GET A HANDLE ON YOUR HANDLING

Many folks are out there competing without fully understanding how their body language influences their handling.  This seminar provides exercises to help you understand how to use your body language more effectively.

            There are three parts to this series:

                        PART I – INTRO: THE BASICS (half day)

How to use a course map and how to walk a course (brief overview -- for more detailed explanation, see WALKING THE COURSE, below).  Lots of exercises to improve body language awareness.

                        PART II – FINDING THE BEST PATH and SHAPING IT (full day)

                             Determine which cross creates the best path for your particular dog.  Lots of exercises to build your confidence in choosing and executing crosses.

PART III – YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN (either half or full day)

Practice applying the knowledge and skills from Parts I and II.

PREREQUISITES for II & III:  Part I or permission of presenter; dogs must be able to perform all obstacles and to sequence up to 12 obstacles.

MAY THE COURSE BE WITH YOU

Walking the course is a frequently overlooked skill.  This seminar will show you how to read a course map, how to walk the course to determine a strategy, and how to remember both the course and your strategy.

PREREQUISITE:  Dogs must be able to perform all obstacles and to sequence up to 12 obstacles.

GAMES

SNOOKER

Warning:  snooker can be addictive!  Learning how to play this fun and challenging game will improve your all-around agility skills – especially your ability to think on your feet.  Because Snooker demands the same skills you need to be successful in the higher levels of all agility venues, whether your venue offers Snooker or not, learning how to master this game will make you and your dog a better team.

SNOOKER IMPAIRED?

In this seminar the rather complicated rules of Snooker are presented in an easy-to-understand format.  Participants learn basic snooker skills and try their hand at running an entire course.  This can be either a half-day or whole-day seminar.

PREREQUISITE:  Dogs must be able to perform all obstacles and to sequence up to 12 obstacles.

DON’T GET SNOOKERED AGAIN

Along with complicated rules, Snooker can require complicated strategies.  In this seminar we discuss how to find the best plan so that you and your dog don't get "snookered."  We also discuss strategies for obtaining the all-elusive super Q.  This can be a half-day seminar in conjunction with SNOOKER IMPAIRED, or it can stand alone as a full-day seminar.

PREREQUISITES:  Handlers need a basic understanding of the rules of snooker -- which means they understand what a successful snooker strategy is and how to execute it.  Dogs must be able to perform all obstacles and to sequence up to 12 obstacles.

GAMBLERS:

WHISTLE TO WHISTLE and more

There is more to this game than just working your dog at a distance.  Understanding the rules, knowing how to position your dog for the gamble, using the opening period to best advantage, and finding the path within the gamble are just a few of the skills we'll cover.  Exercises to develop your timing (how many obstacles can your dog do in the opening; how to correctly position your dog for the gamble), as well as your handling skills.

PREREQUISITES:  Dogs must be able to perform all obstacles confidently.  The only assistance the dog should need is “permission” from the handler to do that obstacle.  Having an understanding of the “clicker” is helpful.

F.A.S.T

Do you need to figure out how to play FAST fast?  This seminar not only explains the rules of this new AKC game, but also covers the skills you and your dog need to be successful.  Topics covered are:  independent obstacle performance, layering, and handling at a distance, as well as qualifying strategies.

PREREQUISITES:  Dogs must be able to perform all obstacles confidently.  The only assistance the dog should need is “permission” from the handler to do that obstacle.  Having an understanding of the “clicker” is helpful.

CUSTOMIZED SEMINAR:

PREREQUISITES FOR ALL SEMINARS:

A sense of humor;
an openness to new ideas,
a dog.