Core courses cover the skills required to allow a handler to engage their dog in training with energy, focus and fun! Courses are also designed to help you understand how motivational training works; from the first stages to when the toys and treats are gone.
Instructor: Margaret Simek
Experienced and successful handlers have learned how to train a dog from their first moments to their final trial. They have learned what is important, how to communicate with their dog, and how to prepare thoroughly for competition. The purpose of this class to to take a closer look at many of these qualities that excellent handlers share – and to help you develop as many of these skills as possible! If you train and handle with excellence, your dog will be much more likely to have a successful trial career.
This class will consider how to set up a training session, selecting and holding criteria, working through environmental challenges (generalization of learned behaviors), using proofing to enhance your dog's understanding of a skill, using secondary reinforcers to maintain engagement in the ring and taking training critiria into the ring.
This class will not teach specific behaviors, although in the course of training, we may go over some skill building materials. This class will benefit anyone from the trainer trying to maintain connection and attention while working, on to an advanced handler that may be working on a training exercise that seems "perfect" in training and falls apart when showing. This is a class to build the skill of the trainer to enhance their obedience work with their dog. By the end of class you should be able to look at a problem in training and come up with a plan on how set up your next training session.
Check out the short promotional video!
This course is officially expanded to include agility as well as obedience and rally!
Most handlers spend months or even years teaching their dogs the specific exercises and obstacle performance found in the obedience and agility ring. We heel for months, and then we spend several more months making sure our dogs can perform their heeling with a wide variety of distractions. We teach retrieves, exams, recalls, and stays. We make sure our weave pole entrances and our contact performances are independent and fast. Yet we often fail to teach our dog what to actually expect at a trial. They are thrown into this new, chaotic environment with a stressed handler. It is the first time they see a stranger approaching to take their leash, another person who seems to be in charge other than mom is giving orders, and there is so much novel stuff to look at! Most dogs experience a great deal of stress as they are plunked in this new world and many of them do not just get better with repeated exposure.
The solution is simple but rarely practiced: you must teach your dog to understand the positive value of the competition ring. A dog who is well prepared to enter a competition ring with emotional comfort and sharp focus has a significant advantage over dogs who do not receive this systematic ring preparation experience. This class will help prepare you and your dog to enter an obedience, rally, and agility ring with confidence. We will do this by training the dog to understand her job at the ring entrance, reducing ring stress, and systematically preparing for the distractions which could crop up along the way!
What type of teams should take this class?:
*If your dog shuts down at the entire dog show scene, check out Dr. Amy Cook's Class "Dealing with the Bogeyman" first.
Gold students can choose to focus on either obedience or agility (or a bit of both!).
Check out this short informational video:
and here's a compilation video made by one of Denise's Ring Confidence students:
Lectures are released in batches at the start of each week.
The lectures are broken down by each skill. I have written objectives and then written instructions for each step followed by multiple video examples for each step. The videos are usually between 30sec to 2min long and are taken from training sessions of a variety of dogs and breeds. I do not use voiceover or subtitles in the video. At the end of each lecture is a homework summary with the steps quickly summarized in order.
There is a lot of "play" involved in this class and many video examples will show the handler moving around with their dog and letting their dog jump up. This play is not a requirement of the class. Whether due to handler limitations or dog preference, this can be toned down and substituted. The gold students will provide different examples of how I handle a variety of dog's temperaments.
Lucy Newton (she/her) has been training dogs and teaching dog training almost all her life. She was a search & rescue dog trainer, handler and instructor for over 15 years. She trained numerous personal dogs for wilderness search and rescue, as well as land and water human remains detection. Working with very active wilderness SAR teams, she has worked a large number of missing person cases in both urban and very remote wilderness locations. (Click here for full bio and to view Lucy's upcoming courses)
Instructor: Hannah Branigan
Novice and Open and Utility.. Oh my!
You look around and there is just SO much information out there…so many exercises, so many methods… it’s overwhelming!
What you need is someone to break it all down. Give you a clear roadmap to take you from where you are now to your finish line (UD? UDX? OTCH dreams?)
