Weekend Workshops at YOUR location!
Workshop Segments work well with 4-6 participants for a 4-hour block.
Two segments can be combined for a full day workshop.
Agility Foundation Skills Workshop
A good, solid base of foundation skills is invaluable for every agility team from beginner through advanced. This Foundation Workshop packs a punch – in addition to lots of information, all working teams will be up and moving most of the Segment. We will go through a long list of agility skills and behaviors that every team should know including using position markers, front and rear foot work, plank work, rear end awareness, cone work, intro to jump grids and teaching tricks. We will have an opportunity to work these foundation skills using jumps, cones, planks and foot targets. We will also have an introduction to the very popular Movement Puzzles, or as I call them Bowl to Bowl (B2B) Games. They have been a big hit during a few of my local workshops. Much of the content of this Segment is often overlooked as not as important as weave skills or contacts, but is precisely these skills that gives your dog the foundation skills and understanding to do the more complicated skills. These are also the skills that can be revisited throughout your dog’s life to keep them mentally and physically in shape. I have a ton of information to share, so be sure to bring your notebook as we walk and talk through a bevy of great foundation skills to help shape up your teamwork and ultimately create a happy and successful agility partner.
Penguin Games
For this Workshop, we will talk about the 6 Basic Cues of Handling, what they are, how and where they are applied and what your dog naturally understands about them. While our arm motions and verbal cues are helpful, we will go back to the beginning and use our motion to maneuver through a few short sequences. Because our dogs understand our motion and other cues naturally, we will then become very conscious of our body on course. I find that when handlers quiet their arm movement and their mouth, the dogs actually “listen” better. Very likely you will discover that when these cues are applied correctly, calling the dog’s name or yelling “come!” several times during a run will be things of the past. This is always an eye-opening and “why didn’t I know this before?” Workshop.
Front Cross, Blind Cross, Rear Cross, Rear on the Flat Drills
This Workshop is designed to help you and your dog work through many of the most commonly seen crosses/side changes on agility courses today. You will be challenged to perform a variety of “cue combinations,” which will provide you with a nice foundation. First, we will break down the crosses that we use the most – front, rear, rear on the flat and blind. We will work on the human mechanics first, then add the dog. When the movements become more fluid and the understanding is there, we will apply those crosses, one at a time, to a few 8-10 obstacle drills. Success is found when you can choose and execute the best cross at the right time on course. You will learn that the cues, timing and handler positioning will change with each Team and that this is not a one-size-fits-all Workshop. Novice dogs and handlers will learn new skills and Masters level handlers will be encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and work on those crosses that they don’t use that often.
Foundation Skills for Distance Handling
Most dogs are faster than their handlers. Fact. So, with our limited 2-legged anatomy, how do we allow our dogs to run as fast as they possibly can? Distance handling to the rescue. Learn how to show your dog the path you want them to take even if it’s 10-20 feet away from you. We will talk about the foundation skills that you will need for your dog to have the confidence to work away from you and successfully complete the obstacles. We will work through several drills where you will have the option to stay behind a line and send your dog over jumps, to tunnels and other obstacles. Keep in mind that developing distance skills is a process, but this Workshop will help you decide where you might want some distance skills as well as where it makes sense for you to be close to your dog.
1-Jump Exercises
Don’t let the single jump keep you from trying these really good exercises. So much learning can be done with just one jump and can be done almost anywhere. We will explore around the clock from 2-3 feet away and progress to 20 or 30 feet away, which is the foundation skill needed for much of the distance handling. We will add one cone to encourage your dog to move away from you, gain some momentum and then approach the jump with speed and drive. Then we can add distance and more complexity with additional cones to our basic jumping skills. These drills are an excellent way to concentrate on the multi-faceted skill of jumping from any and all angles without the distraction of other agility equipment.
Weaves that WOW!
