Training Course Descriptions

Agility

Dog agility is a sport in which a dog moves through an obstacle course with the guidance of his or her handler.  The following are the various class levels offered:

Skills I 
For dogs and puppies with no prior agility experience at Splash 'n Dash.  Introduces the dog to several agility obstacles with the goal of having the dog be able to perform confidently and safely.  Work on foundation skills such as exercises to turn your dog, target work for contacts and shadow handling.

Skills II
For dogs that have graduated the Skills 1 class or equivalent skill set.  Focused on individual obstacles and then chaining obstacles together, further develop contact performance, and briefly touch on basic handling, such as front and rear crosses.

Foundations of Agility Focus 
In an Agility environment, it is imparitive that a dog is focused solely on the handler. This class is designed to teach handler-focus and canine self-control to dogs of any age or level of agility experience. Objective for the dog is to increase comfort, self-control, and confidence in an agility envirnonment with various levels of distractions while building/expanding their speed. Handler increases confidence with footwork and hand signals while executing crosses, turns, and targeting. A key part of this class is helping handlers learn why, how, and when to adjust their training techniques so that they can better set their dogs up for success. 

Handling I
For dogs that have graduated the Skills 2 class or equivalent skill set.  Provides more handling instruction.  Teaching students when/where to perform front & rear crosses, introduce more moves such as RFP(reverse flow pivot), flips, false turns and teaching your dog advanced skills such as “go” and “out”, etc. 

Handling II
For dogs that have graduated the Handling 1 class or equivalent skill set.  This class will provide a means to work on the handling moves that were introduced in Handling 1 on more advanced sequences.

Competition
For dogs that have graduated from Handling 2 or equivalent skill set.  Sequences will be more challenging and will test a variety of skills needed to be successful in agility.

Run Thrus
Run Thrus  are for dogs currently at Handling 2 or Competition level.  This class provides students an opportunity to run an entire course.  Each week a different course will be offered.

Small Dog Agility
Focuses on dogs that are under 17 inches at withers. This class will teach the handler about Teacups dog agility and specific types of handling needed for the small dog.  Small sequencing is used to perfect handler's position.

Obedience

Obedience training involves training a canine companion to obey basic control commands such as sit, down, and heel.  The following are various classes offered:

Rally Obedience

Rally Obedience is a new AKC and APDT event which allows handlers and dogs to have fun while doing obedience exercises at their own pace on a timed course.

Clicker Training

This class focuses on teaching the concepts of clicker training to individuals who are new to or who have limited experience with clicker training.  In addition, experienced individuals are welcomed and will be provided with opportunities to stretch their clicker training skills and the skills of their dogs.  The focus for this class, however, will be on building a solid foundation of knowledge about clicker theory and solid foundation skills.

CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Obedience

This class is open to any dog.  Work will be done on each obedience command, starting where your dog is at the  time.  The goal of the class is to have any dog without a CGC  to be able to obtain one.  A test will be scheduled near the end of the classes.  Dogs that already have CGC's will be working toward competition at the AKC novice level.    This requires all of the same skills needed for the CGC but at a higher level.  Skills covered include heeling, both on and off leash, the recall and front, attention (watch command), sit, down, stay, and finish or come to heel.

Freestyle

Is a coreographed musical program performed by handlers and their dogs. 

  Flyball

A fast paced team relay race involving jumps and retrieving balls.

Flyball races match two teams of four dogs each, racing side-by-side over a 51 foot long course. Each dog must run in relay fashion down the jumps, trigger a flyball box, releasing the ball, retrieve the ball, and return over the jumps. The next dog is released to run the course but can't cross the start/finish line until the previous dog has returned over all 4 jumps and reached the start/finish line. The first team to have all 4 dogs finish the course without error wins the heat.