Clean Run Magazine - July 2009 - 14

Trainer’s Forum By Brenna Fender I’m taking classes to train my first agility dog, but my dog and I don’t seem to be making any progress toward our goals. I would like to look for a new class. Do you have suggestions for evaluating trainers in my area so that I can get the best training for me and my dog? Elicia Calhoun As a professional dog trainer and consultant specializing in developing training programs and instructor training programs for agility schools, I understand your frustration. The number of people teaching agility is increasing with the growth of the sport. And although some talented new teachers are joining the ranks, some are agility enthusiasts who just enjoy playing the sport. Your job is to sort them based on your goals. What are your competitive goals? If you want to compete, you need to have an idea of what is involved. Go to several different agility shows to watch. Be sure to visit many different venues (USDAA, AKC, NADAC, DOCNA, CPE, and so on) to get a sense of what the different environments and course styles are. Observe how the dog and handler teams work together, both in and out of the ring. If you enjoyed the dynamics of how a handler worked with her dog, ask questions about her training. Also question the handlers who won the class. Be sure to watch the relationship between handlers and dogs outside the ring. Is this what you have or want to have with your dog? Ask other spectators about their experience in agility. Find out where they train and what they might recommend based on your interests and goals. Researching the competitive realm will give you an idea of the applied skills you learn in class (obstacle training, teamwork, and handling). Now it’s time to investigate the area training centers. Consider location, class schedules, and quality of instruction. Prioritize what is most important to you based on your goals and your available time. Contact each training center you would consider and get the class schedules. Also get a brief bio of each instructor to see how much experience they have teaching, competing, and even judging. I look for a broad spectrum of staff skills to meet the needs of all clients; everything from entry-level to top-level competitors and everyone in between. Elicia, a National and World Champion and professional agility instructor, has owned and operated Waltzing Paws Agility since 1996. As a World Champion Team member in 2001 and bronze medalist in 2003, Elicia represented the U.S. for five consecutive years with her Australian Shepherd Suni, ADCH MACH5 Slydrock’s Solar Power. Elicia created the Suni Fund (www.SuniFund.org) to memorialize Suni and to raise money for cancer research. Contact Elicia through her website www.waltzingpaws.com. Ask them for a curriculum description so you may understand what the complete program offers. How do they start with a new client and then progress to the finished product? Does the progression seem logical to you? Knowing the training methods and whether you are familiar and comfortable using those methods is important. Ask if you can observe a class. Consider the class organization. What is the studentto-teacher ratio for personal attention? How are various temperaments managed in the class environment? What is the structure of the exercises, comparing working time versus lecture time? What is the instructor’s relationship with students and other instructors? Is a good balance of dog skills and handling skills presented? Does the instructor have the ability to modify the exercises to adapt to specific needs of various teams? Does the instructor give homework? Interview the instructors. Do they compete? If so, what are the highest titles and awards achieved? What types of dogs do they own and compete with? What about students’ dogs and their success? Keep in mind that not all competitors are good instructors and vice versa. If you have competitive aspirations, it is important that your instructor understands both training and competing to provide the best instruction. Ask the instructors why they teach. The best answer is they are motivated by the learning and success of their students. Before signing up for any class or training session, consider how it will affect your relationship with your dog. Make sure it will always enhance it, not hinder it, because the key to agility success is the team relationship. Agility is all about you and your dog; don’t ever compromise that. Have fun! 14 Clean Run | July 09
http://www.SuniFund.org http://www.waltzingpaws.com
Clean Run Magazine - July 2009

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