Fenzi Dog Sports Academy - NW420: Honing Your NW Handling

Course Details

Do you wish you were a better handler? Handling is 80% dog / 20 % handler. How you handle makes a huge difference in your performance and in your pass rate.... it drives those "P's" and "Q's"!

In this class we will be all about the details... Learn how to handle through critique.

You will learn HOW you body motion affects the dog, everything from your shoulders to the angle of your body with respect to the dog's position. You will learn the art of releasing body pressure in a way that will minimize false alerts or unintended cues. We won't be "proofing off of" body motion, but rather will learn how to use our motion and position in order to become true teammates with our dogs.

You will be presented with an entire handling system and will be taught how to handle effectively, as a teammate, without negatively impacting your dog. Good handling is the foundation of teamwork. It's a skill that takes time to hone but it beautiful to see when it all comes together!

Learn how to make it look EFFORTLESS....

THERE WILL BE A TEACHING ASSISTANT (TA) FOR THIS CLASS!!

LOTS of NEW material for April 2020

Sampling of new topics:

The art of handling the known hide
Handling in tight spaces
Handling the fast dog
Handling the sensitive dog
Impact of gear choices
How to NOT over-handle your dog
Using handler influence as suggestive, not directive
Handling using a pattern without over-handling
Knowing WHEN to pattern versus not pattern
How to use a Soft Pattern rather than a prescriptive pattern
Handling off leash like you would on leash
Knowing when to change your strategy and how to adapt and continue

Instructor: Stacy Barnett

Stacy Barnett is a top nosework competitor and trainer, being the first handler to title multiple dogs with multiple Summit Level titles in the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW), (Judd SMTx3, Brava SMTx2). Stacy has been a faculty member at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy since 2015 (Click here for full bio and to view Stacy's upcoming courses)

Syllabus

View Full Syllabus

Leash Basics:

Leash length
Basic leash handling

Basic Handling:

Staying behind your dog
Body Placement and Positioning
Smooth Rewards
Handling the Methodical Dog
Handling the Fast Dog
Handling the Timid Dog

What is Teamwork:

Handling as a Partnership
Handling your dog on leash
Handling your dog off leash

Handling Strategies:

Start Lines
Tight Spaces
Large Spaces
Handling for Multiple Hides
Vehicles

Sample Lecture

Now that we've talked about gear, let's talk about handling. In this course, we will be striving for excellent handling. So what IS excellent handling?

Excellent handling can be considered to have the following attributes:

Letting the dog lead but remaining a partner
Keeping the dog in your line of sight
Good line handling
Clean and efficient reward delivery
Limiting chatter or needing to re-cue the dog… dog independence is a factor
Reading your dog effectively
Supporting your dog’s emotional needs

All of these aspects come together to result in a beautiful run when coupled with a dog who is In Drive. Let's talk about the challenges of each of these aspects briefly. We will get more in depth with all of these throughout the duration of the course.

LETTING THE DOG LEAD BUT REMAINING A PARTNER

Do you drive the search or does your dog? Do you pull your dog off of odor accidentally? Do you find yourself getting ahead of your dog or presenting the search area to your dog?

KEEPING THE DOG IN YOUR LINE OF SIGHT

Do you miss Changes of Behavior? Has your dog alerted but you can't see? Do you have troubles keeping up with your dog in Vehicles? Does your dog pass behind you or circle you?

GOOD LINE HANDLING

Do you handle with one or two hands? Do you drop your leash to reward? Does your line get tangled in your dog's legs? Does your arm look like a clothesline?

CLEAN AND EFFICIENT REWARD DELIVERY

Do you drop treats? Are you slow in delivering treats? Do you fumble with your bait pouch? Are you losing more than 7-10 seconds per hide rewarding your dog?

LIMITING CHATTER OR NEEDING TO RE-CUE THE DOG… DOG INDEPENDENCE IS A FACTOR

Do you repeatedly re-cue your dog? Do you say more than an occasional "Good Boy" when you are searching? Is your dog focused more on you than on the search?

READING YOUR DOG EFFECTIVELY

Does your dog alert and move on and you don't know it? Are you focusing on the final response and not the communication that happens before then? Are you constantly wishing you had a stronger Alert? Do you see more on your videos than you do in real time?

SUPPORTING YOUR DOG’S EMOTIONAL NEEDS

Does your dog frequently get stressed at a trial? Does your dog get over-aroused? Do you struggle handling your high drive dog or your low drive dog?

Brava Indicating on Box

Testimonials & Reviews

Read All Testimonials

A sampling of what prior students have said about this course...

Thank you, Stacy, for an excellent class. It is well-organized and well-presented. You are a fine instructor, a sensitive handler and an insightful, kind coach. Not only are you sensitive to each dog’s needs but also very tuned in to the handlers. An enthusiastic thumbs up for you and your class. Already registered for next term with you.

As I wrote to Stacy on my thread: I feel I’m heading forward again rather than treading water in Nose work. Thank you for that. This was a wonderful class. A good combination of internal reflections and specific ways to make changes. I’m so glad you made the switch to full time instructor. It’s allowed you to focus and come up with a different way of approaching/looking at this sport, tap into a mix of science & creativity. Plus you are always so kind. So, thank you. You’re an excellent mentor for both me the instructor and me the person who loves Nose work with my dog.

I was really impressed with the quality of the courses. I had doubts that an online course would be effective, but Stacy engaged everyone and was very astute in diagnosing the problem areas from a video. It is a good supplement to my regular training classes...

Loved the format of this class. You have a natural ability to inspire your students and this was a large active gold class! Your attention to detail is amazing and I greatly appreciated your comments on my videos as a silver.

Stacy, thank you for this course. It definitely take my Nosework handling to a whole new level. Not only I know how to improve my own handling, I also have the skills to improve others handling. Thank you for such an amazing course. Totally recommending to others.

Thank you for creating this class. So great to work on what I could be doing to be a better team member for my dog.

Big, thank you to the whole organization you provide an amazing service. Stacey I love your courses, you are so genuine which makes you so easy to learn from. I love how you keep me on track, I love how you make me believe in my dog. I have to get you to Alberta! I loved this course it was needed, I as a handler needed to be a better partner, I teach as well this gave me so many chances to see so many scenarios of pulling the dog off odour. The magic of stepping back. It was like magic, Haha my students were so impressed with me, lol

Registration

Next session starts: February 1, 2024
Registration starts: January 22, 2024
Registration ends: February 15, 2024

Registration opens at 12:00pm Pacific Time.

NW420 Subscriptions

	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Tuition	$ 260.00	$ 130.00	$ 65.00
Enrollment Limits	12	25	Unlimited
Access all course lectures and materials	✔	✔	✔
Access to discussion and homework forums	✔	✔	✔
Read all posted questions and answers	✔	✔	✔
Watch all posted videos	✔	✔	✔
Post general questions to Discussion forum	✔	✔	✖
Submit written assignments	✔	✖	✖
Post dog specific questions	✔	With video only	✖
Post videos	✔	Up to 2	✖
Receive instructor feedback on	Questions All videos	Questions All videos	✖

Find more details, refund policies and answers to common questions in the Help center.

NW420: Honing Your NW Handling

NW420: Honing Your NW Handling

Course Details

Registration

Registration opens at 12:00pm Pacific Time.

NW420 Subscriptions

Gold

Silver

Bronze