That is EXACTLY what we do in this class.
This class will provide you with clear, step-by-step instructions for getting started on every exercise in AKC, UKC, CDSP, and even the new TEAM exercises.
Foundation is everything, so in this course, we will work on the critical, multi-purpose foundation skills necessary for building solid, precise, reliable performance in the ring. And, we will emphasize making it simple, fun, and most importantly EFFICIENT!
In this class, you can choose to work through the entire program or focus on one or two exercises that particularly interest you. You will receive all of the lecture material and exercises on the first day of class.
The Skillbuilding class progression (1-4) will take you through evaluating your behaviors, building the fundamental components of each exercise, getting them on cue, chaining them together, and proofing and polishing them for the ring. But it all builds off the behaviors taught in this class. Don’t miss it!
Instructor: Hannah Branigan
This class builds on the skills, concepts, and behaviors taught in Skillbuilding 1 (OB210).
In this class we will cover:
We will also begin introducing simple behavior chains as we work towards building these skills and behaviors into finished exercises.
In this class, you will be provided with instructions for getting started on all of the exercises from the beginning, instead of in weekly installments. You can choose to work on all of the skills, or pick which ones you are most interested in. This class can be repeated as many times as necessary until you feel that you have mastered the skills to your satisfaction.
This class focuses on specific skills, so we recommend taking this class along with the "Drives and Control".
Here's a trailer for this class!:
Instructor: Margaret Simek
This class will continue to emphasize the handler’s skill building. We will be working on some common problems that face all handlers at all levels. Excellence will be built by skillfully incorporating principles of learning and applying them directly to our specific trainings situations. Bob Bailey (of Chicken Camp fame!) is the inspiration behind this class - how to design, execute and progress with training excellence!
We will work on limiting errors in training, setting up training sessions to maximize rate of success, effective use of proper reinforcement and considering your options for what to do when your dog does not meet criteira in training. Finally, we will emphasize the importance of getting training attitude in the competition ring, and how to do it!
Check out the syllabus for more detailed information.
This class continues with concepts from the extremely popular first class, Training Excellence 1, however it can be taken without the first class - you can catch up!
Instructor: Denise Fenzi
Does the thought of training without a cookie in your pocket make you nervous? Are you happy with your training, but have no idea how to prepare for the rigors of competition? Do you worry about getting a high quality performance when there are distractions nearby? Are you comfortable training in a novel environment without your toys and cookies to keep your dog engaged?
The purpose of this two-part class is to move you from the acquisition of behaviors phase to preparing for competition; these are two very different things! To do this, we will systematically consider three of the factors that are essential for a competition dog: Generalization of behaviors, Proofing for distractions and reducing "classic" (toy and food) reinforcers. This class will include short lectures on each of these topics, along with specific exercises and a training plan that will allow you to reach your goal; the dog show!
This class will also lay the groundwork for how to handle those “I have something better to do” moments. Rather than resorting to a leash pop, we will discuss the alternatives which will effectively get you to your goal - sustained focus - without the need for physical compulsion. Part two of this class will consider this issue much more extensively and in depth.
While most of the examples will be obedience specific, this class is designed to be valuable for competitors in all sports; from agility to freestyle to obedience and rally!
Due to the quantity of information which will be presented, this class is being run from August through December, with a two week break. At enrollment you will be purchasing BOTH classes (part 1 and part 2) at the same time.
If your interest is either obedience or rally, it is strongly recommended that you take "Confidence Building for the Obedience and Rally Ring" either before or after this class - but definitely before you choose to compete!
"Gold" level participants will actively practice the process of preparing for the ring, so Denise will assume that your dog is relatively fluent on a number of behaviors - if you cannot get the behaviors you want with reinforcers, then a Gold level spot in this class will be premature since first you train and then you prepare to compete! This class assumes the ability to get away from your "home training field" on several occasions over the course of the class", if you simply want the information for a further time, then a Bronze or Silver spot will be appropriate for anyone who plans to compete in the future.
