The question is rarely which reward system is the best one. It is where the reward should sit. Because the position of the reward determines the position of the dog – and that is exactly what separates these systems.
The principle: the dog goes where the reward is
A dog works towards what it gets. If the reward sits at the front of your body, the dog orients forward. If it sits behind you, the dog has to come back. If it drops in the heel position, it confirms exactly that position.
That is why these systems are not competitors. They cover different positions. Correcting a dog that forges ahead in heelwork calls for something different than building a straight front sit, or getting more speed in the blind search.
The most common mistake: the reward keeps moving
What happens when the reward is not placed systematically can be seen on any training field. The handler takes the food in one hand and feeds on the right. The dog learns exactly what it is being taught – only it is the wrong lesson: it looks at the right hand.
At first only the head is tilted. Over time the dog turns its whole body with it, because it wants to keep the source of the reward in view. A clean heel position becomes a crooked one.
It gets even more obvious when the toy always comes out of the back pocket or a side pocket with the right hand. At some point the dog is no longer working beside the handler, but towards the pocket.
The dog is not doing anything wrong. It goes where the reward comes from. What is wrong is the position of the reward, not the dog. That is precisely what the following systems solve: they put the reward in a fixed, correct place – and take the hand out of the equation.
The systems at a glance
| System | What for | How it works | Price (approx.)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top-Matic Profi Set | Heelwork, building position, marker training | On command the dog takes the toy off your body itself – exactly where you placed it | €75.90 |
| IQ Ball Pocket | Heelwork, clean confirmation | The reward drops invisibly via a pull cord, right in the heel position | €29.90 |
| Patented chest pocket on the Dog Sport Vest 3.0 and Training Jacket 2.0 | Front sit, presenting the dumbbell, recall | Confirmation from the centre of your body – where the dog is meant to look | Part of the vest, from €129.90 |
| IQ Magnetizer | All magnetic systems, larger toys, scent work | An adapter that makes almost any toy magnet-ready | €19.90 |
| UnbreakaBall | As the toy in all of these systems | Tough ball on a cord, black and unobtrusive | €13.90 |
*Prices as of August 2026.
Heelwork: pulling or confirming
In heelwork there are two fundamentally different routes, and both have their place.
Top-Matic: the reward pulls the dog into position
With the Top-Matic Profi Set the dog takes the toy off the handler's body itself, on command. What matters is where it hangs: front, back or to the side. The ball is placed where you want the dog to be drawn.
If the dog forges ahead in heelwork, you place the ball far enough back that it has to come back to get it. The position of the toy steers the position of the dog. That makes this system strong for correcting and for deliberately building a position.
IQ Ball Pocket: confirming before a mistake happens
The IQ Ball Pocket takes the opposite route. The ball stays completely hidden inside the pocket, held shut by the magnetic closure. A pull cord releases the reward and it drops exactly at the height of the dog – with no visible movement, without you changing your posture.
And that is the point: with this pocket the dog should not get into a wrong position in the first place. You confirm the right one, at the right moment, in the perfect position. The dog does not know when the reward is coming – exactly as in a trial later on.
Note: „magnetic“ refers to the closure of the pocket, not to magnetic toys.
Front sit, retrieve and recall: the chest pocket
For every position in which the dog should sit in front of the handler, neither the ball pocket under the arm nor the back pocket is the right place. The reward belongs in the centre of your body.
That is exactly what the patented chest pocket of the IQ Dog Sport Vest 3.0 is built for. It brings the reward to where the dog has to stay focused in the front sit – by hand, or through the integrated pull system. The result is a straight front sit without turning away, because the dog has no reason to look sideways or behind you.
The same goes for presenting the dumbbell and for the recall: the dog holds its position because the confirmation arrives where it is already looking. The IQ Training Jacket 2.0 has the same chest pocket.
Blind search and protection: bigger prey, more speed
When building the blind search, a small ball is often not enough. A bite pillow in the blind interests the dog considerably more – and that translates into more speed on the way there.
This is where the IQ Magnetizer becomes interesting, because it makes larger training objects magnet-ready too. The EXTRA version is built for exactly these situations.
