Building The Relationship
   Of Your Dreams

I, Blanche Cooper, own and operate Dreamweavers Dog Agility Training. Dog agility training and competition have been my passion for the last 40 years.

Blanche with (cw) Impulse, Tempo, Risser and Maple.

Ebb

Gale

Prim

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Dog Agility?

Agility is a fun way to spend time with your dog, no matter how old or young either of you are!

Dog agility is a sport in which a dog moves through an obstacle course with the guidance of his or her handler. Dogs run off leash, so the handler's only controls are voice and body language, requiring exceptional obedience training of the animal. In competition, both accuracy and speed are important in ever changing courses.

Agility is a game that will enhance your relationship with your dog. No matter what your goal, many people find agility addictive. We recommend it as a opportunity to teach your dog new skills as well as a way to exercise their mind and bodies! We offer classes for all dogs (purebred or mixed breed) for fun or competition.

In order, to guarantee that you dog will love the sport, it is mandatory that your dog be taught without any corrective measures. If your dog is taught to do agility in a purely positive way, they will gain a passion for the sport.

Agility skills take time and effort. It will take you approximately one year to develop competent obstacle skills for your dog and another 6 months to develop a clear and consistent handling system for most handlers. Everyone is encouraged to participate in classes just for fun!

What Is Clicker Training?

Clicker training has been defined as many things. The basic idea of clicker training is to use the principles of operant conditioning to train animals. Operant conditioning is a branch of behavioural psychology. The clicker is based in the science of behaviour. Clicker trainers take it one step further. We primarily use positive reinforcement, which is one component of "operant conditioning".

Questions About Attention

Why do I need my dog’s attention?

Dogs pay attention and are learning all the time. Now you would like the dog to pay attention and learn from you! Attention is the key that makes learning happen. You get attention from your dog because you make it worthwhile not because you demand it. Rewarding your dog for the correct behaviour will make the behaviour stronger. Animals do what works!

This has been shown with many species of animals. Marine mammal displays give us a glimpse of what is possible. The animals are managed in tanks and are taught “hands off”. In the past, humans have often relied on punishment as a teaching tool. It always has some negative effect on our relationship with the dog.

Once you have your dog’s attention teaching behaviours and tricks is much easier. The added bonus is your dog’s attention to you is a great relationship builder and a good management tool.

How do we teach attention,
for Life or Competition Sports?

We begin with the basics because they are the foundation for all training. A good foundation is always necessary when building a relationship with your dog. Response to his name, a sit or a down is both a control exercise and a management skill.

Training attention - look at me, check-in or come to me - is not only convenient but insures your dog’s safety. It can be exciting or necessary. All other skills are built on this foundation—games, tricks, agility or a nice walk on a loose leash.

Watch Your Dog!

Is your dog a willing participant?

You and your dog must be in a learning frame of mind. Your dog will be successful if you give your dog your undivided attention during short training sessions. Think and plan before you begin to work with your dog. One to three minutes sessions are often best, use a timer.

Is your dog giving you quiet attention?

Yes! Reward with touch, praise, give a cookie, open the door, or ask for behaviour such as come, sit or down. To help make your dog understand, mix it up. Change how you ask and where you ask. If you are in the kitchen, move into the family room. If you are always in front of the dog, sit while asking or place your dog at your side. Remember to change only one thing at once. Make success easy.
Reward what you like, generously !

What if the dog will not pay attention?

You must determine why this is happening. Have you motivated the dog to pay attention? Do you have something your dog wants? Is the environment too distracting?

Sometimes, when a dog is struggling to learn, a head halter can offer both an element of control and discipline. Head halters such as the Gentle Leader can calm and settle a dog who is finding work (attention) or the environment too stimulating. This tool can be of great help in your training.

  Please Note: if you would like to use a Gentle Leader, you should seek help from a professional dog trainer. It requires a proper fit as well as instruction on how to use it in order to assist you in your training.

Can we show him the cookie, he will do it then?

Showing the dog the cookie is a way of beginning to get the behaviour that you are looking for. However, if you continue to lure the dog, no learning is taking place. The dog is just following the cookie. Sometimes the dog will only respond when you show him what he will get for it. This is bribing and often happens because we are in a hurry. Dogs learn best when we break it down into small steps. The dog needs to be successful and rewarded when he is.
Remember, dogs will continue to do what works. All dogs can develop a strong work ethic if we put the building blocks into place.

