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About DAPS pre-agility foundation work:
Puppies 9 weeks and older can start my
pre-agility foundation program. Training and exercises are
always age appropriate. Early on we focus on
relationship, socializing, and developing operant behavior in your
dog and on developing your training skills and ability to be a
'thinking trainer'.
A puppy starting this program at 9 weeks
will be ready for full equipment performance and handling training
at about 12-15 months, when its growth plates are closed and its
attention and focus are at a more mature level.
Any age dog can benefit from this
program. Any dog physically able to jump can start an agility
program. Benefits range from increasing the quality of your
dog's life and the relationship between the two of you to solving
problems that have developed later in your agility career.
This agility training program will improve the confidence of a shy
dog and improve your bond with your dog. Rescue dogs thrive
with this approach to training.
I also accommodate deaf dogs in my
training program. We use a few extra methods with deaf dogs
but overall, training a deaf dog for agility is not noticeably
different from training a hearing dog. In fact, you get much
better at cuing when you are forced to stop talking and think about
how dogs learn cues. All agility venues but AKC allow
deaf dogs to compete.
The foundation program can help
experienced dogs that have problems with equipment performance of
various kinds, for example, fear of the contact equipment, poor
contact behaviors, startline stay problems, weave pole performance
and entries. In other words, if your dog never got a solid
foundation training, it is never too late to go back and retrain the
foundation work. After all, as Nancy Gyes says, "it's all
tricks!" Your dog has no preference other than to be with you
and have fun.
2007-2008: At this point, I
no longer offer group classes. I offer only private or semi-private
lessons for starting a new puppy in agility or solving problems in
dogs already in competition. Because I cannot take many
students on at once, I currently work only with students serious
about competition. My fee is $60/hour.
I can refer you to a number of
excellent agility instructors in northern California for group
classes.
Email me at: Dog Agility
Pre-School <cathy@dogagilitypreschool.biz>
for more information.
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