The question we ask the dog will always be the same: Do you care enough about what we do together to ask for interaction?

If you think competition dog sports looks interesting but you’re overwhelmed at what it might take to get “from here to there” then this is the class for you!

This course is designed to build the confidence and basic foundation skill set of the smaller sized competition dog.

In general, training is training and it simply does not matter if a dog is tiny or super sized.  However, there are specific challenges that are encountered by the trainers of smaller dogs, and in many cases there are solutions!  

Small dogs are more likely to need generic confidence building in our full sized world.  Feet are big, people are big, hands move quickly and strange dogs are often intimidating too!  Small dogs tend to be more susceptible to issues of space and pressure, specifically because these issues are magnified for dogs that may be only a tenth the size of the other dogs and humans around them.  With a bit of extra attention and thoughtful training, even the smallest dog can learn to be comfortable - giving much better work when you add in the requirements for your sport!

On the other end of the scale, some small dogs really struggle with moving away from their handlers with speed and confidence.  30 feet appears to be a much greater distance for small dogs than for larger ones!  Using platforms, targets, and cones, small dogs can practice games that make movement away from “mom” a bit less intimidating.

Small dogs may also benefit from some additional modifications to our interactions.  Play skills can be modified to make play more comfortable for both dogs and handlers and some training techniques can be modified as well.

This class is designed to provide a range of foundation skills, exercises and modifications to allow the handlers of small dogs to progress more rapidly when they begin their specific sport training. While this class will teach you relatively few specific obedience or agility skills, it will give you foundation skills to make it easier when the time comes to add sport’s specific training. 

Join Denise Fenzi and her super star small dog “Brito” and learn how to make your small dog as confident as possible in this full sized world!

Note:  This class is also appropriate for larger dogs who are simply extra sensitive and who need a confidence boost.

The purpose of this introductory six week course is to help you develop a strong, positive training relationship with your puppy or young dog. Training behaviors is one thing; instilling a love of working with you is another. The key to consistent success in the ring is to help your dog develop into an enthusiastic and confident working partner. The concepts, ideas, and exercises presented in this class are designed with that goal in mind. Once you have raised a happy and focused puppy, you can take your training in any direction you choose in the future. My goal is to help you build success on success in your pup’s early training experiences.

This class will be based on the book “The Focused Puppy” by Deb Jones and Judy Keller. This book is a clear and complete guide that we will follow in our class format

For answers to frequently asked questions about online learning, please visit our FAQ page.

For some people - and dogs - play comes naturally. But did you know that good play is more than simply WANTING to interact with your dog? Good play requires the ability to engage with your canine companion on a level that taps into his natural interests, and this ability is one part art and one part mechanical skills. This class will teach you both of these elements.