbit — dog carries a ring around the handler and then hands it over.
Bring and go through — retrieve the hoop, give it to the handler, then pass through it.
Take the ring from the handler's arm and carry it away.
Human ring toss — place a large soft ring over the handler's extended arm.
Hoop around the dog — dog remains still while the handler carefully passes a very large hoop around its body.
Human-and-dog sculpture — create a funny static pose together using one or two hoops.
8. Creative, Themed & Storytelling Tricks
Wedding-ring delivery — deliver an oversized ring to a person or couple.
Proposal trick — present or open a box containing an oversized ring.
Jewellery assistant — retrieve a ring and put it into its box.
Decorating trick — carry and hang a wreath.
Lifeguard — take a toy lifebuoy to a waiting person.
Pit-stop assistant — retrieve a lightweight toy tyre for a toy vehicle.
Circular portrait — pose with the face framed by a wreath or large hoop.
Peekaboo tyre — hide behind a tyre and pop the head through its opening.
Traffic-light rings — each coloured ring cues a different behaviour.
Choose your trick — the dog selects a ring associated with its next trick.
Magic ring swap — disappear behind a screen with one ring and return with another.
Mini ring story — link several different ring tricks into a short narrative.
We also have team class, which is always great fun. You can take part with two or more dogs, two handlers and one dog, or two handlers and two or more dogs! Here are some trick ideas to get your imagination going for the team class.
9. Two-Dog Tricks
A. Sharing & Cooperative Prop Work
Shared ring carry — both dogs hold opposite sides of one large soft ring and walk together.
Shared ring hold — both hold the same ring and maintain a stationary pose.
Controlled ring tug — both dogs gently tug the same soft ring.
Tug-and-travel — both hold the same ring while moving together.
Shared turn — both hold the ring and rotate together around a central point.
Pass the ring — Dog A hands the ring directly to Dog B.
Take and return — Dog A gives the ring to Dog B, who later returns it.
Dog-held hoop — Dog A holds a large hoop upright while Dog B passes through it.
Hoop weave partner — Dog A remains stationary holding the hoop while Dog B performs repeated figure-eight weaves through it.
Collector and builder — Dog A retrieves rings; Dog B puts them onto a stacking post.
Builder and dismantler — Dog A places a ring on a cone; Dog B removes it.
Shared tidy-up — each dog collects different rings and puts them into the same box.
Two-colour team — each dog sorts one assigned colour.
B. Mirroring & Synchronised Tricks
Mirror spins — dogs spin simultaneously in opposite directions inside separate hoops.
Matching spins — both spin in the same direction at the same time.
Synchronized bows inside separate rings.
Synchronized sits in separate hoops.
Synchronized downs inside separate hoops.
Mirror paw lifts — each raises the paw nearest the other dog.
Matching pivots — each dog performs a front-paw pivot in its own hoop.
Opposite pivots — dogs pivot simultaneously in opposite directions.
Side-by-side travel around a ring of cones.
Parallel hoop passes — each dog travels through its own hoop simultaneously.
Matching retrieve — both dogs collect separate rings and return together.
Synchronized ring delivery — both place their rings onto separate cones together.
C. Sequential & Relay Tricks
Ring relay — Dog A carries the ring to a station; Dog B takes over.
Through-and-follow — Dog A goes through the hoop, then Dog B follows.
Reverse the order — repeat the same sequence with Dog B leading.
Retrieve and place relay — Dog A retrieves the ring; Dog B places it on a cone.
Search and deliver — Dog A finds the hidden ring; Dog B takes it to the handler.
Build in turns — dogs alternate placing rings onto a stacking toy.
Dismantle in turns — dogs alternate removing stacking rings.
Alternating cone decoration — dogs take turns putting rings on the same cone.
Ring exchange stations — each dog carries a ring to the other dog's starting station.
Hoop course relay — Dog A completes the first hoop obstacle and Dog B completes the second.
Tyre relay — Dog A sits in or interacts with a tyre, then leaves and Dog B takes its place.
Driver change — Dog A works the steering wheel, leaves, then Dog B becomes the driver.
D. Different Jobs at the Same Time
Around and inside — Dog A circles the hoop while Dog B performs a trick inside it.