This class will not specifically address the process of building confidence and preparation for the ring itself, nor will we address the issue of helping a stressed dog succeed on the the trial grounds. Appropriate classes for those processes would be, “Confidence Building for the Obedience and Rally Ring” and “Dealing with the Bogeyman” classes respectively.
If you are not sure of the appropriateness of this class for your situation, contact Denise to discuss.
Watch our short promotional video for this class!
Instructor: Hannah Branigan
This class is a combination of the original skillbuilding 3 and 4 classes. We will continue to work on building complex exercises needed for the ring. We will also be putting the skills together and getting them ready for prime time! We'll be using the skills from the first two classes in this series.
We will continue to work on building complex exercises needed for the ring. We will also be putting the skills together and getting them ready for prime time! We'll be using the skills from the first two classes in this series.
The specific behaviors we'll be working on include:
AND
This class is a bit different from some of our other offerings. Instead of receiving weekly lessons, we'll give you the instructions for getting started on all of the exercises from the beginning. You can choose to work on all of the skills, or just pick which ones you are most interested in. This class can be repeated as many times as necessary until you feel that you have mastered the skills to your satisfaction.
Instructor: Laura Waudby
This class is all about foundations! Start a new dog on the right foot or discover missing pieces in your training. This class is designed to cover all the exercises in TEAM levels 1 & 2. The TEAM program lays out the building blocks for developing very solid behaviors that the dog can perform in a variety of unique presentations!
The 10 skill areas assessed in TEAM include: Engagement and Focus, Heeling, Recalls, Fronts & Finishes, Distance work, Targeting, Jumping, Retrieving, Scent Work, and Impulse Control. The individual pieces of exercises are broken down for you in manageable steps! Introducing all the core areas from the start makes sure that obedience remains fun for both the dog and the handler!
This is an introductory course and makes no assumptions about your dog's prior knowledge. If you already have a solid start on most of the TEAM behaviors and you want to focus on fluency, cue discrimination and other advanced concepts, then consider taking Deb Jones's "Like Clockwork - Advanced Obility" class.
This class can help you prepare to title by video in TEAM or simply give you an excellent set of foundation skills for any dog sport or competition venue such as AKC or FCI obedience, freestyle, etc.
For more information on the TEAM titling program, please visit www.fenziteamtitles.com
Instructor: Heather Lawson
This class is all about foundations! Start a new dog on the right foot or discover missing pieces in your training. This class is designed to cover all the exercises in TEAM levels 1 & 2. The TEAM program lays out the building blocks for developing very solid behaviors that the dog can perform in a variety of unique presentations!
The 10 skill areas assessed in TEAM include: Engagement and Focus, Heeling, Recalls, Fronts & Finishes, Distance work, Targeting, Jumping, Retrieving, Scent Work, and Impulse Control. The individual pieces of exercises are broken down for you in manageable steps! Introducing all the core areas from the start makes sure that obedience remains fun for both the dog and the handler!
This is an introductory course and makes no assumptions about your dog's prior knowledge.
This class can help you prepare to title by video in TEAM or simply give you an excellent set of foundation skills for any dog sport or competition venue such as AKC, CKC or FCI obedience, freestyle, etc.
For more information on the TEAM titling program, please visit www.fenziteamtitles.com
Team 3!! This is where the real fun begins as you start to chain together the little pieces you learned in levels 1-2. Now the dog gets to really move and you can start to see real glimpses of the final behaviors.
This is a skills class focusing specifically on the behaviors that make up TEAM level 3.
The syllabus has the basic exercises included, but please visit the TEAM site for more information on the program:
http://fenziteamtitles.com/levels/level-three/
While the skills in this class are focused on TEAM3, they are foundation behaviors that will give you an excellent preparation for any dog sports venue such as AKC, CKC, or FCI obedience.