Yes! Your dog CAN perform the weaves quickly, reliably and with distractions! The theme of this workshop is to understand that just like running a course, our motion and positioning relative to the dog and the weave poles can affect our dog’s performance. We will begin the workshop going over some fundamentals to help your dog understand his job and also to build drive and speed. We will then work on some entries with a set of six poles and follow with a few exits on 12 poles where your dog needs to stay in while you pull away. Be ready to help your dog deal with distractions and some difficult entries. This workshop is for Teams who are proficient in the weaves but would like more speed, distance, consistency and confidence and will stay with their handler for 6-8 obstacles. DO NOT forget your dog’s high value treats/rewards!
Sampler
For those teams looking for a little of everything, I have put together a Sampler Workshop where you can dabble in one different skill an hour (so 4 skills in a 4-hour Workshop). Suggestions for this Workshop would be Penquin Games, Weaves that WOW!, Cross Skill Drills and then put it all together in Course Work. This will be a fairly fast-paced workshop that will allow each team an opportunity to work on individual skills and then put it all together on an 8-12 obstacle course.
Susan Salo Jump Grids
The jump grids in this Workshop come from the Susan Salo Jumping Grid Workbook and are intended to give you and your dog a means of isolating the various aspects of jumping mechanics. The grids offered will allow your dog to focus on his jumping skills so he can develop understanding and confidence, and ultimately speed. The grids also aid in the development and maintenance of the muscles and core strength necessary for successful jumping. Most are simple enough that you can easily set them up in your back yard/training area and incorporate them perhaps daily.
Course Work
For this workshop segment, we will break into segments a full, challenging course. Participants can walk/run the sequences and suggestions will be made on an individual basis to help each team maneuver through the course to the best of their abilities. After each team has mastered the short sequences, they will have the opportunity to “put it all together”. This is a fun way to take the mystery out of those courses that might otherwise seem too difficult to tackle.
Walking Courses and Building a Plan
For this workshop, a course map will be presented everyone. We will talk about how to read course maps, how to find common sequences, how to look for different handling options and then how to plan for your 8 minutes to walk the course. We will then go to the field and walk/run like you would at a trial and each run will be videoed. After everyone runs the course, we will review each video, discuss problems and suggest ways to do it better. And then? We will head back to the field and everyone will have an opportunity to make any handling adjustments and run the course again.
This Workshop is designed to help you improve your skills at reading and understanding course maps so that you can make the most of the short time you have to walk the course and finalize your handling options.
Contacts
For this workshop segment, we will concentrate on how to help your dog with smooth, safe approaches to and exits from the contact equipment. Just how independent are your dog’s contacts? Can you handle from a distance – even just a little? To help break down each dog’s skill set, we will video the dogwalk, a-frame and teeter and look for ways in improve consistency. In addition to suggestions for a more reliable performance, we will work on common sequences, including turn back to tunnels, managing turns off the equipment and building confidence in all contact performances.
Distractions
While we can’t totally recreate a trial environment on the training field, we CAN try to recreate many of the distractions that our dogs face at a trial and in the ring. Ring crew, leash runner and noisy dogs outside the ring all qualify as distractions our dogs need to accept and ignore at every trial. For this workshop segment, we will add as many distractions as your dog can handle. We will start slowly and as your dog accepts the challenge and is rewarded for ignoring anything pesky, we will add more as the session progresses. Our goal is to give your dog just enough that might at first catch his attention but not so much that he is unable to work through it.
Obedience for Agility
Are you sure your dog understands all of your commands – even for the most basic of behaviors? Lisa’s Obedience “With a Twist” workshop segment will engage both you and your dog through many exercises that you will not likely find in most obedience classes. The exercises presented will test you and your dog’s skills to perform with multiple distractions in a fun environment. While many of the skills are obedience related, they are designed to help the agility team on course and beyond!
Sport Dog
No matter what your goals are for your competition-bound young dog (6 months+), this workshop segment is for you. We will work on crate games and crate manners; toy interaction, tugging and retrieving; balance work and conditioning; learning tricks and how to shape behavior using a clicker; socialization with a trial environment in mind; and most importantly, teaching your dog to focus on you and ignore all distractions. Goals for this class are for you to learn the skills that will help your young dog be a “go anywhere, do anything dog.”