DogStar Online Classes!
NEW! Circus Pup! Trick a Week Club
I love trick training! It’s good for your pup’s brain, and body. As a trainer, it’s good for your timing, execution and general animal training skills. My dogs have lots of fun tricks that we’ve trained over the years. Some are for coordination and body awareness, some that help our foundations for sports that we train and compete in, and some are just for fun. Many serve practical purposes, such as different kinds of body targeting to help with husbandry chores, some are for impulse control, and some are just cute “parlor tricks” to show off to your friends. But, like most folks, I get busy and the trick training gets lost in the shuffle…..Soooo…. In order to try and get myself back into the “groove” and hold myself accountable I’m going to start a new online club to encourage all of us to get on the trick training bandwagon!
Each week we will be working on a new trick. For beginners this may be as simple as teaching a paw target. For the more advanced it might be taking that paw target and teaching your pup how to paint. Each trick will be shown using video clips and written directions on step by step training. Simple tricks will be easily completed in a week, but some of the more complex behaviors may take several weeks or more to complete. Each team will be able to move at their own pace. A private Facebook group will be available throughout the class for students to view videos and instructions as well as post questions and receive feedback on their progress.
Details:
Start date: January 6th
End date: March 31st course will end but Facebook group will remain available for one more month
Cost: $35
What you need:
- A Facebook account to join the group. Even if you are not a FB person it is easy to make an account just for this type of thing.
- A way to video your training sessions and edit your videos so you are able to post them to FB to receive feedback.
- A good sense of humor, an open mind, and your creative juices flowing!
NEW! Weaves 101 – Online Weave Pole Training Class
This class will be formatted like my “Weaves 101” class that I have done multiple times in the past at BWTC. We will be using Susan Garrett’s original 2×2 weave training method. I use this with my own dogs and with many students over the years. This will hopefully give many more teams the ability to start training weaves since I don’t have very much time to add a physical in-person class.
Class begins: February 1st
Cost: $100
Requirements:
- A dog that is physically ready to start weave pole training.
- Access to at least two sets of 2×2 weave pole bases, meaning two bases with two poles on each base.
- Treats that you can toss that your dog will easily be able to see and find. This will obviously depend on the flooring you are working on. I like to use Charlie Bears or Goldfish crackers. Cheese cubes or something similar work great too.
- Time; this is meant to be a fairly quick training process. Short sessions multiple times per week will work best.
- Space; You don’t need much. I did most of Grape and Kepler’s initial weave training on the pavement in the alley behind our garage. And remember, we will be doing this in Feb/March.
- Video capabilities; you will need to be able to video, edit and send me short videos of your training sessions.
- Access to Facebook; we will post tips, instructions, videos, etc. on a private Facebook group. You will be able to learn from fellow classmates, see video demos, get training tips, etc.
- Dedication; this will only happen if YOU are willing to put the time/energy into training.
Session will run for at least two months. Each team will work at their own pace and can send up to three videos per week for review. I will review each video and comment to each team on any changes that might need to be made or when to proceed to the next step. We will have a Facebook group that videos, tips, etc. will be posted to.
Goal: Will be to have each team capable of weaving six straight poles by the end of the class. Some dogs may understand the concept but still need more time to develop footwork and confidence in the poles. For instance, Kepler is capable of doing six straight poles but we are spending time on six sets of slightly offset bases until he coordinates his body and his speed through the poles.
There are several options for purchasing weave bases: If you are buying new please purchase the 24” spacing. 22” bases will work, but they are not what we use in agility trials anymore.
Clean Run – https://www.cleanrun.com/product/2x2_weave_poles_24_in_spacing_set_of_6/index.cfm?ParentCat=625
Mad Agility Equipment –https://madagility.com/Our_Products/Weave_Poles/index.html
Max 200 – https://www.max200.com/2×2-weave-poles
You may also buy, borrow or steal from others – I can post to the email list to see if anyone is interested in selling, lending, renting or trading a set.
The cost of the class will be $100 per team. This will include lessons for each step of training, video review and feedback for up to three videos per week. Videos must be edited to one minute or under. The Facebook group will remain available for at least one month after the class ends.
Class will begin February 1st, to allow everyone to get their weave poles.
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The Adventures of Grape and Kepler-79: This will be an informal video journal of my training sessions with both Grape, and my new puppy, Kepler. Each week for six months I will be posting videos of our training sessions with info about what we’re working in each session. These sessions will include topics like….
Manners, recalls and impulse control
Body awareness, balance, fitness, and coordination skills
Foundation agility skills
Foundation jump training
Running contact foundations
Trick training and other brain games
Enrichment; physical and mental
Building confidence
Tug and toy drive
The video journal will run via a closed Facebook group. Members will be able to post questions and hopefully this will encourage discussion amongst the group.
This group is for new puppy owners, future puppy owners, training geeks like me, teams that need to fill in some gaps in their training, or those just looking for some new training ideas.
Again, these videos will be very informal, in fact I am likely to still be in my pajamas for lots of them. I tend to be a very “organic” trainer so I always have a plan but it is subject to change at any moment!
DogStar Online Training Club: The club is designed to help supplement your learning in addition to class, or help you build skills if you are unable to attend a class. I always tell folks to think of their training as building their “agility toolbox”, adding lots of different tools so that they’ll have exactly what they need for every job. The club will be a “closed Facebook group” and will run on the same schedule as our group classes, six lessons in the form of short video clips, course maps, diagrams, etc.. Lessons will have something for all levels whether it be training foundation skills, proofing obstacle performance, teaching body awareness skills, adding verbal cues, trick training, etc. Minimal space and equipment will be needed for most exercises (traffic cones, travel plank, two jumps), and some course maps will be included for when you have access to equipment. The club is done at your own pace and you can work one or multiple dogs. You are encouraged to ask questions/start discussion but this is *not* a video submission course. Most of what I include are skills/exercises I found beneficial when training my own dogs, or wish I would have trained my own dogs. If you are enrolled in the March/April group agility class session pricing is $50. If you are *not* enrolled in the March/April group agility class session pricing is $100.
Performance Pup! Online Foundation Skills Club: Specific foundation skills for your pup. Spending time teaching foundation skills will not only make your training easier in the long run but it helps build a fabulous relationship with your new canine partner. Lessons will include training foundation agility skills, teaching body awareness skills, adding verbal cues, trick training, some beginning obstacle training, etc. Minimal space and equipment will be needed for most exercises (traffic cones, travel plank, two jumps). The club is done at your own pace and you can work one or multiple dogs. You are encouraged to ask questions/start discussion but this is *not* a video submission course. If you are enrolled in the March/April group agility class session pricing is $50. If you are *not* enrolled in the March/April group agility class session pricing is $100.