Lucy Newton (she/her) has been training dogs and teaching dog training almost all her life. She was a search & rescue dog trainer, handler and instructor for over 15 years. She trained numerous personal dogs for wilderness search and rescue, as well as land and water human remains detection. Working with very active wilderness SAR teams, she has worked a large number of missing person cases in both urban and very remote wilderness locations. (Click here for full bio and to view Lucy's upcoming courses)
This class is all about foundations! Start a new dog on the right foot or discover missing pieces in your training. This class is designed to cover all the exercises in TEAM level 1. The TEAM program lays out the building blocks for developing very solid behaviors that the dog can perform in a variety of unique presentations!
The skill areas assessed in this TEAM course include: Engagement and Focus, Heeling, Fronts & Finishes, Distance work, Targeting, Jumping, Scent Work, and Impulse Control. The individual pieces of exercises are broken down for you in manageable steps! Introducing all these core areas from the start makes sure that obedience remains fun for both the dog and the handler!
This is an introductory course and makes no assumptions about your dog's prior knowledge. Whether you are new to competitive obedience training or you have discovered a need to revisit skills with advanced dogs, this course will help you prepare to title by video in TEAM or simply give you an excellent set of foundation skills for any dog sport or competition venue such as AKC or FCI obedience, freestyle, etc.
For more information on the TEAM titling program, please visit www.fenziteamtitles.com
Lectures are released at the start of each week with all lectures released within the first 4 weeks. The lectures are broken down by each skill, often in multiple parts. I have written objectives and then written instructions for each step followed by multiple video examples for each step. The videos are usually between 30sec to 2min long and are taken from training sessions of a variety of dogs. I do not use voiceover or subtitles in the video. At the end of each lecture is a homework summary with the steps quickly summarized in order.
Several videos will depict training being done with the handler sitting on the ground. These steps can be modified to be sitting in a chair, and may also be modified to have the dog at a higher level such as up on a tall platform or on a bed.
This class will have a Teacher's Assistant (TA) available in the Facebook study group to help the bronze and silver students! Directions for joining will be in the classroom after you register.
Lucy Newton (she/her) has been training dogs and teaching dog training almost all her life. She was a search & rescue dog trainer, handler and instructor for over 15 years. She trained numerous personal dogs for wilderness search and rescue, as well as land and water human remains detection. Working with very active wilderness SAR teams, she has worked a large number of missing person cases in both urban and very remote wilderness locations. (Click here for full bio and to view Lucy's upcoming courses)
This class is all about foundations! Start a new dog on the right foot or discover missing pieces in your training. This class is designed to cover all the exercises in TEAM level 2. The TEAM program lays out the building blocks for developing very solid behaviors that the dog can perform in a variety of unique presentations!
The skill areas assessed in this TEAM course include: Engagement and Focus, Heeling, Fronts & Finishes, Distance work, Targeting, Jumping, Retrieving, Scent Work, and Impulse Control. The individual pieces of exercises are broken down for you in manageable steps! Introducing all these core areas from the start makes sure that obedience remains fun for both the dog and the handler!
This class builds on the foundation skills taught in TEAM 1. Whether you are new to competitive obedience training or you have discovered a need to revisit skills with advanced dogs, this course will help you prepare to title by video in TEAM or simply give you an excellent set of foundation skills for any dog sport or competition venue such as AKC or FCI obedience, freestyle, etc.
For more information on the TEAM titling program, please visit www.fenziteamtitles.com
This class will have Teaching Assistants available in the Facebook discussion group to help the bronze and silver students! Directions for joining can be found in the classroom after you register
Teaching Approach:
Lectures are released at the start of each week with all lectures released within the first 4 weeks. The lectures are broken down by each skill, often in multiple parts. I have written objectives and then written instructions for each step followed by multiple video examples for each step. The videos are usually between 30sec to 2min long and are taken from training sessions of a variety of dogs. I do not use voiceover or subtitles in the video. At the end of each lecture is a homework summary with the steps quickly summarized in order.