How long will I need a cookie?

You will want to reward your dog for doing what you want all his life. You may want to reward some important behaviour (such as the recall) with food or toys, other behaviours you will reward with pats, praise, and the privilege of sharing your life
Most of us figure out what our dog needs as the dog matures and our relationship grows stronger. The dog learns what is expected and we enjoy the benefits of a trained companion.

All of us want to share our lives with a dog that loves and respects us. We want a dog that fits into our lives comfortably.

Only you can decide when your dog is the perfect dog!

Ian Dunbar D.V.M. says,
   We need to keep training the dog until he is perfect for us.

What Is A Title, Really

by Sandy Mowery

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores; a title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor the dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in the record and in the memory, for about as long as anything in the world can remain. And though the dog herself doesn't know or care that her achievements have been noted, a title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count. A title says your dog was intelligent, adaptable, and good-natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed.

In addition, a title says that you love your dog. That you loved to spend time with her because she was a good dog and that you believed in her enough to give her yet another chance when she (or you!) failed and in the end your faith was justified. A title proves that your dog inspired you to that special relationship enjoyed by so few. That in a world of disposable creatures, this dog with a title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return.

And when that dear short life is over, the title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend. Volumes of praise in one small set of initials after a name. An obedience (agility, flyball, herding, tracking, lure coursing, conformation) title is nothing less than the true love and respect, given and received and recorded permanently.

Agility Class

 

Do you have a dog that loves to run and jump? Need an activity to burn off some of your dog's excess energy? Want to develop an off-lead relationship with your dog? Agility is the fastest growing dog sport in the world...and Dreamweavers Dog Training offers highly skilled instruction using the Say Yes Dog Training philosophy of training without using physical or verbal correction.

At Dreamweavers Dog Training we want to inspire you to see what stimulates your dog, share in play and shape play into dog agility teamwork. We believe you will find our classes motivating for both you and your dog.

With two basic principles, reward what you like and limit what you don't; we can help you train your dog to be the companion of your dreams and a great canine citizen! We believe some of the reasons dogs share our lives is to teach us how to be consistent, fair, fun and playful. Our training programs are tailored to enhance these benefits.

We offer classes for dogs of all ages for fun or competition. We also offer private lessons and agility problem solutions.

Agility skills take time and effort. It will take you approximately one year to develop competent obstacle skills for your dog and another 6 months to develop a clear and consistent handling system for most handlers. Everyone is encouraged to participate in classes just for fun!

Agility Foundation Classes

These beginning dog agility classes are designed for dogs and handlers with no previous agility experience. Dogs and handlers will be taught foundation skills and will be introduced to many of the obstacles. This class is taught in a fun and positive manner using treats and toys.

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Agility Foundation I

(Puppies 12 months and younger)
(Adult dogs new to Agility)

This class will include interactive games to keep your dog with you and attentive to the body language of agility. You will learn focus and drive games to build your dog’s value for agility obstacles. This class will also introduce your dog to the wonderful world of agility obstacles which include jumps, tunnels, tippy boards and the table.

Class 7 weeks, one hour per week.

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Agility Foundation II

(Puppies 12 months and younger)
(Adult dogs new to Agility)

This class will include foundation jump grids, one jump handling skills, teeter games, handling turns, contact and weave pole performance foundation.

Class 7 weeks, one hour a week.

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Pre-Competition

This class is designed for dogs and handlers whose equipment and handling skills need fine tuning. Sequencing will become more complicated with emphasis on timing and speed. There will be an ongoing progression to develop your dog’s best performance in the weave poles and on the contact obstacles. This level will be taught using only positive motivational methods and will continue to be a fun, action-packed training session for you and your canine partner.

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Competition Ready Class

For dogs and handlers who are ready for competition and are looking for more advanced handling challenges such as snooker and gambling skills. Agility training is an ongoing process and there is always room for improvement. Competitive agility training is excellent exercise and a lot of fun for you and your dog.

Contact Us

 8041 Observatory Dr., Granton, ON., N0M 1V0  (Lucan-Biddulph)

  Phone: 519-871-5900 or 226-213-4241

  Email:   blanche@dreamweaversdt.ca

  Click for:  Contact form