The Magnetizer: an adapter instead of a dependency
A magnetic system like Top-Matic works well – but at first it ties you to that manufacturer's own balls and bite sausages, and those are not cheap.
The Magnetizer solves that. It is attached with recessed cable ties to a cord, a loop or directly to the toy, and from then on that toy can be carried on the magnetic system. Ball on a cord, bite sausage, bite pillow, search container – almost anything the dog likes to take.
Two practical side effects: when a ball eventually wears out, you swap the toy and keep the magnet. And in scent work you can use objects that simply do not exist as magnetic toys.
Scent identification and search work: targets on metal
Search work is a field of its own. Because the Magnetizer makes the target magnetic, it can be attached to metal surfaces – on a vehicle, for instance, where a large share of searches are set up. Hides that would otherwise have to be improvised are placed in seconds, and moved again just as quickly.
The UnbreakaBall: the toy that fits everywhere
At heart the UnbreakaBall is simply a ball on a cord – but a particularly tough one. It is squashy and soft in the mouth, yet it does not give way and does not crumble. That is why many dogs rate it highly. The ball runs along the cord, which keeps handling clean in tug play.
For the concealed systems the black version is the right choice: inside the ball pocket or the chest pocket, a dark ball simply does not stand out. And if you want to carry it on the magnetic system, you attach the Magnetizer to the cord.
Three combinations from practice
Building clean heelwork. IQ Ball Pocket plus the UnbreakaBall in black. Confirmation in the perfect position, with no visible signal.
Correcting position and building speed. Top-Matic Profi Set plus the Magnetizer on a larger toy. Where you place it decides where the dog works.
Keeping the front sit and the retrieve clean. The chest pocket of the Vest 3.0 with the black UnbreakaBall. Reward from the centre, eyes stay front.
Conclusion
The useful question is not which reward system is best, but which position you are training right now. The ball pocket for heelwork, Top-Matic for deliberately building a position, the chest pocket for everything in front of your body, the Magnetizer for bigger prey and for scent work. The UnbreakaBall fits all three pockets – and with the Magnetizer, the magnetic system too.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Top-Matic and the IQ Ball Pocket?
With the Top-Matic system the dog takes the toy off the handler's body itself, and where you place it steers the dog's position. The ball pocket keeps the toy hidden and drops it via a pull cord exactly in the heel position. One pulls the dog into position, the other confirms the position it already holds.
Why does my dog go crooked in heelwork?
Often because the reward always comes from the same side – typically out of the right hand, out of the back pocket or a side pocket. The dog orients towards the source, first with its head, later with its whole body. A fixed, correct reward position solves the problem at the cause.
Do I need the Magnetizer if I already have Top-Matic?
You do not need it, but it widens the system considerably. With the Magnetizer you are not tied to one manufacturer's balls and bite sausages; you can make almost any toy magnet-ready – including larger ones such as a bite pillow.
Can the Magnetizer be used in scent work?
Yes. It makes targets magnetic and therefore attachable to metal – on vehicles, for example, where many searches are set up. For scent identification and detection this is one of its most practical uses.
Do I need magnetic toys for the ball pocket?
No. The magnet is in the closure of the pocket, not in the toy. Any small to medium training ball fits inside.
Which ball fits the ball pocket?
Small to medium training balls. For concealed confirmation we recommend the UnbreakaBall in black, because it does not stand out inside the pocket or as it drops.
Which vests and jackets does the ball pocket fit?
The IQ Dog Sport Vest 3.0, the Summer Vest 3.0, the K9 Pro Vest and the Training Jacket 2.0.
More comparisons
→ Dog training vests compared
→ Dog training belts compared
→ IGP protection blinds compared
→ K9 handler vests compared
What IGP actually is and how the three disciplines are judged is explained on our overview page – What Is IGP? Tracking, Obedience and Protection Explained.
About the manufacturer
IQ Dogsport is a German manufacturer of dog sport equipment, based in Pfaffenhofen, Germany. The range covers dog sport vests, multi-function and training jackets, reward systems and IGP training equipment – in service with K9 handlers in the police, customs service, prison service and armed forces. More about IQ Dogsport
