Skills and Foundation Clinics

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Strengthening your Dog's Weave Pole Skills & Independence

 

Weave pole training is one skill that requires dedicated training for mastery.  Without independent weave pole skills, the handler is unable to focus on the course.  This clinic will offer step by step skills to create a strong behavior chain.  Dogs love to weave when they understand what their job is, but often they only understand a fraction of the weaving skill.  Learn some fool proof tips and exercises that strengthen your weave pole skills and leads you down the road to mastery.  (Young and experienced dogs welcome)

 

Turning Cues and how to teach them

 

Agility is all about running fast and in full extension until your dog needs to suddenly slow down and turn tightly.   The balance between extension and collection can be hard for both dog and handler yet this is the the pure definition of dog agility.  Dogs don't like late turning information so the earlier they see the cue, the better. This clinic will focus on how you get your dog to understand when a turning cue is coming and how to prepare for it.  The next step is having them read the cue and slow down which often includes a lead change.  Weight shift and stride adjustment exercises will be included. (Young and experienced dogs welcome)

 

Obstacle Independence and obstacle commitment

 

Do you struggle with getting your dog to commit to obstacles without you physically needing to be near the obstacle?  Does your dog truly understand their job on each obstacle.  This clinic will focus on both of these skills and in combination.  It's very hard to do your job as the handler and then do your dog's job as well.  Learn to see where your dog is committed and how to strengthen their overall obstacle skills.  (Appropriate for all levels including 6 months old and up. )

 

Obstacle Discrimination

 

Obstacle Discrimination can be difficult for dogs especially if they have a lot of reinforcement for one particular piece of equipment.  Learn how to balance your reinforcements and make it clear through handling and verbals which piece of equipment your dog should take.  Often handlers bring attention to the off course obstacle through their handling mistakes.  Focus will be on trusting the line you set will cue the correct obstacle and not the off course obstacle.  (Novice Level and higher; proficiency on all equipment is a prerequisite.)

 

Choosing the best Cross and Why

 

Often handlers are unsure of which cross would best help their dog most efficiently get through a course.  In this clinic, focus will be on rear, front and blind crosses with false turns as line aids.  These are the basic "meat and potatoes" handling maneuvers that all agility dogs should be able to read and understand without questioning.  Without clear handling, the more sophisticated techniques fall apart.  Each of these crosses play a very important part in agility and mastering timing and foot work will be covered.  (Young dogs welcome)

 

Basic Jump Skills and Cavaletti exercises

 

Have a jump problem or need more body awareness, this clinic will focus on critical exercises that are good for all dog's in any jump program.  Jumping is 85% of agility, however, without good understanding of proper jump technique, dog's struggle to do their job and become uncomfortable or slow on course.  Keeping their drive and confidence up is key to a great jumping dog.  Dog's don't want to jump incorrectly so helping build jump skills goes a long way in agility.  If you have a bar dropping issue or poor jump technique, this clinic will focus on exercises to help the less than natural jumpers. (Novice level and up)

 

Puppy/Young Dogs Circle and Speed work

 

Teach your young dogs to do agility fast from the start.  This clinic will focus on teaching the handler how timely reinforcement is key to creating a fast and driven agility dog.  Lots of circle work, recalls and tunnels will make this clinic fun for all dogs needing some motivation.  For puppies and young dogs, this clinic will help create excitement for their future agility careers.  

 

2 on 2 off Contacts (Speed and Independence)

 

This clinic will focus on gaining more speed and independence on your 2 on 2 off contacts.  Good understanding of this skill is required for this clinic.  Do you find your dog is looking at you when trying to perform their 2 on 2 off contact behavior?  Or does your dog start to slow on the contacts if you are behind them, are they looking back at you and possibly creating a dangerous behavior?  Part of great stopping contacts is the dogs ability to first hit their mark and then check in to the handler.  Getting dogs off of handler focus will be the key to getting their speed up. (Novice level and higher)

 

Distance and Understanding the "GO" cue

 

Vital seconds are lost during and at the end of runs due to your dog slowing down to adjust their speed to yours.  Having strong distance skills and the "Go" extension cue allow freedom on course for the handler to move to key positions.  Running the exact same lines with only a few feet apart keeps the dogs in handler focus and teaches them to continually adjust their speed since they don't know where they are going next.  This clinic will focus on teaching your dog to drive away from you on course when you ask them to and to finish the course on their own. Lateral and forward distance skills will be covered.  Often leaving the handling in the dust at the end of a run is a good thing.  

