Training Handlers to Handle Agility Workshop

General Information

Grab your dog and your running shoes and join us for an agility workshop for dog/handler teams from novice to advanced. This workshop is for people who want to learn more about THANK YOU! I know my dog and I will become a stronger team with this new knowledge!
--2000 Novice workshop participantdeveloping successful course strategies, communicating with their dog on the course, and planning effective training sessions. It focuses on handling skills using lectures, video analyses, and handler exercises. It also covers teaching jumping skills, weave poles, and contacts. The middle day, Sunday, will cover foundational skills, such as performance enhancement, physical conditioning and how dogs learn. The first session, Saturday and Sunday, is best for novice teams. The second session, Sunday and Monday, is for more advanced teams.

Dates and Content

This is a workshop designed to have lots of working time for all participants. On Saturday and Monday, participants are limited to 10 dog-handler teams. The workshop is designed to be taken either as two- or three-day sessions. Novice teams should join us for May 24 and 25, while Advanced teams should join us for May 25 and 26. Handlers with dogs at both levels may want to come all three days since there will be very little overlap.

Novice Teams (May 24): Communicating with your dog; table and jumps; contact obstacles; weaves; Course Strategy I; Proofing I.

Joint Session for both Novice and Advanced Teams (May 25):I cannot tell you how helpful the seminar was. It reinforced what I learned last year and introduced new tools that I will use.
--2000 & 2001 Advanced participant Training game; Developing a Training Philosophy; What must your dog do?; Functional Conditioning for human and dog, Time Management, Peak Performance and Creativity; Course Strategy II. This day will be primarily for handlers but the equipment will be set up for you to use during breaks.

Advanced Teams (May 26): Proofing; Advanced Problem solving; Drills-Weaves, Crosses, Turns, Distance work; Course strategy III

Instructors

Gayle Watkins has been training and competing in a variety of arenas with her golden retrievers I went to another seminar and learned a lot. I couldn't imagine that I could get as much out of another workshop. But I did. Gayle's workshop was the best I have attended.
--2001 participant for over 20 years. She has trained search and rescue dogs in addition to putting numerous Utility, hunting, and conformation (American and Canadian Championships) titles on her dogs. She has also shown multiple dogs in agility, including her AX AXJ golden who completed all six titles in four months. Gayle is a student of Diane Bauman. Diane has been on the U.S. World Agility Team, including the 1998 Gold Medal team.

Rosie Higdon has been training and competing in a variety of arenas with her golden retrievers since 1985. She has competed in obedience, agility, tracking and flyball. She has titled multiple dogs in each of the arenas including a High In Trial. She got hooked on agility when she took her 11-year old golden to a class in 1995. Her AX AXJ five-year-old golden has taught Rosie about the importance of conditioning the dog and the human partner.

Location

This workshop will be held in Blacksburg, VA.

Costs

TBD.

Comments from Past Participants

• I loved ALL of it!!
• THANK YOU! I know my dog and I will become a stronger team with this new knowledge! Your information will influence how our club trains in the future. Come back!
• It was great! I learned a lot and the workshop built my confidence as a handler which will build confidence in my dog.
• Loved it!!! Let me know about future workshops.
• Wonderful! I'd do it again!
• I was only able to attend the last day and, after being here for one day, I was really upset that I wasn't here for the other days.
• I went to another agility seminar and learned a lot. I couldn't imagine that I could get as much out of a workshop. But I did. Gayle's workshop was the best I have attended and I learned as much if not more than from Bud.
• I'm using the materials, training better and working on my fitness and my dog's. Many thanks!

Registration

On-line registration will be available shortly.

For more information

Contact Rosie Higdon at (540) 552-9112 or send e-mail to hidho@hi-d-ho-dogtraining.com .