Fenzi Dog Sports Academy - AG245: You've Been Framed: Running A-frame Training

Course Details

This class is for building a clear and confident running aframe performance. Regardless of your skill level, this class is for building a clear and confident running aframe performance. Regardless of your dog’s aframe experience, you will have the step-by-step process for teaching your dog how to adjust their strides and hit the contact-area consistently. Right from the start, you will add distractions and proofing layers to the behavior, ensuring that your dog can maintain their criteria no matter what the handler is doing.

Teaching Approach:

Lectures are released in one chunk at the beginning of the week. Lectures include written instructions, diagrams, and short demonstration videos. Demonstration videos are of actual training sessions, so sometimes things don’t go according to the script. It is important for students to be able to take the lecture assignments, along with trouble shooting tips, and make adjustments in their training that their individual team needs, since every scenario cannot be covered in lecture or demo material. Megan is direct in her feedback. “Keep doing this. Change this. Give this a try.” This training process is very step-by-step and should be followed pretty closely by each team, only making slight adjustments as needed. Steps shouldn’t be skipped as they all serve a specific purpose in the program.

Instructor: Megan Foster

Megan (she/her) has been involved in the dog sport world nearly her entire life. Though her family did compete in obedience, agility was Megan’s passion right from the start. With over 20 years experience, she has competed with a variety of dogs...(Click here for full bio and to view Megan's upcoming courses)

Syllabus

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Before Class: Overview of method & Equipment needed

1.1 Reinforcer Skills

1.2 Clean Loops & Responding to Errors

1.3 Value for Target Behavior

1.4 Naming the Behavior

2.1 Changing Handler Position

2.2 Adding Handler Motion

2.3 Adding Reinforcer Distractions

3.1 Obstacles Before

3.2 Obstacles After

3.3 Adding Handling

3.4 You’re Going to Need a Wing Wrap

4.1 Backchaining the Grid

4.2 Changing Handler Position in the Grid

4.3 Adding Handler Motion to the Grid

4.4 Adding Obstacles & Handling to the Grid

5.1 Introducing the Aframe

5.2 Backchaining the Aframe

5.3 Full Aframe: Handler Positions and Motion

5.4 Your Path to a Full Height Aframe

6.1 Adding Handling to the Aframe

6.2 Obstacles before Aframe

6.3 Sequencing & Reducing Reinforcement

6.4 Fading the Target/Box

Prerequisites & Supplies

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Equipment:

You will need a target of some type. A PVC “box” that is 30” x 36” or a yoga-matEquipment:

You will need a target of some type. A PVC “box” that is 30” x 36” or a yoga-mattype material of similar size.

You will need a wing jump, one wingless jump, and a tunnel for some of the exercises.

You will need at most, a 60X30 space to complete the longer sequences.

For the second half of the class, you will need access to an aframe that adjusts from 4’6” to 5’6”high. The aframe is scheduled for week 5, but if students are cooking along, could be as early as week 4!

Appropriate Age of Dog:

The nature of a Gold Spot is that you'll be doing some training several times a week, maybe even every day. Your dog should be old enough to physically handle that amount of training. My own dogs begin this process when they are young, but probably only train this specific skill once a week, and I do wait until the dog is finished growing to apply the flatwork to an actual aframe, because the process can go quickly with a solid understanding of the target behavior. I recommend that Gold Spots should be at least 15 months old. I recommend Silver Spots to dogs younger, as you can get feedback on the basic training and then transfer to the actual aframe once your dog is a bit older.

Sample Lecture

5.2 Backchaining the Aframe

I typically begin with a 4’6” aframe for dogs that will have a 5’0” aframe in competition and a 5’0” aframe for dogs that will have a 5’6” aframe in competition. However, if your dog has shown signs of uncertainty on boards or heights, then I recommend starting lower and building their confidence with being on it before starting the backchaining process. See the previous lecture for more ideas on getting your dog comfortable with the height of the aframe.

You will place the box in the yellow contact zone on the aframe. At this point, I am using only a pre-placed reward to help them target forward.

You can walk the dog over the whole aframe and stop them above the yellow, or pick them up and place them where you want them, or use a table and they can climb into position.

Start them one slat above the yellow and cue the box. Test this 3-5 times on each side before moving on. The handler should be motionless at this point.

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Assuming the dog is comfortable climbing over the aframe, and the introduction went smoothly, we can cue the whole aframe!

I use wings at the base of the aframe for the dog to go around before climbing the aframe. This accomplishes a couple of things:

It manages the dog’s speed, so he is more likely to be successful in meeting criteria.
It teaches the dog to climb from the bottom up vs jumping into the middle and being harmful to their bodies!

Start close to the wing and walk. Attempt both sides.

Start close to the wing and jog. Attempt both sides.

Start close to the wing and run. Attempt both sides.

Send your dog around the wing and walk. Attempt both sides.
Send your dog around the wing and jog. Attempt both sides.

Send your dog around the wing and run. Attempt both sides.

In the next lecture, there are two paths forward to increasing the height of your aframe and getting your dog to full height before we add in sequencing and handling.

Registration

Next session starts: October 1, 2021
Registration starts: September 22, 2021
Registration ends: October 15, 2021

Registration opens at 9:30am Pacific Time.

AG245 Subscriptions

	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Tuition	$ 260.00	$ 130.00	$ 65.00
Enrollment Limits	12	25	Unlimited
Access all course lectures and materials	✔	✔	✔
Access to discussion and homework forums	✔	✔	✔
Read all posted questions and answers	✔	✔	✔
Watch all posted videos	✔	✔	✔
Post general questions to Discussion forum	✔	✔	✖
Submit written assignments	✔	✖	✖
Post dog specific questions	✔	With video only	✖
Post videos	✔	Up to 2	✖
Receive instructor feedback on	Questions All videos	Questions All videos	✖

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

AG245: You've Been Framed: Running A-frame Training

AG245: You've Been Framed: Running A-frame Training

Course Details

Teaching Approach:

Syllabus

Prerequisites & Supplies

Sample Lecture

Testimonials & Reviews

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

Registration

Next session starts: October 1, 2021
Registration starts: September 22, 2021
Registration ends: October 15, 2021

Registration opens at 9:30am Pacific Time.

AG245 Subscriptions

Gold

Silver

Bronze