Pauline Whittaker
Dog Training School
Pre-Agility and
Agility Training
Group lessons and 1-2-1s for beginners and
experienced handlers. Just for fun or to competition
standard.
CONTACT:
PAULINE WHITTAKER
Mobile 07595710767
[email protected]
www.paulinewhittaker.co.uk
Membership no
00744
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Pauline Whittaker
Dog Training School
Hello
My instructors and I would like to welcome you and your puppy/dog to Pauline
Whittaker Dog Training School. I have been a dog trainer since the late 1990s and I
started my own dog training school in Buckinghamshire in 2000. In 2010 I moved to
Worcester and relocated my business here. I have been involved in the sport of
agility since my twenties when I competed with two of my dogs and I started
teaching agility when I opened my first training school.
We teach mostly ‘fun’ agility which is designed for pet owners to take part in with
their dogs and the classes are open to all breeds and ages. Your dog must be
relatively fit, with no underlying health problems.
The pre-agility classes are for dogs who are new to agility, and for puppies aged
between 6 and 12 months. The exercises will develop a working bond between you
and your dog, teaching them focus, co-ordination, balance and to work with and
alongside you in movement.
It will be useful to practice some exercises between classes but I do not insist on it
and some exercises you will only be able to carry out at the menage.
I include some handouts here for some of the basics we will cover in the first couple
of weeks and I will design more as the course progresses which you can add to this
pack.
We hope you will enjoy your introduction to agility training. Please do feel free to
phone or email me if you have any questions or feedback.
Best Wishes
Pauline
Pauline Whittaker
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Suggested Commands for your dog
Dogs need consistency and short, clear commands so they can learn easily. Make
sure everyone in the family is using the same words. My recommendations are:
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Do not say commands more than once. Teach your dog to obey your first
command every time so you are not teaching them to ignore you.
Use a release command so the dog knows when a command ends (such as ‘ok’,
‘off you go’, ‘finished’)
Save ‘no’ for emergencies and use specific commands to teach your dog not to
do things – i.e. ‘quiet’ or ‘off’.
Do not double up commands, i.e. ‘down’ cannot mean ‘don’t jump up’ and ‘lie
down’, use ‘off’ and ‘down’. Don’t use ‘sit-down’ to mean ‘sit’ etc.
Try not to say ‘come–on’. It is overused and ends up meaning nothing – i.e.
‘come on we’re going for a walk, to get dinner, in the car,’ etc and means you
cannot use ‘come’ reliably for recalls.
These are the commands that I use and teach. It doesn’t matter if your words are
different as long as you follow the general guidelines and are consistent.
1.
Name
2.
3.
4.
Sit/Down/Lie
Ok
Wait/stay
5.
Close or Heel
6.
7.
Come or here
Leave
10.
Watch/look
Your dog’s name is the most important command. If
your dog won’t look at you when you call its name, it will be
very difficult to teach it anything.
Lie down
Release command
Your dog holds the position, sit, down, or even stand, until
you give it another command or return to it and release it.
Dog walking next to you in desired position – have a
different word for working on each side of you.
Dog comes to the front of you on command
Dog immediately leaves what it is moving towards and
turns back to you, usually followed by ‘come’ in a distraction
recall.
Command to watch you upon request.
Use of treats in Training
I recommend using food rewards in training as the higher the incentive, the more
likely the dog is to want to repeat the behaviour and learning is therefore speeded up.
Rewards are faded out once the dog fully understands how to perform the required
behaviour.
Use of Toys in Training
Toys are ideal for agility as you can share them – i.e. tuggy games or throw them
which helps to get the dog looking forward. Have a ‘special’ agility toy which they
only get when you are interacting with them. Always give a ‘take it’ or ‘get it’
command so the dog learns not to snatch the toy and make sure they will release it
on command.
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Exercises
To practice at home:
Set up position
Bring the dog to the heel position on both sides of you –
useful to have two different commands. Always use a release
command such as ‘ok’ or ‘go on’.
Wait/Stay
Very important! Work at the distance your dog can do this
and start in easy locations such as inside the house, gradually
building up the distance and adding in distractions. Initially
always go back and reward them and don’t forget to use a
release command.
Circle Work
Can be done on lead and with food in the hand as a lure
initially,
This exercise teaches your dog to follow your body language.
It is critical for teaching the dog how to move on a course and
we will build turns into this on subsequent weeks.
Targeting
Starting with hand touches and building to doing this with a
lid such as a treat pot lid or a Pringles lid. Don’t speak to
them, let them work it out, say ‘good’ as soon as they touch
your hand/lid and reward close to the target.
Cross Behind
Designed to teach the dog to be comfortable with the handler
crossing behind them and to turn their head the correct way
to watch the handler without circling.
Dog sits at the side of the handler, tell them to ‘wait’, step
back slowly and move behind them, as they turn their head to
look the other way but remain in the sit. Reward with a toy or
food. Do this on both sides of the dog.
Collar grab
Doing agility is highly exciting for the dogs and often you will
need to handle the collar for control. This exercise ensures
they are not collar or hand shy. Firstly put your hand gently in
the dog’s collar and give a treat from the other hand. Build up
to being able to give little tugs on the collar without the dog
worrying. They should eventually associate all touching of the
collar with treats.
Perch Work
This teaches the dog awareness of moving their back feet.
Small block of wood or large book required. Once the dog is
confidently standing on the perch with their front feet, handler
moves slowly around so the dog moves their back feet but
front feet remain on the perch.
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Other Information
1.
Please bring poo bags with you, clear up after your dogs and ensure the poo
bag is taken home.
2.
Children are welcome to attend the club. Please ensure that they ask
permission to touch any dog before doing so. Please note that touching an
unknown dog is at their own risk. It is also advisable to bring something for
your children to do i.e. a book to read.
3.
Please ensure any borrowed equipment is returned at the end of each session.
4.
Parking and contents left in cars, is done so at your own risk.
5.
For the benefit of local residents please do not leave dogs barking in cars.
6.
Courses book very quickly; forms for the next set of courses will be available
from week three of the current course. If you are unsure of which course to
book next please contact me first.
7.
Only minor behaviour problems can be dealt with at the club. If you require
further assistance then a phone call or e-mail to work out a course of action is
required. Questions cannot be followed through at the end of class as usually
there is another class arriving, although we may be able to help before class
starts. However, I do also offer a variety of small friendly indoor / outdoor
classes throughout Worcestershire (Worcester Woods Country Park, Ockeridge,
Burcot (near Bromsgrove), Salwarpe and Wichenford) or 1-2-1 lessons in your
own home – please ask for more details.
8.
Bring lots of treats with you in a suitable treat bag or pot. You need to be able
to access these easily but keep your hands free. Please use non-crumbly food
and try not to drop any as it will distract the other dogs!
Thank you for your co operation
Pauline Whittaker
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