> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://dogsports.be/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Belgian Ring, Mondioring and IGP: Belgium's Working Dog Sports - URL: https://dogsports.be/en/ring-sports-belgium/ - Published: 2026-03-13T11:29:31.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-07T14:40:57.000Z - Description: Belgian Ring, Mondioring and IGP test working dogs in obedience, jumps, tracking and protection work. What each sport involves, how they differ, who they suit and how they're organised in Belgium. - Author: Giovanni Vandewaetere - Tags: Ring Sports, Belgium, Dog Sports, Competition, #en Belgium gave the world the Malinois, and with it some of the most demanding dog sports there are. Ring sports and IGP test a working dog's obedience, athleticism, courage and, above all, self-control. They include **protection work**: the dog bites a padded suit or sleeve worn by a trained helper (the "decoy" or *pakwerker*), and releases on command. These are specialist sports. You can't learn them from a book or at an ordinary dog school, and done badly they can create a dangerous dog. Done well, under experienced trainers, they produce some of the most controlled and stable dogs you will meet. This article explains what the sports are and how they are organised in Belgium, so you know where to start if you are interested. ## The sports at a glance | | Belgian Ring | Mondioring | IGP | | --------- | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | | Origin | Belgium | International (FCI), drawing on French and Belgian ring | Germany (formerly Schutzhund/IPO) | | Parts | Obedience, jumps, guard and protection work | Obedience, jumps, protection | Tracking, obedience, protection | | Character | Technical, physical, varied set-ups | Themed fields, many distractions | Structured, same pattern everywhere | | Levels | Categories 1–3 | Levels I–III (200/300/400 points) | IGP 1–3 (plus BH-VT prerequisite) | ## Belgian Ring (Belgisch ringwerk) Belgian Ring is one of the oldest working dog programmes. The Wetteren club [Koninklijke Verdedigingshond Wetteren](https://www.kvh1932.be/disciplines/belgische-ring?ref=dogsports.be) notes that the first **Grand Prix of Belgium** for Belgian Ring was awarded in **1926**, and the title has been contested every year since. According to the [Belgium Ring section 1B site](http://www.belgiumring.org/index.php?lang=nl&ref=dogsports.be), the programme has three groups of exercises: - **Obedience:** heeling on and off lead, a down-stay, send-forward, positions, refusal of food, retrieving a thrown object, and identifying and retrieving the handler's object. - **Jumps:** a palisade (vertical wall), a ditch, a fixed hurdle, and a hurdle with ditch. The Wetteren club gives heights of 0.90–1.20 m for the hedge jump and up to 2.20 m for the palisade, and up to 4 m for the long jump with a ramp. - **Guard and protection:** bite attacks, an interrupted (recalled) attack, search and escort of a hidden "suspect", defence of the handler, and guarding an object, including against a muzzled "boxing" exercise. Dogs start in **category 1** and progress through category 2 to **category 3**, which has 18 exercises performed in one continuous run. The dog works **without collar or lead** throughout. The layout and order change from trial to trial at the judge's discretion, so no two trials are the same, and they can't be rehearsed. The quality of the bite, "full and firm", has an almost mythical status in the sport. The VdA's own [section 1B page](https://www.vda-add.be/nl/secties/belgisch-ringwerk?ref=dogsports.be) describes Belgian Ring as more technical and physically demanding than IGP, and especially suited to the exceptional abilities of the Belgian Malinois. ## Mondioring Mondioring was developed as an **international ring sport**, inspired by French and Belgian ring among others, and is regulated by the FCI. The [FCI Mondioring rules](https://www.fci.be/medias/MON-REG-en-17191.pdf?ref=dogsports.be) were first adopted in 2002 and have been amended since. They set out: - **Three levels:** Level I (200 points), Level II (300 points) and Level III (400 points). To move up, a dog must score at least 160/200 twice at Level I, and at least 240/300 twice at Level II. - **Obedience exercises:** heeling off lead, absence of the handler, refusal of food, send-away, retrieves, positions, and (at higher levels) object search. - **Jumps:** palisade, hurdle and long jump. - **Protection:** face attack, flee attack, defence of handler, and at higher levels a stopped flee attack, search and escort, face attack with accessories and guarding an object. - A **theme** chosen by the organiser, such as a farm or a circus, with decorations and distractions on the field. - **Eligibility:** dogs must be at least **12 months** old, hold an FCI-recognised pedigree, and have passed a sociability test. The VdA's [section 1D page](https://www.vda-add.be/nl/secties/mondioring?ref=dogsports.be) notes that it is mostly practised with Belgian Malinois, Dutch shepherds and German shepherds. ## IGP IGP, formerly known as IPO and before that Schutzhund, is the most widespread working dog sport worldwide. The current [FCI IGP regulations](https://www.fci.be/medias/UTI-REG-IGP-en-2025-22401.pdf?ref=dogsports.be) have applied since 1 January 2025\. Each level has three phases, and the dog must reach at least "satisfactory" in each: - **A: Tracking.** Following a footstep track and indicating articles. At IGP 1 it is the handler's own track of at least 300 steps. At IGP 3 it is a stranger's track of at least 600 steps with four corners. - **B: Obedience.** Heelwork, positions, retrieves, a send-away and a down under distraction. - **C: Protection.