Can I help you achieve your agility goals and build a better relationship with your dog?

Hi!

After many months of not teaching due to the health crisis I’m offering online and in-person private/semi-private lessons starting now for online lessons and October 31st in-person. Why? Because I genuinely enjoy helping teams achieve their best through good training and consistent handling that builds a solid foundation, and is fun for both handler and dog. I have loads of experience and insight that I’ve built over 20 years of training and want to share a bit with you! I specialize in training for agility and am also happy to work foundation skills for dogs destined for any sport.

Online lessons will be held via Zoom, messenger or phone. In person lessons will be held in Honeoye Falls at Savvy Dog Sports. Here is where you can learn more about me and my dogs.

Why take a private or semi-private lesson?

Private or semi-private lessons (2-3) are ideal to practice the three F’s:

Focus – Come to your lesson with specific goal/question (or get help in establishing them) and use the time with me to give it your full attention.

Feedback – Get expert, experienced feedback to adjust, try something new or problem solve. With over 20 years dog training/teaching and learning, I’ve seen a lot!

Fix-it – Try again and see the improvement OR ask the next question.

You may be training on your own, taking a local class or have registered for an online class. These private/semi-private lessons will supplement that instruction and give you more 1:1 time, an experienced eye for problem solving or confirmation that you are on the right track in your training.

Or, you and a couple of friends who have puppies or dogs at the same level may want to get together to arrange for some small focused class time.

How can I help? Here is an example. Recently a friend who is taking both in-person and online classes was scratching her head about the behavior of her young dog in a class situation. After a few diagnostics (Focus), we figured out the problem (Feedback), adjusted her reinforcement, got success and a plan to improve her dog’s understanding (Fix-it). Yay!

Possible Topics

• Foundations such as effective use of rewards, its your choice games, handling flatwork – such as recalls and circle work, or teaching impulse control. Or simply answering this question: “I have a new puppy…what do I do now?”
• Wing work – teaching collection and verbals
• One-two jump work for teaching commitment or jumping skills such as collection and extension
• Tunnel skills including threadles
• Teaching and/or proofing verbal cues
• Weave entries/exits
• 3 or 4 jump handling drills
• Teaching the 2on2off behavior using props such as a target plank

Lesson Options

Online Private Lesson:

• Online private lessons can be effective using Zoom conference. Using Zoom gives us the option of sharing videos, course maps, drawing on a whiteboard, or even a live demo. Video analysis of course runs or evaluating training clips is perfect for this format. Other formats are possible as well. These lessons can be scheduled for 30 minute or 60 minute blocks or by subscription…buy one hour of consults and use it to ask questions, submit videos for review, etc as you progress through your training. Cost $60/hour.

In-Person Lessons at Saavy Dog Sports*:

For now, I’ve blocked out some Saturdays and Sundays starting Oct 31st, but other options may be available as well.

• In person Private Lesson – 1:1 session with you and one or more dogs. Cost $75/hour
• In person Semi-Private Lesson – Arrange to come with a friend or two for a semi-private lesson. Up to 3 teams. Cost $80.
• In person Semi-private Lessons can be extended to 90 minutes for $120.

*Saavy Dog Sports has crown matting and an approximate 40 x 60 ft working space. Large enough for small sequences and all Foundation work.

I would love to work with you; contact me via e-mail or messenger to schedule a lesson.