Distract-O-Doggie/Rally-O Class
Tricks, Puzzles & Clicks
Nose Work
Distract O Doggie
Please note: this is not the class to work through dog-dog aggression or fear issues. These issues are best suited for Private Training or Behavioral Consulting.
Taught by Lisa Edwards, CDPT-KA, CDBC, this class focuses on all the distracting things that suddenly make our dogs forget that we are standing right next to them. Based on our proven positive reinforcement methods, we work in as much fun for the humans as we can while we are proofing dogs to working around ever-increasing distractions and stressors.
Each week we might explore different Rally-O exercises, play a game of steal the bacon, stark attack, or discuss different stratagies for handlers to best support their dogs in every day situations.
This class is ideal for anyone looking to keep their working dog (AAI, Service, SAR, competition) in good working order. Or to help their pet dog be the best dog they can be when company comes over or you take them to doggie camp.
We build understanding, communication and reliability with this class.
The Distract-a-Doggie Portion – is great for proofing and practicing behaviors in ever-increasingly distracting situations – it is also Great Fun! Some of the games we have played in Distract-a-Doggie have been a hoot for all and great work for the dogs:
- A quick game of kick ball allows humans to know just how motivated their dog is by moving objects like balls and running people; and allows humans to learn how to adjust their dog’s behavior around these things if necessary.
- A rousing game of charades or musical chairs allows humans to see where they need to work with their dogs on the fine art of just being around other dogs without interacting when great, exciting things are happening all around.
- Talking dolls and motorized toys allow humans to know how their dogs will react to these objects and what they may need to do to adjust behavior or make doggie feel safe.
Distract O Doggie allows for the human-dog team to develop some very nice working skills that can be applied to the demands of therapy work, show work, mediating or preventing behavioral issues, or just getting around the house with multiple big dogs. The beauty of Rally-O is that its premise appears rather simple, but the actualization of the exercises is anything but simple without practice.
The better we can be at reading the distracted dog, and at knowing what we need to do for each level of distraction, the happier and less conflicted our relationship with our dog will be.
- Each class is six weeks long, meeting on a weekly basis at the same time and location.
- Each weekly class is 55 minutes long. This class is a nice mental workout for both the doggies and humans.
- This class is open to anyone who has taken the Adv/AAI class or the Three Dogs Training Intermediate Manners, Behaviors & Relationships dog training class or higher level, or by pre-evaluation with instructor.
- This class can be taken as a whole course or teams can attend on a drop-in basis that suits their schedules and needs.
Click here for our class schedules.
Tricks, Puzzles & Clicks (Six-week Course = $190)
Tricks and puzzles help us understand our dog’s wants while we help them to dispense extra energy after a walk or an exciting visit from family. Tricks and puzzles are invaluable enrichment for your dog’s life – and fun for you, too!
Taught by Lisa Edwards, CDPT-KA, CDBC, this class focuses on shaping tricks and puzzle solving skills while developing clear, positive markers via clickers and others tools in the world of positive reinforcement.
Tricks are a lovely way to take a behavior your dog insists on doing (that you may not like so much) and shape it into something that works for everyone. For example:
- The jumping dog learns to go up in the air and balance like Scooby Doo instead of jumping on people.
- The dog who is constantly giving paw learns to play patty-cake instead and generally only when cued.
- And the dog who chews everything they can find not nailed down in your house learns to pick up strange things and bring them to you instead of eating them while you are not looking.
- Then there are the fun silly tricks like riding a skate board, dancing through your legs, rolling a ball through a hoop, and more…
All too often when a dog keeps doing something over and over again they are telling us they enjoy it or otherwise need to do it for one reason or another. If we are annoyed by these behaviors and just say no (or even punish the dog) for doing them, we are not helping the dog because we are actually not teaching them anything.
As their parents, our job is to help our dogs understand what we want from them and help them to accomplish it.
Puzzles are the very best way to dispense your dog’s extra energy. Whether your dog is cranked up because it’s a yucky day out and you can’t go for a walk or your dog is cranked up because you just had a great walk and they’re now bouncing off the walls, puzzle toys will allow your dog to do what Nature intended for them to do. Dogs are hunters and gatherers who are more cunning than we would like sometimes, so let’s give them the chance to use those smarts in ways that don’t drive us mad.
The dog who opens your closet doors to get your shoes out will have a blast with some of the higher end puzzle toys out there – and the ones I can teach you to make up yourself. The dogs who currently aren’t getting into things will enjoy some of the easier puzzle toys we can come up with. Either way, whether your dog is doing Advanced Sudogku or Sudogku for Beginners they will have a blast.
Additionally, we will polish your abilities to mark the exact behaviors you are looking for in your dog for more precise performance in all areas of your dog’s life. Clickers, keep-going-praise and marker words will take center stage in getting your dog to move through the tricks and puzzles.
This class is ideal for anyone looking to ask their dogs to do animal assisted therapy, service work, SAR, competition – or to just be the best dog they can be.
The Tricks – are great for visiting and working dogs. Tricks entertain clients on a visit, and when working in either visiting or service tricks allow your dog a moment of fun, stress-relieving exercise. At home, tricks allow you to redirect your dog and to both enjoy a quick bit of fun together.
The Puzzles – are great when working in service or SAR. Most of the training for these occupations requires a puzzle-acute canine mind and to be a successful service or SAR dog your dog needs to be an independent thinking puzzle master. At home, puzzles allow your dog the cognitive exercise the canine mind requires to keep from getting into trouble.
The Clicks – are a great way for you to become a better trainer as you learn both precise timing and the patience required to shape behaviors.
This class is six weeks long, meeting on a weekly basis at the same time and location.
Each weekly class is 55 minutes long and a wonderful mental workout for both the doggies and humans.
This class is open to anyone who has taken the AATEA class, the Three Dogs Training Intermediate Manners, Behaviors and Relationships dog training class or higher level, or by pre-evaluation with Lisa.
This class can be taken as a whole course or teams can attend any number of classes that suit their schedules and needs – the first class must be attended to begin, then you can drop in as needed for your schedule.
Click here for our class schedules.
Nose Work Class (Six-week Course = $190)
This class will introduce you and your dog to the canine nose and what your dog can do with it.
With over 200 million receptors in their noses, your dog has an almost supernatural ability to detect scent and so many of us have already seen just how much fun it is for them. This is the greatest puzzle toy we can give our dogs to enrich their lives and keep them thinking and loving it.
Taught by Lisa Edwards, CDPT-KA, CDBC, this class will teach your dog how to begin to search for scent without your help – remember you do not know what their nose knows! The motto of this class is “let go and let dog…”
This is a great way to give your dog a job. It is open to anyone who has been through the Three Dogs Training Basic class or higher levels or by special permission of the instructor.