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DS110: Dryland Dock Diving Training- Foundation, Fitness and Fixes!

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DS110: Dryland Dock Diving Training- Foundation, Fitness and Fixes!

Course Details

Are you interested in dock diving and want to give your dog a great foundation before you even hit the pool?  Or perhaps you’ve been to the pool with your dog and things didn’t go as well as you expected. OR maybe you are already hooked on the sport and want to make some progress during the offseason or up your dog’s game between  pool rentals?  Whatever your situation, this course is here to help you and your dog find joy and success in dock diving by focusing on the groundwork fundamentals.

Dock diving as a sport is very beginner friendly and a popular way for dogs to have fun and enjoy summer. It’s also a sport that offers a LOT of room for advanced training that can help your dog’s jumps improve, build their confidence  overall, and allow you to really feel the teamwork involved with perfect timing and precision!

Most dogs will have the best chance at having a good first impression of dock diving, enjoying this sport long term,  and jumping to their full potential if they have a proper foundation of skills to set them up and if their bodies are conditioned to handle it.   This course will look at each of the main ’events’ that are most common in the various dock diving competition leagues- distance, speed type events, and the suspended toy games- and will break each of these down into their component parts, and then develop those individual skills in progression on dryland. We’ll also cover fitness and conditioning exercises that can help improve your dog’s strength, balance and stamina for safer, bigger jumps. And, we’ll look at some of the common dock diving training problems that come up and how these foundation games and exercises can improve those!

Additionally, we’ll look at how each of these individual foundation games fits into actual dock diving, what we expect it to do for your dog’s game,  and how they can be used or adapted during your pool time to help transfer your dryland skills to the dock.

Gold students will be able to do the majority of the exercises in a small space, indoors, with a no-slip  flooring surface. If you have access to more space we can make use of it and students who have access to a pool may choose to post their dog’s past or current dock diving videos for feedback or analysis as they fit into the weekly material. However, the course is intended to be a dryland training course, so no current or previous pool access is necessary to complete it and you’ll find that there is very little that can’t be done in the average sized living room or smaller backyard.  There will be some bending, tugging and play required as homework in several lessons.

Teaching Approach

Each week will contain several subtopics with lectures containing written descriptions of each  exercise and brief video examples. Many of the video examples will show both a dog in the learning stages as well as a more advanced dog in order that students can see how skills progress.  Some lectures will also include analysis of actual dock diving in order jumps to better show how foundation skills fit in. Some lectures are more conceptual in nature but most will contain short homework assignments. Homework for each week is progressive.  Some bonus reference lectures are included to help students transfer dryland skills to the dock when weather/access permits and will not require homework. 

Feedback for gold and silver students is detailed and encouraging- typically, the feedback is provided in  written form but occasionally screenshots with markups or video demos are provided in order to help clarify next steps. You will receive feedback on what is going RIGHT as well as what needs changing. 

 

This class will have a Teaching Assistant (TA) available in the Facebook study group to help the Bronze and Silver students! Directions for joining can be found in the classsroom after you register.


Erin LynesInstructor: Erin Lynes

Erin (she/her) is a lifelong dog enthusiast from Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada. Erin is certified as a Karen Pryor Academy Training Partner, a Certified Profesional Canine Fitness Trainer, a Licenced Family Dog Mediator, and as a Cani-Fit Leader, ...(Click here for full bio and to view Erin's upcoming courses)

Syllabus

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Pre Class Lecture- Building Props!

Week 1- Foundation Skills

  • Safety in Dryland Training
  • Essential Toy Skills Games for Dock Diving
  • Fitness Beginnings
  • Cookie Fetch Game

Week 2- Confidence, Coordination and Cooperation

  • Mini Grabs
  • Surface Changes
  • Accepting Restraint and Bracing
  • Weight Shifting
  • Rear End Awareness

Week 3- Speed Event Skills

  • Quick Crisp Turns
  • Grabbing Off the Rig
  • Take Off Striding
  • Rapid Returns
  • Rear End Exercises

Week 4 Distance Event Skills

  • The Anatomy of a Safe and Effective Jump
  • Tracking vs Catching
  • Training or Retraining Stays
  • Stays with Higher Arousal
  • Balance
  • Mini Grabs Meet Surface Changes
  • Bonus: Throwing Part 1

Week 5- Suspended Toy Games

  • Look up! Game and Plan B
  • Hop Up Game
  • Striding, Extension and Collection
  • Flexibility
  • Bonus: Throwing Part 2

Week 6- Progressing and Problem Solving

  • Fast Fetch Training Game
  • Stamina Building
  • Foundations, fluctuations and Fixes – Which dryland game and when?
  • Bonus: Throwing Part 3

Prerequisites & Supplies

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Pre-requisite skills- A dog who is interested in retrieving toys is highly recommended. Lessons can be adapted for dogs of all ages but for youngsters you'll have the most success if they already understand working for reinforcement. 

