Course Details
Pressure is part of every sport. Whether it comes from the environment, the task, or the expectations of competition, pressure can feel uncomfortable—and dogs naturally try to avoid what feels uncomfortable.
But pressure doesn’t have to be a negative experience.
With thoughtful training, we can change our dog’s relationship to pressure so that it begins to predict positive outcomes. When this shift happens, dogs gain confidence and engagement increases—even as pressure approaches.
In this workshop, Petra will show you how to leverage what your dog wants most to change how they feel about pressure. By strategically releasing the dog from pressure as reinforcement, we can begin to reshape the emotional response to it.
You’ll explore how to:
- Recognize when your dog is truly feeling pressure versus simply being distracted
- Identify common sources of pressure in training and competition
- Use release from pressure as a powerful reinforcer
- Gradually change your dog’s emotional response so pressure predicts good things
- Build confidence and engagement as dogs learn they can succeed around pressure
These techniques can be introduced to young dogs as part of a strong training foundation, and they can also help more experienced teams who want to improve confidence and performance.
When dogs learn that pressure cues positive feelings, they develop the skills needed to stay engaged and work successfully—even in challenging situations.
Watch the Trailer:
Coming Soon!
Lecture Publish Date: Sunday May 24th
Video Submissions Due Date: Sunday May 31st @ 12pm noon PT
Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday June 3rd
Instructor: Petra FordI 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. (Click here for full bio and to view Petra's upcoming courses)
