Trick training is an excellent way to bond with your dog and to keep her mentally and physically challenged. It is also a fun way to learn how to use and improve your training skills while teaching your dog new behaviors. Each class will give you the opportunity to practice and enhance tricks that your dog knows and to practice teaching new tricks to your dog. Each level of class can and should be repeated as needed before moving to the next level. Tricks offered at each level will vary depending on student enrollment, interest and skill.
Trick Dog Classes
Trick Dog Novice 1 & 2
Prerequisite: Dog Sports FUNdamentals
These classes introduce a variety of novice tricks, improve fluency for previously learned tricks and set the groundwork for more challenging intermediate and advanced level tricks. All teams will work at their own pace. This class can and should be repeated as needed before moving to the next level.
NTD 1 and NTD 2 classes can be taken in any order.
Trick Dog Intermediate
This class builds on tricks from NTD 2, introduces new tricks, and sets the groundwork for more challenging Advanced tricks. All teams will work at their own pace. This class can and should be repeated as needed before moving to the Advanced level.
Trick Dog Advanced / Expert
This class builds on tricks from intermediate and introduces new Advanced and Expert level tricks. All teams will work at their own pace. This class can be repeated as needed.
Class Schedule
Focus & Fun Classes
No Need to Run Obstacle Fun
Prerequisite: Advanced Manners, Dog Sports FUNdamentals.
A fun class that builds team skills and the dog/handler relationship. Teams work on a variety of skills that include obstacles and equipment (ex.: raised plank, small tunnel, wobble board, cavaletti); behaviors and tricks (ex.: sit, down, stay, targeting); and handling (ex.: walk at left and right side, figure eights, sends, recalls). The emphasis is on team work, communication, skill building and having fun with your canine partner, speed is not an element of completing the course.
Dog Sports Sampler
Prerequisite: Advanced Manners, Dog Sports FUNdamentals
There are so many activities available to our dogs. Do you want a chance to try a couple out before jumping into one with both feet? These one hour sessions will give you an opportunity to do just that.
Senior Citizen Canine
Requirement: Dogs should be 7 years and older and training at the Advanced Manners level or higher.
Does your older dog love coming to the training center? Whether they like the training, the treats, the companionship, or all of the above, this class is designed for them. Old dogs CAN learn new tricks, as you ll see in this class. Designed for the older dog, activities will exercise the mind while being low impact on the body. Come join the fun.
Focus Games
Prerequisite: Dog Sports FUNdamentals
Everyone wants it, but how do you get it? This six week course will help you develop connection and focus for any dog sport with your canine partner using a variety of games that you both will enjoy playing. There are three categories of games - building enthusiasm for work, impulse control, and dealing with distractions. This class will have a lot of action and moving. Carefully consider if your dog has the tendency to become easily over aroused. Any questions please contact the instructor before registering.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Prerequisite: Advanced Manners and CGC certification
This class is focused on learning what dog acting is, how to get your dog involved, and how to train for it. This is also a good class to take if you’re working on behaviors at a distance, or want to learn and train to get cute photos of your dog! Together, you and your dog will learn things like how to send to a “Mark” or location, how to work with/around an actor, look at the camera, do behaviors at a distance, working around distractions, some tricks, and more! We will also talk about important topics like safety on set, etiquette, advocating for your dog, and how to decide if a job is right for you.
Fun and Games
Prerequsite: L2-Beyond Basics
Need a break from the every day training grind? Feel like getting out with your dog to have some fun and enjoy a few laughs with other club members? This session may be just right for you. In this class your dogs' sits, downs, stays, heeling, and other obedience skills will be tested with short games and other challenging activities. Dogs must be dog and people friendly.
On Target
Prerequsite: Dog Sports FUNdamentals 1 & 2
Dogs love target training! A “target" is both a behavior (something the dog does) and a piece of equipment. As a behavior, targeting is something the dog does with it’s body such as:
- feet on a perch ( two front feet for heeling, two back feet as in a back up)
- body on a mat (stays, dropping on a down)
- standing on a platform (signals at a distance, doing a send out)
- nose target (indicating a scent, touching or pushing an object, retrieves)
Target training provides an easy and fun way to train all kinds of behaviors for any dog sport.
Intro to Platforms
Platforms are fantastic tools (another type of “target”) in training a variety of behaviors for obedience, rally or freestyle. Use them to teach foundation stationary positions such as heel, front and close. Adds consistency and precision to sits, downs, and stand, tight turns and spins. Teach position changes at a distance. Easily add distance to Stay and Wait behaviors. This 6 week session will get you started.
Platforms will be provided in class.
Kennel Up
Prerequisite: Beyond Basics
Want to do dog sports but your dog isn’t a big fan of spending time alone in their crate? This one-week class, loosely based on Susan Garrett’s famous “Crate Games", will provide tips and tools to help your dog learn to love his crate.
* YOU MUST BRING A CRATE TO CLASS *
Class Schedule
