Fenzi Dog Sports Academy - DS525: Six New Indoor Teaching Games for Retriever Sports

Course Details

Want to play some retriever games with me?! I have 5 brand new indoor games for building awesome retriever sport skills. And we have a 6th game I've taught before on Honoring.

In this new class, we play one indoor game per week that builds or practices concrete skills we need for the retriever field.

These games are great for all levels of trainers - beginner, intermediate or advanced.

All great trainers start big complex skill sets inside, as learning games! I like to take this to the next level for my competition retrievers. Indoor games are a perfect way to build skills AND keep them polished!

What's In Store?

This year, we have new games that help you practice the big and small mechanical skills that make outdoor success possible. They cover the most common challenges people have AND they are easy to transfer outdoors and scale up to test size proportions. Check out the syllabus for more details!

Game 1 : Heel to the Line! Plus Temptations.

Game 2 : Marks With Blinds

Game 3 : Whistle While You Work

Game 4 : Casting Mechanics

Game 5 : Handler Mechanics for Lining

Game 6 : Honoring thy Neighbor

Teaching Approach:

Each week you will get a new game to train and get feedback to help you polish that skill. Bronze students will get to view the Gold and Silver student submissions and my feedback for those.

Each game will have one or more video lessons and a written description.

When you submit your own video homework as a Gold or Silver participant, I will review it with your specific details and past experiences in mind - meeting you where you are in your journey and helping you bridge to the next level. My goal is to have fun and make sure our dogs are having fun, too! I want my training to be game-like and create great accuracy with a lot of joy!

Instructor: Jennifer Henion

Jennifer Henion (she/her), KPA CTP has been playing and studying the US retriever sports for 13 years with 6 different dogs. All of whom have achieved Hunt Test titles....(Click here for full guest instructor bio)

Syllabus

View Full Syllabus

Week One:

Game 1 : Heel to the Line! Plus Temptations. [new]

Practice heeling to the line TOGETHER with the pull of temptation out in front of you both. Build great awareness of each other, while focusing forward toward the field - without repeated cueing.

Learn to use your body's motion or stopping as a cue for the dog to stay with you, no matter what's attracting her attention in front of you.

Week Two:

Game 2 : Marks With Blinds [new]

This game lets you practice building your dog's memory for doubles and triples as well as running a cold blind after running a marked retrieve - all inside your house with treats or toys.

There are lots of things you can practice with this game! Blinds behind the mark, blinds run past the old fall, and even under the arc of a mark!

Week Three:

Game 3 : Whistle While You Work [new]

Practice getting great whistle sits, while your dog is in prey drive mode. Don't worry, it's all indoors and actual prey is not required. We make it fun to choose to sit - even when something they really want is in motion! A great way to help your dog practice thinking during a distracting moment.

Week Four:

Game 4 : Casting Mechanics [new]

Getting the dog to look at you and wait for the cast and actually think about the accurate response. This is a challenge when outside - but indoors, we can teach this at close range, with rewarding outcomes!

This helps with Spin Direction accuracy - Left vs Right Backs and Angle Accuracy - Same side, Over vs Back

Week Five:

Game 5 : Handler Mechanics for Lining [new]

Super valuable game to build your line communication skills for blinds and memory marks. All with food bowls and treats. You learn from your dog and your dog learns from you. Both of you gain clear cuing and accuracy for lining.

Week Six:

Game 6 : Honoring thy Neighbor

This is a set of Indoor games that build foundation layers for Honoring another working team. And they really do work!! Great to practice with a friend and their dog. Or with your own 2nd dog or extra house human.

Dog Behavior

Course Details

Teaching Approach:

Syllabus

Prerequisites and Equipment

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