Through and around — one passes through while the other travels around the outside.
Jump and stay — one dog performs a safe hoop jump while the second holds a position beside it.
Retrieve and pose — Dog A retrieves a ring while Dog B holds a framed pose in a hoop.
Driver and passenger — one dog operates the steering wheel while the second looks left/right or performs passenger behaviours.
Lifeguard scene — one dog delivers a lifebuoy while the second waits at the rescue spot.
Tyre team — one dog sits inside a flat tyre while the other circles it.
Tyre hide-and-seek — one dog hides behind a tyre and the other searches for them.
Roll and stop — Dog A starts a lightweight hoop rolling, and Dog B intercepts it.
Ring drop and retrieve — Dog A places a ring inside a large hoop; Dog B goes in and retrieves it.
E. Movement Patterns for Two Dogs
Swap hoops — each starts in a separate hoop and they exchange places.
One hoop, two dogs — both comfortably fit into one sufficiently large hoop.
Partner figure-eight — dogs travel around two hoops on complementary paths.
Opposite routes — dogs travel around the same large circular layout in opposite directions.
Same-direction chase — dogs begin opposite each other and travel around the ring maintaining their spacing.
Inside and outside tracks — one follows the inner edge while the other follows the outer edge.
Meet in the middle — dogs start in separate hoops and travel to a shared central hoop.
Split from the middle — start together in a large hoop, then each travels to a separate ring.
Crossing paths — dogs travel between two hoop stations on crossing routes without interfering with one another.
Hoop-to-hoop follow — Dog A changes stations and Dog B follows one station behind.
F. Two Dogs + Two Handlers
Parallel arm hoops — each handler creates an arm hoop and each dog passes through its own.
Cross-handler hoops — each dog starts with its own handler, passes through the other handler's hoop and returns.
Handler swap — dogs begin beside their own handlers, travel through hoops and finish beside the opposite handler.
Parallel ring retrieves — each handler sends their dog to collect a separate ring and return.
Crossed deliveries — each dog retrieves a ring and delivers it to the opposite handler.
Two-handler ring relay — Handler A sends Dog A with a ring to Handler B; Dog B then carries another ring back.
Matching human-and-dog hoop tricks — both handler/dog pairs perform the same arm-hoop behaviour together.
Mirror handler tricks — one pair works clockwise while the other mirrors them anticlockwise.
Two-lane hoop course — handlers guide their dogs through parallel but different hoop sequences.
Cross-over course — dogs start on opposite sides, complete separate hoop actions and safely exchange sides.
Handler-held tunnel — both handlers each hold a large hoop and dogs move through them in a planned sequence.
Alternating cues — Handler A cues both dogs for one ring behaviour, then Handler B cues the next.
Dog-handler ring exchange — each dog gives its ring to the opposite handler before returning to its own.
Four-way sculpture — two dogs and two handlers form a coordinated static pose using two large hoops.
G. Two-Dog Mini Scenes & Stories
Two-dog wedding scene — one dog delivers the “ring”; the other waits beside the recipient.
Jewellery shop — one dog retrieves a ring while the other puts it into the ring box.
Pit crew — one dog brings the tyre while the other waits beside the “vehicle”.
Rescue team — one dog retrieves a lifebuoy while the other guides or waits at the rescue station.
Decorating team — one dog brings a wreath or ring and the other places/removes another decoration.
Driving scene — one dog drives; the other navigates, then they swap.
Magic partners — Dog A disappears behind a hoop/screen and Dog B appears with the ring.
Ring treasure hunt — one dog finds the ring, the second retrieves or delivers it.
Two-dog photo booth — dogs take turns or pose together within an oversized ring or wreath.
Mini team routine — for example: Dog A holds the hoop, Dog B weaves through; they exchange a ring; then finish together in separate hoops.
Now it’s your turn!
Pick a hoop, ring, tyre, toy — or invent your own version — and see where your imagination takes you. Try something familiar, challenge yourselves with something new, and most importantly, make it fun for your dog.
Film your favourite ideas, submit your Task 1 entry and come and be part of ITDC 2026 - we can’t wait to see what you create!
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