Course Details
3 WEEK CLASS - Dogs are naturally drawn to motion. It’s instinctive—they orient to it, follow it, and engage with it. Yet in training we often ask them to do the exact opposite: sit still and stare at us.
Think about how difficult that actually is. Try sitting next to someone and simply staring at them without looking away. Now try it in a busy environment. How long before your attention drifts?
For our dogs, the environment is full of sights, sounds, and smells that are inherently reinforcing. When we ask them to sit still and maintain focus for long stretches, we often create “dead space” in training—moments where the dog has nothing meaningful to do. And that’s usually when we lose them.
Instead of nagging for attention, we can use something far more powerful: movement.
Motion naturally pulls dogs back into the game and helps create engagement without pressure or frustration.
In this workshop we’ll explore how to:
- Use movement strategically to build and maintain engagement
- Recognize and eliminate “dead space” in training sessions
- Replace nagging cues like “look” or “watch” with proactive training choices
- Use reinforcement strategies that incorporate motion rather than static rewards
- Build engagement through games, props, and movement-based rewards
- Adjust training when the environment becomes too challenging
When we keep dogs actively involved—moving, thinking, and participating—we make engagement easier and more natural. Instead of fighting the environment, we use the dog’s instincts to our advantage.
Because when training stalls, remember: Motion is your friend.
Teaching Approach:
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)
