Course Details
Class Description
This class is about connection, training, observation, behavior, and the joy of fitness! In this class, we'll cover "all the things" that prepare you and your dog for progressing to the next level of Canine Fitness. In the same way that foundations are important for agility and other sports, they are important for fitness, too. You'll learn how to teach each exercise to your dog as well as the benefits of each exercise. You'll learn to observe your dog's alignment and how to change it for the better. This class will be educational, active, and joy-filled for you and your dog.
"Strong Foundations" is for all levels because it's always important to improve and develop our foundation skills. The more-advanced trainers always return to the foundations. This course will enhance your experience in "Helping Dogs Thrive: Fitness in Five". And while there is overlap, this class is all about building a strong foundation for future fitness exercises and classes, including "Fitness in Five".
I'm super excited that we will have a Teaching Assistant for this course.
Teaching Approach
Lectures will be released weekly and include how to set up the environment, instructions for teaching the behavior, video examples, benefits, and alignment. We will focus on the exercises, observation skills, teaching, and your dog’s level of engagement and joy.
[INST]
Syllabus
Week 1
Targeting
Nose-to-hand targeting
Platforms: orientation to the platform
The ABCs
How to get fitness behaviors
Reinforcement strategy
Mechanics
Orientation and alignment
The training environment
The setup, instructions, alignment, benefits, and videos showing the exercises.
Observation of our dog’s engagement, our own teaching, our dog’s alignment, the environment, and more.
Week 2
Targeting
Four paws (platform)
Front paws (platform)
The setup, instructions, alignment, benefits, and videos showing the exercises
Observation of our dog’s engagement, our own teaching, our dog’s alignment, the environment, and more.
Week 3
Targeting
Hind paws to target
Paw to hand (dog lifts paw for your hand)
The setup, instructions, alignment, benefits, and videos showing the exercises
Observation of our dog’s engagement, our own teaching, our dog’s alignment, the environment, and more.
Week 4
Tuck-sit to stand
Sphinx-down to stand
The setup, instructions, alignment, benefits, and videos showing the exercises
Observation of our dog’s engagement, our own teaching, our dog’s alignment, the environment, and more.
Week 5
Backing up
Spins (both directions)
The setup, instructions, alignment, benefits, and videos showing the exercises
Observation of our dog’s engagement, our own teaching, our dog’s alignment, the environment, and more.
Week 6
Rock-back sit to stand
Side-Stepping
The setup, instructions for teaching, alignment, benefits, and videos showing the exercises
Observation of our dog’s engagement, our own teaching, our dog’s alignment, the environment, and more.
Prerequisites & Supplies
A platform that is 1–3" (2.5–7.5 cm) in height. You can wrap a 1–3” high book in anti-slip material. You can use an aerobics step (I got mine via Amazon), a platform you build (search online for ideas), or you can purchase a platform via http://platformsplus.org/index.html
You will need anti-slip material to wrap around books and/or platforms.
You will need a non-slip surface to work on, e.g. a yoga mat.
Sample Lecture
Circuit Training
For circuit training, choose three to five exercises to make up the exercise circuit that you want to do with your dog. Then, set up the area for the exercises and do three rounds of them, one set of each exercise per round of the circuit.
I recommend a warmup before starting the first circuit and then a cooldown after the final one.
A typical workout might look like this:
- Warmup for at least five minutes
- Circuit: three rounds of
- Tuck-Sits to Stands (this is a repetition exercise)
- Front paws up and pivot hind-legs each direction (repetition)
- Stand with all four paws up on a platform (this is a duration exercise)
- Down-Stands (repetition)
- Cooldown for at least five minutes
Note: For variety, reverse the order on another day.
The exercises might require separate pieces of equipment. Initially, and to avoid the dog being confused about which exercise is at play, consider storing each piece upright or away but within easy reach, introducing each piece when it’s time to use it.
Circuit training keeps your dog working with a minimal amount of rest. It is an efficient way of working out, it keeps dogs engaged and interested, and provides a cardio workout by keeping the dog moving. Keep water handy; offer it between rounds of the circuit.
Do not feel obligated to begin with three rounds of a circuit. One time through may be plenty, especially when they are just getting started in fitness. Or you can start with fewer repetitions for each set, to make it easier.
Testimonials
New class for the October 2020 session.
Registration
There are no scheduled sessions for this class at this time. We update our schedule frequently, so please
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Registration opens at 10:00am Pacific Time.