** Searching blinds for the helper, hold and bark, and controlled bite work with releases on command. Before IGP 1 a dog must pass the **BH-VT** companion dog test, which includes a traffic section. The FCI rules set minimum ages of **18 months for IGP 1**, 19 months for IGP 2 and 20 months for IGP 3\. The FCI programme also includes tracking-only titles (IFH) and other single-phase tests. ## Which dogs and handlers suit these sports? - **Dogs:** realistically, mostly working breeds with strong drive and sound nerves, such as Malinois, Dutch shepherds and working-line German shepherds. Some other breeds take part, especially in IGP. A dog must be confident, stable and physically robust. The jumps in ring sports are very demanding. - **Handlers:** these sports take years, a big weekly time commitment (training is usually with a club and a decoy), and a willingness to learn from experienced people. The goal is a dog that is **under complete control** and safe in everyday life. The Wetteren club stresses that its dogs are fully socialised. ## How to start You can't start protection work on your own. These first steps can be done on your own, though, and they matter in all three sports: 1. **Engagement and play:** build a strong tug game with clear rules: the dog grips on cue and releases on cue ("out"). This is the foundation of controlled bite work later. 2. **Food refusal:** the dog must ignore food that it finds or that strangers offer. Start by rewarding your dog for leaving food on the floor on cue. 3. **Foundation obedience:** focused heeling, solid positions and a reliable retrieve are needed in all three sports. See our guide to [competitive obedience](https://dogsports.be/en/obedience/). 4. **Tracking for IGP:** start with short, straight food tracks in soft grass and build up slowly. 5. **Then find a club.** Visit trials and talk to the trainers before you choose. Ask to watch a training session with the decoy. ## Equipment Most specialist equipment belongs to the club: bite suits, sleeves, jumps, blinds and the field. For yourself you will need a well-fitted flat collar and lead, a long line for tracking, tugs and bite pillows for foundation work, and a lot of patience. ## Ring sports and IGP in Belgium Belgium has several organisations in this field. They run different programmes, so check which one a club belongs to. ### KKUSH clubs (VdA sections 1B, 1C and 1D) Belgium's FCI-recognised kennel organisation, the KKUSH, groups its sport clubs in the [Vergadering der Afgevaardigden (VdA)](https://www.vda-add.be/nl/secties?ref=dogsports.be). Each discipline has its own section: - [**Section 1B Belgisch ringwerk**](https://www.vda-add.be/nl/secties/belgisch-ringwerk?ref=dogsports.be)**:** the national Ring programme. Its dedicated site, [belgiumring.org](http://www.belgiumring.org/index.php?lang=nl&ref=dogsports.be), has the rulebook, score sheets, the trial calendar, results, judges and decoys, and a club list. - [**Section 1C FCI IGP**](https://www.vda-add.be/nl/secties/fci-igp?ref=dogsports.be)**:** FCI IGP, rescue dogs (SAR) and tracking. - [**Section 1D Mondioring**](https://www.vda-add.be/nl/secties/mondioring?ref=dogsports.be)**:** FCI Mondioring. The [KMSH/SRSH](https://www.srsh.be/fr/sport?ref=dogsports.be) sports service issues the working certificates and the *carnets de travail* (work booklets) that dogs need for these competitions. ### NVBK–FNCB The [**Nationaal Verbond der Belgische Kynologen / Fédération Nationale des Cynophiles Belges**](https://www.nvbk.org/index.html?ref=dogsports.be) is a separate umbrella organisation. It runs its own **ring** programme (sometimes called police-dog training) organised by province, as well as obedience, agility, water work and **Globalring**, each with its own commission. ### VOE: Mondial Dogsport The Flemish federation [**VOE**](https://www.hondenfederatie-voe.be/pagina10.html?ref=dogsports.be) runs [**Mondial Dogsport**](https://www.hondenfederatie-voe.be/mondial%20dogsport.html?ref=dogsports.be). This is a protection programme designed to give heavier breeds, not just Malinois, a chance in this kind of work. It covers obedience (including food refusal and object search), jumps (hedge, ditch or obstacle, and climbing an inclined wall) and defence work. Since 2024 it has four classes: **Recreants, PH1, PH2 and PH3**. VOE publishes its rules and its helper (decoy) rules on that page, and lists Mondial Dogsport events on its [sport calendar](https://www.hondenfederatie-voe.be/sporten%20activiteitenkalender.html?ref=dogsports.be), which also includes sociability tests and decoy training. DSAB, the other Belgian federation featured on this site, focuses on agility and does not run working dog sports. ### Finding a club Many Belgian clubs with "politiehond" (police dog) or "verdedigingshond" (defence dog) in their name are ring or IGP clubs. Use the club lists on [belgiumring.org](http://www.belgiumring.org/index.php?lang=nl&ref=dogsports.be), the [VOE club list](https://www.hondenfederatie-voe.be/pagina9.html?ref=dogsports.be) or the NVBK site, and visit a trial before you commit. ## Not sure this is for you? Many Malinois and shepherd owners find that their dog's drive fits beautifully into less specialised sports. Agility is a natural outlet: see [Best Dog Breeds for Agility](https://dogsports.be/en/best-dog-breeds-for-agility/) and [Agility in Belgium](https://dogsports.be/en/agility-in-belgium/). Or compare all the options in our [dog sports overview](https://dogsports.be/en/dog-sports-overview/). ## Further reading - [Belgium Ring (section 1B)](http://www.belgiumring.org/index.php?lang=nl&ref=dogsports.be) - [FCI Mondioring rules (PDF)](https://www.fci.be/medias/MON-REG-en-17191.pdf?ref=dogsports.be) - [FCI IGP regulations 2025 (PDF)](https://www.fci.be/medias/UTI-REG-IGP-en-2025-22401.pdf?ref=dogsports.be) - [VOE Mondial Dogsport](https://www.hondenfederatie-voe.be/mondial%20dogsport.html?ref=dogsports.be) - [NVBK–FNCB](https://www.nvbk.org/index.html?ref=dogsports.be)