Course Details
Precision matters in competition obedience—but to much emphasis on perfection can hold you back.
When we focus on getting everything exactly right, our dogs often feel that pressure. Error rates rise, confidence drops, and performance slows. Instead of working freely, dogs begin to worry, overthink, and hesitate.
The shift? Let go of perfection—and watch accuracy improve!
In this presentation, you’ll learn how to build precision without pressure by focusing on clarity, connection, and thoughtful training progression.
You and your dog will learn how to:
• Break behaviors into small, achievable pieces
• Deliver clear, consistent information your dog understands
• Reduce pressure so your dog can think and respond confidently
• Embrace mistakes as part of the learning process
• Build effort, resilience, and a willingness to keep trying
When dogs aren’t afraid of being wrong, they’re far more likely to be right. Create a training environment where your dog can thrive—and precision becomes a natural result, not a forced outcome.
About the Instructor:
Petra Fod (she/her) - I have been training and competing for several decades in a variety of sports including Hunt Tests, Field Trials, Nosework, Agility and Rally. My first love has always been competition obedience. I have been fortunate to win the AKC National Obedience Championship four times with three different dogs. All my dogs have earned placements at Nationals. My dog Tyler won the World Cup and was First-Runner Up. All my current dogs have earned OTCH’s, multiple High-In-Trial and High-Combined awards, wins and placements at Regionals, as well as numerous perfect 200 scores.
I find training endlessly fascinating. Figuring out how to be a better communicator with each of my dogs is a never-ending challenge that I whole heartedly embrace. I love solving training puzzles. It’s what has kept me in the sport for so many years. I especially love the incredible relationship developed with my dogs through training and competition.
Although not currently practicing, I am a Physical Therapist and a Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. These days I’m an instructor at FDSA and own a Boarding Kennel. I’m passionate about teaching and sharing what I have learned over the years. Watching students grow and succeed is incredibly rewarding.
In my spare time I love hiking and playing with the dogs, running, practicing yoga, meditating and spending time with friends. I enjoy writing blogs and working with my friend Laurie on our Canine Connection Podcast.
