AG190 The Glue for Future Agility Stars

This course is different from most foundation classes. Rather than focusing on obstacles or traditional flatwork, this class teaches the critical foundation skills (the “glue”) that will help your dog succeed as a learner in agility classes, seminars, and high-energy training environments.

Course Details

Building the Glue Skills

Glue skills give your dog the self-regulation, focus, and clarity needed to work and process information efficiently. Without them, your dog may become frustrated, anxious, over-aroused, fearful, or develop undesirable behaviors that interfere with learning and performance.

For All Sports or Life Skills

While this course was initially designed for dogs that will eventually compete in agility, any dog (whether destined for any sport or just basic life skills) will benefit from learning these skills. Whether your goal is competitive dog sports or simply better life skills for a family companion, glue skills create a strong framework for clear communication and efficient training.

We have had dogs being trained to eventually compete in agility, dock diving, obedience, rally, freestyle, herding, rescue/foster (to prepare for placement), and more.

Who Is This Class For?

Open to dogs of any age
Puppies 4 months and older are welcome (the younger puppies will progress more slowly)

Dogs between 6 months and 2 years often benefit the most
Suitable for a dog that is:
- Just beginning training
- Already attending classes or seminars
- Currently trialing in agility

Skills Your Dog Will Learn

Stationing
Focused waits
Standby behavior
Release cues
Collar and leash skills
Transport procedures
Down stays

Skills You Will Learn

How to plan and organize efficient training sessions
How to keep your dog focused between repetitions
Why lack of speed is often desirable during learning
How to improve clarity and consistency with handling and communication
How, when, where, and why to use reinforcement event marker cues

Video Example

Here's a video from the last day of class for Ginger and Sprite. In this session, Sprite is stationed during a training session with Ginger's older dog, Gemma. Ginger has carefully layered in more and more excitement while Sprite is stationed. And in this session, there is a lot of excitement as she sequences and rewards Gemma with tugging while reinforcing Sprite on the station. Look at how relaxed and quiet Sprite is on her station during the training.

Teaching Approach

This class takes a step-by-step approach to building various skills. Each step will have written instructions. In addition, most steps will have at least one corresponding video. Lectures are released in one batch at the beginning of the week. Feedback will mostly be written. Occasionally there will be video feedback done to help with subtle changes.

Warning!! This class is heavy on information during the first three weeks. However, the background and introductory information set you and your dog up for future success in training the skills. The last three weeks have less to cover and won't be as heavy on assignments.

This class will have a Teacher's Assistant (TA) available in the Facebook study group to help the Bronze and Silver students. Directions for joining that Facebook group will be in the classroom after you register.

Podcast

Here's a discussion Nancy had with Melissa Breau about this class on the FDSA Podcast:

Fenzi Dog Sports Podcast: E221: Nancy Gagliardi Little - "What it takes to learn agility"

Syllabus

Week 1

Clean Cues
Duration Behaviors
Freeze in Position (Offered Stay)
Release
Event Markers (Introduction, why, when, where, location specific event markers)
Training Session Goals
Speed vs. Thoughtfulness
Mistakes
Station Introduction

Week 2

Station - Increase Duration
Transport - Treat magnet, Tugging
Crating Suggestions and Discussion (dogs won't work on crating in this class but we will talk about strategies and issues that come up)
Standby
Leash & Collar On
Collar Give
Collar & Leash Pressure
Small dogs - Consent to be picked up

Week 3

Station - Reduce Reinforcement, Add Distractions
Down Position
Offered Down Stay
Down Stay - Eye Contact, Vary Handler Position, Slight Duration
Standby - Freeze, Duration
Transport - Leash, Carry Dog
Transport - Treat Magnet - Increase Distance

Week 4

Down Stay - Duration and Simple Distractions
Work Away From Reinforcement
Station - Eliminate/Reduce Reinforcement, Increased Distractions
Transport - Station to Recall
Standby - Add Work

Week 5

Station – Add Work
Down Stay - Lengthen Duration, Increase Distractions
Waiting Strategies

Week 6

Down Stay - Eliminate Reinforcement, Add Work
Station - Advanced Training

Prerequisites & Supplies

A portable dog cot or any type of portable station.Dog mats or beds that lie flat on the ground cannot be used to teach stationing behavior during this class. You will need a cot or some type of elevated surface that has a distinct boundary. The surface should allow the dog to comfortably stand and turn around. The portable/fold-up Carlson cot has worked well for my dogs. I use the large for my medium dogs. It's much larger than they need, but I love the portability. It is also very reasonably priced. If you have a powerful dog, you might want to consider a more expensive model built to handle an abrupt exit from the station. There are some nice cots that are made for kids in daycare. If you do a search for "daycare cots" in your browser, you can find examples of these. Other favorites are the Cato Board: https://catooutdoors.com/. The Cato Board is a very stable outdoor platform designed specifically for dog sports. It can be used in all weather and is supported, so it doesn't move when your dog gets on or off the board. Some dogs initially have trouble with the Cato boards because they are so close to the ground, making it easy for the dog to step off. The 4 Legs 4 Pets cots: https://www.4legs4pets.com/. These are also sturdy, stackable cots. However, they are lower to the ground and might cause issues when the dog steps off, as I described in the paragraph above on the Cato Board. The Klimb with a mat to prevent slipping is okay as long as it is stable for your dog. There should be enough room for your dog to stand and turn around comfortably. Other options are cushions from a couch, an ottoman, an aerobic step, or any object your dog can stand on comfortably. There is no required position on the station.

Sample Lecture

Speed in Agility

Agility trainers struggle with the belief that they should allow their dogs to be slower and more thoughtful when training agility obstacles and concepts. Many agility dogs are expected to learn complex behaviors while being asked to pick up energy and speed, often in a stimulating environment.

Ask any successful athlete, and they will agree that it is more important to learn to execute the skill or routine first - slowly and accurately - before adding more energy, intensity, or speed.

When your dog is learning something new, it will take time to become proficient at the skill. However, this slow and accurate learning process has its benefits. Allowing the dog to perform the skill slowly with helpful reinforcement procedures will build confidence in the dog. This confidence, in turn, builds enthusiasm and speed. A dog that is frantic and hectic while performing is not focused on the execution. Building speed into an exercise before the dog understands how to use the body properly will cause many incorrect responses during the learning process. When that happens, it becomes difficult for the dog to figure out – especially when the human wants speed on top of it all.

After becoming more confident with their jumping skills or other obstacle performances, some of my fastest dogs picked up even more speed. It's crucial to understand that rushing for speed before knowledge or precision can lead to many mistakes. And depending on how you or your dog responds to those mistakes, anything can happen. You might have a dog that learns to ignore handling (creating off-courses at high speed) or a dog with frantic behaviors that cause more errors. You can even create the opposite of what you want - a dog that learns to move slowly. So, it's essential to be mindful of the learning pace.

Imagine if you were learning a new app or software package, and the instructor pushed you to execute faster than you could process. It would be frustrating, confusing, and stressful. Now, let's think about our dogs. They're learning a new skill; just like us, they need time to process and understand. Let's be patient and allow them to ask questions, just like we would in a learning situation.

Instructors

Nancy Gagliardi Little

Faculty

Nancy Gagliardi Little (she/her) has been training dogs since the early 1980s, when she put an OTCH on her Novice A dog, a Labrador retriever. Since then she has put many advanced obedience titles on her dogs, including 4 AKC OTCH titles, 6 UD titles, 3 UDX titles, and multiple...

Registration

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