OB440 Utility Fun - Putting the Pieces Together
Utility IS fun!! In this class, I deconstruct all the exercises into manageable pieces. Each piece is taught and maintained like a trick. This makes the exercises accessible for us and the dogs. Your dogs will not only understand the exercises, your dog will perform them with joy and energy. As we put the pieces together, we will maintain that light attitude. We treat it like a game that both you and your dog will enjoy. We will use backward chaining and forward chaining to pull the exercises together. All while maintaining the quality of the pieces that make up the chain. Utility is my favorite class, and it can be yours too! This approach makes it easy to problem solve and “fix” pieces within an exercise. This class can benefit people that have a foundation in utility and are looking to put the pieces together. It can also help teams that are trained through utility but are having problems or that want to add attitude and joy to the exercises.
Course Details
THIS CLASS HAS A TA! which means Bronze & Silver students can get extra help and feedback from Sandy Heimberg. Sandy has been my students for many years as well as a TA for many of my classes. She is an invaluable resource!!
Teaching Approach
This class will have written and video lectures each week. Each lecture will be broken down into small pieces. There will be video examples demonstrating all exercises. Because everyone has their own learning style, I encourage students to move at their own pace. I understand that each dog and handler are unique and do my best to accommodate their needs. Students will need to move around with their dogs as is required for typical exercises pertaining to the Utility exercises. I will work with you to modify the exercises to your abilities. A few of the games will require quick physical movement from the trainer for short periods and distances. Later in the class and for certain exercises students will need access to a space large enough so they can perform a full Utility exercises.
Syllabus
Week One
- Pieces Must be Fluent
- It’s All Just a Trick!
- Timing of your mark is critical
- Forward Chain vs. Back chain
- Criteria
- Randomize Marking in Chain
- Clear End Picture
- Breaking each exercise into pieces
- Maintaining each piece
- Balancing your training sessions
- Motivation
- Teaching
- Chaining
- Precue and Pivot for Glove and Article
- Release After Retrieve
- Position change with Signals
- To Mat
- Work to Full Distance
- Replace target with glove
- Glove mark immediately for quick return
Week Two
- Directed Jumping
- Full distance
- Maintain Connection
- Release to Toy or Food
- Run to visible target full distance
- Different locations!
- Articles – it’s a scenting game!
- Fade switchboxes
- Mark and release when they commit
- Stand for Exam
- Reinforce stop
- Backchain Front with Glove & Article
- Prerequisite Hold & Fronts with nothing in mouth
- Signals
- Full distance
- Vary rewards
- Back to rug
Week Three
- Directed Jumping
- Offset position dog & Handler
- Run to target that’s not visible
- Articles
- Different patterns
- Different locations
- Replace target with Glove
- Judge Exam
- Backchain Signals
- Stand distance attention
Week Four
- Motivation games for running to target
- Turn & Sit
- Establish clear parameters
- Run behind
- Mat
- Backchain DJ fronts
- Glove return
- Scenting the Article
- Short Heeling to signals
- Stand backchain finish
Week Five
- Adding fronts to exercises
- Mix it up
- Help with props
- Verbal reminder
- Step in to collect
- Heeling to Signals
- Add pivot to articles
- Add pivot to gloves
- Stand add exam
Week Six
- What about finishes?
- Transitions
- DJ putting it all together
- Problem solving breaking it down
- Organizing your training sessions
- Patience!
Prerequisites & Supplies
OB415 Utility Foundation Fun
Utility has always been my favorite class!! Lots of people call the class “futility” but I think it’s tons of fun. I start teaching the foundation skills when my dogs are young…. puppies actually! But don’t worry, dogs of all ages can learn Utility! We will take our time, break down the components of all the exercises and teach them as fun tricks. Dogs love it and you will too! I also introduce dogs to the idea of running away from us, running towards and backing into pressure and being comfortable waiting while we move away from them. Maybe your dog knows utility but their work is lackluster. Or your dog is struggling with certain pieces of the exercises. This course will help you too. Set a solid foundation and your dog will be an awesome Utility dog!! This class is appropriate for dogs of all ages and all levels. If your dog has a Hold and Retrieve that’s helpful but not necessary.
Sample Lecture
It’s All Just a Trick!
Obedience is a funny sport. People start out all excited about the fun activity they are going to do with their dog. They look forward to teaching the advanced exercises. But somewhere along the line something happens and things get very, very serious. Very serious. Why is that? Who knows. But that’s not fun for you or your dog. So let’s remember why we started doing this in the first place. The truth of the matter is, every exercise and every class is just a series of silly dog tricks. It’s not world peace. We make mistakes. The dogs make mistakes. No big deal. I want you to think of each piece of every exercise as a trick. Approach it that way. Be lighthearted about it. Roll with the mistakes. Dog not getting it? Don’t panic. Think of another way to approach it. Tricks are fun! Change your mindset and obedience training is fun too!
Position Change with Signals.
The more we add distance to our signals, the more the dog wants to move forward. Later the dog will have to deal with judge pressure and pressure from the environment…which makes them want to move forward even more. Throughout my dog’s entire careers I work on maintaining a motor pattern that consists of moving backwards. In essence, I NEVER fully get rid of the mat. Definitely not when I’m teaching. As a reminder, when we ask for a position change we want the dog to “down, then move back”, “Sit, then move back”. Wherever you are in this process, it’s time to slowly add distance. Remember, all dogs are different. And all dogs are at a different point in the learning process. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Work at your dog’s pace. Remember to maintain criteria!!!!!! If you are also working on Open exercises, then I do a very, very short piece of heeling into the stand every time. This makes a clear differentiation between CD and Signals.
Organizing Your Training Sessions:
Instructor
Petra Ford
Faculty
I 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)...