Donna's next seminars will be:

No seminars are presently scheduled

-----------------------------------------

If your club or organization is interested in having Donna present an agility seminar, many topics are available such as:

Beginner Handling Skills
This seminar is geared towards the dog/handler team already trialing at the novice level or getting ready to trial. It will focus on the consistency of your cues. The proper execution of the front cross, rear cross, shoulder pull, and false turn will be discussed and practiced. Dogs must be comfortable with all equipment.

Intermediate Handling Skills
Dogs should be showing at the Novice/Starters or Open/Advanced level. The seminar will practice the proper use of the front cross, rear cross, shoulder pull, and false turn to maximize your efficiency on the course. The seminar, also, will work on the processing of courses to find the best handling method to maximize your efficiency on the course.

Advanced Handling Skills
As we know the courses are becoming more challenging all of the time, but at the same time those challenges are sometimes more subtle and difficult to find. Courses and sequences will be at the Excellent/Masters Level and will challenge teams to find the best handling moves to run the sequences in the most efficient/aggressive manner.

Performance Puppy Skills
Designed to provide exercises in foundation work for young dogs (say 9 weeks to 11 months) that will prepare them for a successful performance (especially agility) career. It does not involve actual agility equipment. The exercises build focus, body awareness, and most importantly a strong partnership between dog and handler. These are powerful tools to get your pup off to a great start.

Foundation Skills
Designed to build focus, body awareness, and understanding of the dog's job in the sport of agility. This is especially useful for dogs who have been introduced to equipment but are lacking the skills named above to begin a successful agility career. The seminar will introduce the use of perches and planks to build body awareness and balance. We will discuss and implement strategies to build play drive and use it appropriately, work on shadow handling and the "come to the hand" skill, as well as one jump exercises. Other exercises can include, teaching dogs to confidently run their contacts (a-frame and dog walk), bounce on the end of the teeter, and jump chutes. Requirements: This seminar is not designed to introduce dogs to equipment. They do not need to be proficient with the equipment but this should not be their first exposure to the equipment. Dogs should be comfortable with all equipment (weave poles will not be addressed in this seminar and do not need to have been introduced) and be at least 11 months old.

Contacts and Weaves
Perhaps the most technical and/or frustrating obstacles on an agility course are the contacts and weaves. A half day can be devoted to contacts: Methods are discussed and demonstrated to teach a stopped contact whether "2 on 2 off" or "4 on the floor". Participants then work through exercises to strengthen those behaviors. Next is transitioning them to the full contact equipment and perhaps most importantly methods to maintain them in the trial situation. A half day can be devoted to weaves: Various methods are discussed to introduce the weave poles - such as weav-o-matics, channels, and wires on straight up poles. We then discuss exercises to strengthen the entries and completion of the obstacle.

Donna welcomes suggestions on additional topics and will work with your group or club to make it the most useful for your attendees. Please email Donna at donna@k9play.com for more information.