OB365 Open Obedience Fun - Putting the Pieces Together

Open 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 understand the exercises and perform them with joy and energy. As we put the pieces together, we will maintain that light attitude. 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. This approach makes it easy to problem solve and “fix” pieces within an exercise.
We will look at games that teach dogs how to handle pressure in a positive way. We will also look at games that maintain drive, especially for behaviors that are in the middle of the chain.

Course Details

This class can benefit people that have a foundation in the open exercises and are looking to put the pieces together. It can also help teams that are trained through open but are having problems or want to add excitement to the exercises. Heeling will not be covered in this class.

THIS CLASS WILL HAVE A TA!!!! This is a great opportunity tor all students, especially Bronze & Silver!!

Prerequisites: Gold Spot Dogs should have foundation skills for all the Open exercises.

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 required
for open 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. Students will need access to a space large enough so they can play games that involve the dog running and jumping over the broad and high jumps, doing a full length recall etc.

Syllabus

Preliminary - subject to change

WEEK ONE:

Introduction
Each Piece Must be Fluent
Error Sequence
It’s All Just A Trick
Dog Can “Offer” The Behavior
Develop & Maintain Criteria
Clean & Clear Communication
Don’t be a Step Skipper!
Mat Behaviors
- Forward and Backwards
Backchaining Fronts
Pieces in the Middle
Tricks in Stationary Heel
- When Leaving
Precues
BJ – Choose your method
- Cone
- Target
- Your side, my side
Maintain Drive
DOR – Backchain front
Quick response to cue
ROF & ROH – Fronts with DB
CD – Individual Combos
- Maintain criteria!!
CD – First Half
Each Combo must be fluent
SSGL: Lots of dogs flunk this!!!!
- Not trained enough
- LEAVE THE RING!!
- Precue to stand

WEEK TWO

BJ – Distance Attention
DOR – Response to Cue full distance
- Vary distance
ROF & ROH – Backchaining Fronts
CD – Pressure when leaving to 1 st position
- Barrier
- Judge
SSGL – Backchain return

WEEK THREE

BJ – Offer behaviors
- When you leave
- When you turn around
Backchaining Front
DOR: Add back to down
ROF & ROH – Pickup with Pressure
ROF & ROH – Putting it together
CD – Back into pressure from 1 st position
SSGL – Heel to setup
- Judge pressure

WEEK FOUR

BJ – Putting It together
- Maintaining Left Side Criteria
DOR – Pressure when leaving
ROH – Angle throws
ROF & ROH – Judge pressure on fronts
CD – Leave 1 st position to 2 nd position
CD – Backchain return
SSGL – Attention when leaving

WEEK FIVE

BJ – Fading Props
DOR – Pressure during drop
ROF & ROH – Proofing High vs. Flat
CD – Second position individual combos
SSGL – End of Chain

WEEK SIX

BJ – Balancing Front with Drive
DOR - Mix it up!!
ROF & ROH – Balancing Your Training
- Maintaining the Pieces
CD – Compare DOR to Standdownsit
- Compare Signals to downsitstand
SSGL - Compare to CD, Moving Stand

Instructors

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)...

Registration

Choose the plan that fits your goals and start learning at your own pace.

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