Does the thought of training without a cookie in your pocket make you nervous? Are you happy with the quality of your work, but have no idea how to prepare for the rigors of competition? Do you worry about getting a high quality performance when there are distractions nearby? Are you comfortable training in a novel environment without your toys and cookies to keep your dog engaged? Do you understand the concept of engagement, and can you get it without showing your dog a reinforcer?

This course is designed for those who have never created a freestyle routine or who struggle with putting a routine together. We’ll go over music selection, sequencing behaviors, musicality, use of transitions, handler interpretation, creating meaningful verbal cues, show attire, freestyle vs heelwork to music, what judges are looking for and more!  While there are many organizations that convey musical freestyle titles, this course will be geared toward RFE and WCFO style of musical

This course will help participants learn to create excitement and interest in heel work with their dogs. By increasing their attractiveness as a ‘heeling partner’, external reward schedules can be decreased at the same time that natural attention will be developed.

This class covers how to get fast speedy full-field sendouts, plus how to get a quick down out of that full run away from you. Then we change tactics and cover how to teach that long IPO down stay with the distraction of the other dog working on the field next to your dog.

This course will concentrate on the sit/down and stand out of motion exercises in IPO 1-3. We will spend time on each position, exploring how to get fluency and speed in various ways like footwork and anticipation. We also cover the recall, emphasizing speed in the recall itself and preciseness in the front position. Placement of reward to strengthen and maintain the positions, the stays and the recall are also explained. Dogs participating in this course are expected to have the ability to heel for 20 paces and a knowledge of the Foundation skills taught in the 2 Introductory IPO courses.

Designed for dogs with all of the skills expected of a dog trained through Utility obedience with Obility movement skills from earlier obility classes. Emphasis on balancing speed with control.  Sequences in this class will be a longer and more complex and will emphasize a much thinner reinforcement schedule.  Short stretches of formal obedience work will also be incorporated.

Obility 1 is your introduction to Obility, a fast paced and exciting way to teach obedience!  In this class, we will introduce the basic obility commands (fly and thru) and demonstrate how to use them to teach any dog several fundamental obedience exercises.  All dogs will be introduced to the obility method of teaching the broad jump, high jump, recall, directed jumping, and gloves ( no retrieves required!).  Dogs who enter the class with more obedience skills may also be introduced to the obility method of drop on recall, retrieve on flat, and the signal exercise.  We'll work with the skills that you and your dog possess, and add a few new ones to keep you busy!  This class is appropriate for any dog or puppy with or without fundamental obedience skills. Only requirements are a a basic off-leash recall and a safe environment for your off leash dog to practice!

This is an excellent choice for obedience dogs that aren't having much fun with their training, and provides a nice introduction to the concept of obility.

This class may be repeated as often as desired until the student feels ready to progress.

This course will help participants learn to develop precise heeling through placement of food reward, platforms and discs, "pocket hand" and activities that teach you and your dog exactly where heel position is located. Static position (as opposed to movement) will be the primary focus.

Many dogs lack precise heeling because they have no foundation – they do not understand how to use their bodies with accuracy, and their trainers don’t know how to fix heeling mistakes when they occur. This class will give you specific tools that you can use to develop your heeling foundation, without using a leash, special collar or any compulsive techniques.

All of the techniques will be introduced at one time, so you can select the level of challenge that your dog is ready for, and then Denise will provide extensive video examples to help you apply that concept. This class will cover the details of precision rather than the “game” aspect of heeling. Because of this focus, the class can be taken even if you have no access to training grounds outside of your own home!

Since enthusiasm in heeling and precision are two sides of the same coin, this course is a prerequisite to the “heeling games” course. If you wish to take a gold or silver level spot in the heeling games class, please take the heeling precision class at the bronze level or higher.

This self study course contains all of the Novice/Level One signs from AKC, ASCA, UKC, and WCRL Rally. It also contains all of the Advanced and Excellent signs from AKC Rally.

28 days of shaped precision heeling!

This class is the 3rd in a series of 3. We've taught the foundations, both moving and stationary, and now is the time to put them all together to create the full picture! We'll be teaching turns, figure 8s, halts with many more skills. In order to be a gold student in this class, you must have the "picture" of moving heeling that you are satisfied with, or instructor approval.

Do you run your own pet-related business? If you’re a dog trainer, groomer, or another pet professional with your own business and you struggle with marketing your business, this class is for you. Whether you’re new and trying to figure out where to start, have been marketing your business for a while and just aren’t seeing results, or have enjoyed a ton of success but need to figure out what’s working and what’s not… Together, we’ll create a marketing strategy that’s right for your business.

"Conformation classes" usually involve a lot of walking around in circles, stopping, and showing your dog's teeth to somebody. That's fine as far as it goes, but what about all the skills the dog needs to show himself to his best advantage?

"Conformation classes" usually involve a lot of walking around in circles, stopping, and showing your dog's teeth to somebody. That's fine as far as it goes, but what about all the skills the dog needs to show himself to his best advantage?

Dock diving is a sport with unlimited opportunities to fine tune your dog’s skills and your own handler strategies! But when you only have a limited amount of time on the dock each week to practice, how do you make the most of that time?

Get ready to trial in the new AKC Handler Discrimination Scent Work division!! This class will cover the advanced skills needed to trial at Advanced, Excellent and Master AKC level Handler Discrimination classes. From interiors, to exteriors to multiple hides and distractions. This class is perfect if you are still trialing in Novice or ready to compete in the Advanced+ classes. The primary focus of the class is building value for YOUR odor through many fun games and successful search setups!

Does your dog look like this?

If you’re already addicted to Nosework and can’t stand the thought of a new opportunity passing you by…welcome to the new AKC Scent Work program!