Hello, thank you for the question!

Usually distance skills are just advancing your basic skills with more proofing – for example in this situation putting more distance between yourself and the dog (and maybe the obstacle).

Usually throughout each individual skill video, you’ll see and hopefully I make note in the video that once I believe the dog has started to get a few correct behaviours, I will then start to make it more difficult by adding more distance or starting them in a position where they have to make more effort to get the behaviour correct. For example, if sending the dog to a backside, with every correct repetition you might add a step away from the jump backwards, or to the side to make the start position more difficult.

Definitely use the above like you say with the manners minder or lotus ball they will be a fantastic help to get the dogs focus on the obstacle and away from you.

If you want to look through some specific skill work, check out the super skill modules under watch my training, as specifically on these we challenge the skill with other challenges as well as distance.

Hope that helps!
Martin