Supplies & Equipment- 

  • A platform- stable, and long enough for your dog to fully sit on. Something like a Cato board works great but anything of similar shape and sturdiness works. (Foam exercise mats cut, stacked and taped are a super option.)
  • Stable, grippy front foot target, about the same height as your dog's wrist ie- rubber food bowl turned upside down, small stool, phonebook with a piece of yoga mat taped on. 
  • Two IDENTICAL toys that your dog is enthusiastic about, can retrieve and tug.  Use what your dog already likes! If they are not fussy or you are not sure, a foam Dokken Double Roper Super Dummy is appealing to many dogs. Puppies often really like fuzzy tugs that have a long handle!
  • A couple pieces of sturdy string (paracord type style) - about 3 feet worth total
  • Pair of Clothespins or similar style clips, which have a hole or option for attaching your strings
  • Broomstick or similar dowel-shaped object
  • Traffic cone or plunger

Sample Lecture

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WEIGHT SHIFTING

 

The last piece to this puzzle is training a weight shift. We want our dogs to have more weight coming from their rear when they first launch out of their startline position, whether they are being restrained or not. Dogs who are scrambling trying to run forward before they are released, or dogs who are hovering forward like a vulture, will not be able to take a consistent or powerful first stride. We want consistency! If it takes 7 strides for our dog to get from the back of the dock to the front, we want those to be the same sized stride on every turn. This is how we get the confidence for a dog to power off at the edge of the dog vs slipping and falling in, or taking off early because their striding is out of whack or they are worried about a slip. Get the rear-end powerhouse loaded right at the startline. 

You've already got most of the pieces that we need for this behavior, now it's just time to notice and mark the weight shift. Most dogs will offer this in a standing position most easily, particularly when they are anticipating a release. First we'll take advantage of their anticipation to capture and reward the weight shift, and then we'll put it on cue. 

So following all of the above that you've done with the middle, restraint and bracing, get yourself all set up and toss the cookie or toy out ahead as their visual target. Now just wait briefly. Watch for a sign that your dog is 'holding themself back'- this may come with a slight head raise or you might even feel them lean back a bit in anticipation of being released.  This will always be more subtle if the dog is sitting, so you might be able to feel it more than see it. When you see that first clue, mark it with your release cue and let go. 

 

Here is a dog who tends to do the leaning forward/vulture move. I don't release her if she's leaning forward or jerking back and forth. When I am holding her in the sit or down, I can feel her lean back just a touch and her head lifts up- this is when I release her. In the very last rep, where I am not holding her, she tends to want to lean forward again- I ask for a back up ("beep beep") and that slight scooch backwards is enough to shift her weight back so I can reward her with a release. 

 

 

Build on this- as your dog starts to realize that their action of leaning away from the cookie or toy results in a release, they will start to offer more. 

When you see that your dog is starting to get it,  I add a weight shift cue word. Mine is a whispered 'readyyyyyy' followed by a much louder Get It as a release once they have weight-shifted. Once I start putting this on cue, I will no longer release the dog just for offering a weight shift - only when I specifically have asked for it. We don't want a whole bunch of weight shifting back and forth while they are waiting, or hovering in weight shift mode, as that can be super comfortable and removes some of the benefits of the momentum that you get from releasing the dog just as they offer a weight shift.  I have my dog standing relaxed and focused until I cue readdyyy, and then it's a quick release once they have shifted their weight back. The release is quick after the weight shift to take advantage of the loading in the rear. We are not looking for them to weight shift and then pause before releasing. Load on cue and then go! 

 

Here is a quick clip of Venom working on her weight shift on the dock. Initially, she offers a weight shift before I am ready and so she doesn't get released for that- I wait until I cue it. (Note that Venom is really well conditioned to handling and I can lift her around on the dock without worrying her- most dogs are going to do better if they get into their stand or sit position on their own. Another big note here: YOUR feet move into the bracing position after your dog has assumed a square stand. You do not move their feet to accommodate your stance for bracing.)

 

Testimonials & Reviews

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

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Erin. When we had trouble doing something exactly as described in the lectures, she always had another approach we could try. I love that flexibility and creativity in an instructor. I hope Erin becomes a permanent instructor! I don’t know what she will offer next, but it will certainly be on my list to consider. THANKS, Erin!             


I loved all the great information in this course. So many great pieces to work on.


I liked that information was provided in written format as well as videos to demonstrate. It was helpful to be able to refer to the written materials when I was training to make sure I was covering all the areas. Erin was great about letting us all work at our own pace. I'll easily be able to complete the rest of the exercises after the class is over. The materials were very well done. Great explanations!


Hands down the best course I’ve ever taken at FDSA. Erin knows her material and is able to break it down for each of her students. She’s honest and kind. She can break concepts into small pieces so learning and success occurs for both human and dog regardless of where they are at in their learning. Highly recommend this course!


Great class - so much fun for the dog and handler. I will be able to work this until our dock pool opens. 


I chose dryland dock diving based on an earlier class offered by Erin Lynes. I knew that she would offer exercises that I would find valuable whether I was ever on a dock with my dog or not. The class did not disappoint. Stay to play translated to agility. I also found different toys to excite my dog for training.


Even if one has no intention of actually competing in dock diving, the skills are multipurpose, and the conditioning exercises are suitable for anyone. Erin was always happy to point me in the right direction. The wealth of information in the lectures was outstanding. It will take many weeks after class to go through it all and digest it.


This is a must do course for any young dock diving team! Quality information and instruction. Every lecture and exercise was valuable. One of the best Fenzi classes I have taken...and I have taken more than 20!       


I had so much fun with this class, received tons of very useful feedback, and my pup got a new personal best (by two feet!) after implementing a few new things—in week 3 of the course! I’m coming back for more with part two, I hope! Thanks, Erin!   


The toy play skills in this class were excellent! Even if my pup never jumps off a dock, we have learned so many great ways to progress our toy play that can be applied in many other venues.

Registration

There are no scheduled sessions for this class at this time. We update our schedule frequently, so please subscribe to our mailing list for notifications.

Available as a prerequisite purchase (lectures only) until June 15, 2025.

DS110 Subscriptions


Bronze
Tuition $ 65.00
Enrollment Limits Unlimited
Access all course lectures and materials ✔ ✔

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

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