This hybrid course will teach you how to build focus, enthusiasm, and mental resilience in the agility ring! This course is perfect to help dogs that are trialing AND for giving puppies/young dogs the foundation for a successful career in the ring, in a traditional online format as well as the hybrid LIVE format!
Is your dog amazing at home and in class, but shuts down at a trial? Does your dog run with enthusiasm at local trials, but slows down or leaves at the bigger shows? Does your dog sniff or zoom around the ring if you make a handling error? Does your dog leave the course and run to where you left your food or toy reward outside of the ring? Do you have a young dog you are bringing up in the sports world? Then this course is for you!
There are many reasons why a dog might be able to perform in one context and not another. In this course, we will discover the gaps in your dog’s understanding and by way of training and behavior modification, fill them. These gaps could be a result of training plans that skipped steps that your dog needs, environmental sensitivities, a lack of impulse control, or even fear. By examining your dog’s performance and discussing how you have trained with your dog thus far, we will be able to create a plan specific to your team’s needs. You will play games and practice exercises that will bring your dog’s focus back to you while building enthusiasm and drive, regardless of venue or level of show.
In this course, you will:
- Learn to identify stress in your dog and adjust accordingly
- Have a better understanding of your dog’s triggers and how to manage thresholds
- Build focus and connection in your dog, even when things go wrong on course
- Build impulse control in your dog, even in the face of stressors and distractions
- Learn about self-control depletion and prevent the practice of it
- Expand the toolbox of exercises to support you in decreasing your dog’s anxiety
- Build confidence in your dog at the bigger shows
(Note: this course is designed for dogs who are trialing, getting ready to trial, who have taken my Agility University courses or have done some behavior work to address stress and anxiety.)
Additional Course Details
- Faculty:
- Bobbie Bhambree
- Dates:
- Course starts on March 6, 2023.
- Registration closes on April 3, 2023.
- Course material access never expires.
- LIVE ZOOM CHATS starting on Monday, March 6th at 7pm then every Wednesday at 7pm (March 15, March 22, March 29, April 5, April 12)
- Level:
- Open to All
- Course Structure:
- Individualized problem analysis
- Video analysis
- Individualized problem-solving plan to be progressively implemented over the course of the 4-week session
- General games and training skills needed for all performance dogs
- Discussions and Q&A (workers and auditors) based on needs of working and auditing students
- Demo videos
- Training Articles and handouts
- Access to faculty office hours
- Equipment needed (working participants only):
- Treats, toys, 30-foot-long line, obstacles (optional)
- Space required (working participants only):
- TBD, based on the needs of class members.
Course Information
Course Instructor
- Enrollment in this course closed on 04/03/2023.