
The Obedience Trial in Nintendogs

The Obedience Trial in Nintendogs + Cats
Obedience Trials (Japanese: ドッグコンテスト Doggu kontesuto) are a type of contest/competition in Nintendogs and Nintendogs + Cats.
Gameplay[]
Obedience trials require the use of the built-in microphone of the Nintendo DS and 3DS. The goal is to follow a handful of commands within a given time limit followed by a free performance. Players should teach the dogs the required tricks for each respective class before entering a trial. In Nintendogs, these can be found in the Obedience Trial Book.
Dogs will also be asked to "hold" a trick for a certain duration. The more a trick is practiced, the longer the dog will hold the trick. In Nintendogs, this is hinted by NPCs found on walks: "After I trained my dog to lie down over and over again, [name] can lie down for a really long time now!"
Scoring[]
In an obedience trial, the dogs are scored on a scale of 0.00 to 10.00 points, with 10.00 being the highest possible score a dog can receive. This scoring is based on how quickly the dogs can perform the given command, the difficulty of the trick that the dog executes, and in Nintendogs, how well groomed and cared-for the dog is.
Dogs will be given 35 seconds to perform each trick, though the duration that the dog will be asked to hold a trick varies depending on class/cup.
The trainer can lose points if the dog repeatedly disobeys them and if they miss a trick-- which can happen if the dog runs out of time or if it performs the wrong trick. However, players can compensate for the missed points if the dog is well-groomed (Nintendogs)-- it is possible to score 9.99 points even after missing a single trick, though the dog must make up the difference by performing advanced tricks during freestyle and/or performing the required tricks with advanced commands that can be learned from that root trick (i.e. "Breakdancing" when asked to Roll Over and Spin by the judges).
Nintendogs[]

Obedience Trial information found in the Nintendogs instruction manual
In Nintendogs, having a well-groomed dog will encourage the judges to give the dogs more points.
There is the possibility that, in higher classes (Nintendogs), the dog may be asked to hold a trick for the same length as in a lower class (i.e. hold a trick for 5 seconds in Championship)-- though it will likely be a trick with a higher difficulty.
Class | Standard time | Trick duration | New tricks required | Money earned |
---|---|---|---|---|
Beginner Class | 20 seconds |
|
$100 for first place $50 for second place $30 for third place | |
Open Class | 35 seconds |
|
$200 for first place $100 for second place $60 for third place | |
Expert Class | 35 seconds |
|
$600 for first place $300 for second place $150 for third place | |
Master Class | 35 seconds |
|
$1000 for first place $500 for second place $270 for third place | |
Championship | 35 seconds |
|
$2000 for first place $1000 for second place $600 for third place |
Nintendogs + Cats[]
In Nintendogs + Cats, the player must have one AR Card to display the dog on when they participate in an Obedience Trial.
- Replacement cards are available here, where they can be printed out or displayed on a mobile device.
Cup | Standard time | Trick duration | New tricks required | Money earned |
---|---|---|---|---|
Junior Cup | 35 seconds |
|
$100 for first place $50 for second place $10 for third place | |
Amateur Cup | 35 seconds |
|
$200 for first place $100 for second place $20 for third place | |
Pro Cup | 35 seconds |
|
$300 for first place $150 for second place $30 for third place | |
Master Cup | 35 seconds |
|
$1000 for first place $200 for second place $40 for third place | |
Nintendogs Cup | 35 seconds |
|
$500 and a victory specs* for first place
$250 for second place $50 for third place *The player can only receive one victory specs per pet. |
Training[]
- Main article: Tricks
Gallery[]
Nintendogs[]
Nintendogs + Cats[]
Trivia[]
- The audience from the Beginner Class of the Obedience Trial can be seen in front of the Beginner Class in the Disc Competition as well.
- The player cannot be placed 2nd if two dogs are tied 1st.
- If a dog has not learnt the required tricks to participate in a cup, they will be prohibited from entering (Nintendogs + Cats).
- This is the only contest where background music doesn't play.