Lucy Newton (she/her) has been training dogs and teaching dog training almost all her life. She was a search & rescue dog trainer, handler and instructor for over 15 years. She trained numerous personal dogs for wilderness search and rescue, as well as land and water human remains detection. Working with very active wilderness SAR teams, she has worked a large number of missing person cases in both urban and very remote wilderness locations. (Click here for full bio and to view Lucy's upcoming courses)
This class is all about foundations! Start a new dog on the right foot or discover missing pieces in your training. This class is designed to cover all the exercises in TEAM Level 1. The TEAM program lays out the building blocks for developing very solid behaviours that the dog can perform in a variety of unique presentations!
The 10 skill areas assessed in TEAM include: Engagement and Focus, Recalls, Fronts, Distance work, Targeting, Jumping, Scent Work, and Impulse Control. The individual pieces of exercises are broken down for you in manageable steps! Introducing all the core areas from the start makes sure that obedience remains fun for both the dog and the handler!
This is an introductory course and makes no assumptions about your dog's prior knowledge.
This class can help you prepare to title by video in TEAM or simply give you an excellent set of foundation skills for any dog sport or competition venue such as AKC, CKC or FCI obedience, freestyle, etc.
Lectures are released at the start of each week with the majority of lectures released within the first 4 weeks. The lectures are broken down by each skill; highlighting multiple parts. Each lecture has objective of the exercise, applications followed by written instructions and video examples for each step. The videos are generally 1 to 2min long and show actual training sessions. No voiceover is used during video however, occasional subtitles are in the video. Homework summaries are at the end of each lecture.
For more information on the TEAM titling program, please visit www.fenziteamtitles.com
Lucy Newton (she/her) has been training dogs and teaching dog training almost all her life. She was a search & rescue dog trainer, handler and instructor for over 15 years. She trained numerous personal dogs for wilderness search and rescue, as well as land and water human remains detection. Working with very active wilderness SAR teams, she has worked a large number of missing person cases in both urban and very remote wilderness locations. (Click here for full bio and to view Lucy's upcoming courses)
This class continues on with the foundations begun in TEAM 1! This class is designed to cover all the exercises in the TEAM Level 2. The TEAM program systematically lays out the building blocks for developing solid skills/behaviours your dog can perform in a variety of ways, in a variety of circumstances or sports.
The skill areas assessed in the TEAM course include but are not limited to; Engagement & Focus To Work, Heeling, Fronts & Finishes, Distance Work, Targeting, Jumping, Scent Work (Articles) and Impulse Control. The exercises are broken down into progressive steps to accommodate all levels! Introducing the core basics right from the start helps to make sure that the journey of obedience remains fun for both your dog and you, the handler!
Whether you are new to competitive obedience training or you have discovered a need to revisit skills with advanced dogs, this course will help you prepare to title by video under the TEAM banner or alternatively, simply give you an excellent set of foundation skills for any dog sport or competition venues such as AKC, CKC or FCI obedience, Rally or even Freestyle.
For more information on the TEAM titling program, please visit Fenzi Team Titles Website
Lucy Newton (she/her) has been training dogs and teaching dog training almost all her life. She was a search & rescue dog trainer, handler and instructor for over 15 years. She trained numerous personal dogs for wilderness search and rescue, as well as land and water human remains detection. Working with very active wilderness SAR teams, she has worked a large number of missing person cases in both urban and very remote wilderness locations. (Click here for full bio and to view Lucy's upcoming courses)
Instructor: Mariah Hinds
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.
Registration will begin at 11:30 AM Pacific Time.
Enrollment limits: Gold: 12 students, Silver: 25 students, Bronze: unlimited.
Gold Level includes access to all course materials and the ability to post questions and videos to the course forums. Students will receive instructor feedback on written and video assignments.
Silver Level includes access to all course materials and the ability to participate in the discussion forum. Students may ask GENERAL questions about course materials and may submit two, one-minute videos for instructor feedback. Any questions specific to your dog MUST be accompanied by a video.
Bronze Level includes access to all course materials and the ability to read all questions and answers posted in the class forums. Students will not post questions or submit written or video assignments.
For more details, refund policies, and answers to commonly asked questions see our FAQ page.