 

International Skills Clinic

 

Application and practice on common international handling skills will be covered.  Clinic will include backsides, threadles, combination crosses such as the front cross to blind cross, tandem to rear cross, rear, front and blind crosses on the flat and on the back side approaches of jumps.  Back side serpentine and back side serpentine in combination.  Short sequences of no more the 4 obstacles will be used in order to gain confidence and proper footwork on skills covered.  

 

Weave Pole Handling Clinic

 

So you have good weave pole skills, what's next?  This clinic will focus on all kinds of handling before and after on weave poles.  When you don't worry about your dog weaving, you can focus on getting where you need to go on course.  This clinic will work all kinds of handling and skills on solid weave pole performances.  Only six poles will be used to force good handler timing.  Difficult entries and exits will be part of each skill.  

 

Handling Clinics

 

Novice/Open Handling

 

This clinic will focus on novice/open complete course work.  Skills will only be broken down at the end.  Proficiency on all obstacles and 6 weave poles is a prerequisite. Courses will be no more than 17 obstacles.  Being able to run a course clean the first time is the goal of the novice/open clinic.  At least 4 different courses will be set.  Novice/Open level dogs welcome.

 

Open/Masters Handling

 

This clinic will focus on Open/Masters complete course work.  Skills will only be broken down at the end.  Proficiency on all obstacles plus 12 weave poles is a prerequisite.  Courses will be no more than 20 obstacles.  Being able to run a course clean the first time is the goal of the open/masters handling clinic.  At least 3 different courses will be set.  Open/Masters level dogs welcome.

 

Masters/International Handling

 

This clinic will focus on Masters/International complete course work.  Skills will only be broken down at the end.  Sequences commonly seen on European course designs will be the focus.  Courses will be no more than 25 obstacles.  Being able to run a course clean the first time is the goal of the Masters/International clinic.  At least 2 different courses will be set.  Masters/International level dogs welcome.

 

Novice/Open Jumping (Course Work)

 

Often jumping course work is neglected and so this clinic will focus on running full novice/open jumpers course with weave poles and tunnels.  Trouble areas will be broken down after each dog/handler team has run the course twice.  No more than six weave poles and 17 obstacles will be used.  Focus will be on running the entire course clean the first time.  

 

Masters/International Jumping (Course Work)

 

This clinic will focus on running full Masters/International jumping courses.  12 weave poles, jumps and tunnels will be used. No more than 25 obstacles.  Each dog/handler will run the course twice before the trouble areas are broken down.  Focus will be on running the entire course clean the first time.  

 

Novice/Open Handling (Fastest Line)

 

Because agility is a timed sport, choosing the fastest path for your dog is critical.  Adding lead changes when their is none only adds time.  Sending your dog the long way to avoid an off course will never get produce the fastest results. This clinic will focus on which path is the best and fastest for your dog to execute and why on a novice/open level course.  Courses will consist of one contact obstacle and six weave poles.  Novice and higher level dogs welcome

 

Masters/International Handling (Fastest Line)

 

Choosing the fastest path on a Masters/International level course can often be a very difficult task.  Adding lead changes when their is none only adds time.  Sending your dog the long way to avoid an off course will never produce the fastest results.  With so many twists and turns, often allowing the dog to turn a little wider and not comprising speed can  produce a faster result.  This clinic will focus on which path is faster and easiest for the dog to execute.  Courses will consist of one contact obstacle and six weave poles.  Sequences will be timed.  Master/International level dogs welcome.