Sara Brueske November 2019

I'm super excited to be bringing the amazing Sara Brueske back to New Zealand to run some workshops, and also help run the first-ever Up Dog Challenge Disc competition.

Sara's seminars, and classes have added so many tools that I use every day to my training toolbelt, and her relaxed personality fit's in so perfectly in New Zealand! The 2018 seminars were a fantastic fun, friendly, and motivating weekend.

Sara Brueske has been training dogs for over 15 years, and has experienced a large variety of breeds and sports during that time. Having graduated as a Karen Prior Academy Certified Training Partner in 2011, she jumped into the professional dog training world. Sara believes in positive reinforcement not only for dogs but for their handlers as well. Her biggest joy is watching a handler and dog become partners and grow as a team. Currently, she competes in the sports of disc dog, agility, dock diving, mondioring as well as being a trick dog enthusiast. Sara and her dogs demonstrate the sports of disc, agility and dock diving in over 300 dog sports shows for the public each year at the Purina Farms in Grey Summit, MO and they compete nationwide in the US. Having recently re-entered the competition disc world Sara and her dogs earned the titles of 2016 and 2017 UpDog International Freestyle Champion as well as placing on the podium twice with her young Papillion in the 2018 UpDog International Finals. One unique note about Sara is that she owns dogs from a variety of breeds and origins ranging from a scruffy-faced shelter mix to Belgian Malinois. Currently, she is developing her Australian Koolie breeding program and has a special interest in early puppy development and raising puppies for sports. Rescue is a large part of Sara's life and she stays active in this community by fostering, transporting, and helping dogs in need. 

These seminars, and competition will occur in the Waikato, and will run Friday the 15th of November - Sunday the 17th of November. 

FRIDAY the 15th OF NOVEMBER: 

Teach it. 

This workshop will look at a skill, and break down the different ways that you could teach it, and how you can speed up the process using concept training. You could pick any skill to focus on from a trick, to obedience, to disc. 

Handling: $200NZD

Auditing: $95

SATURDAY the 16th OF NOVEMBER

Make it Bombproof. 

This workshop will teach you the process of proofing your skill and making it bombproof no matter where you take it. This is perfect for people wanting to prepare their dogs for competition and taking the skills into the ring. Again this workshop could be applied to any skill including agility, obedience, tricks, disc etc. 

Handling: $200NZD

Auditing: $95

SUNDAY the 17th NOVEMBER AM

Disc and UpDog Games.

This workshop will go over some essential disc skills, in the context of the UpDog Challenge games. 

SUNDAY the 17th NOVEMBER PM *

The first NZ Up Dog Competition!  Games include one round of: 

 - Freestyle (performance round only)

 - Frizgility

 - Throw and Go

 - 4 way play

 - Time warp

* Entries to this competition will in a different Google form coming out soon! 

Spaces will be allocated by the 15th of September, and a 50% deposit will be required by the end of September to secure your place. Balance of the payment is required by the end of October, or on negotiation with Kelly. 

To register your interest you need to get in quick! Handling spots in 2018 were filled very fast and there was a waiting list. Please fill out this google form to register your interest. If you have any other questions please email me on hybriddogtraining@gmail.com 

Fitness - it's not just for agility dogs!

I started my journey into dog sports, like most people, with obedience class. In my early years training and competing, the thought that fitness, strength, or structure could impact a dogs performance significantly never occurred to me. I also never considered the mechanics of how skills were taught and the impact on performance.

My interest in canine fitness begun when we discovered that Brody was getting a sore neck from the way I had taught some tricks, and the repetitions at which I was asking him to do them. As I got smarter about how I taught tricks, I also got smarter about how teaching 'tricks' could help specific skills in my sport.

Here's a few examples: 

• Cavaletti can not only increase the aerobic fitness required to be able to maintain trotting for a sustained period during heelwork, but will also help with gait length, striding rhythm, and the general proprioception needed to hold a strong heel position. 

• Holding a stationary stay position for a long period actually requires a large amount of muscle strength. Adding strength and instability work in positions (sit, down, and stand) will improve the ease at which an obedience dog can physically hold a stay position. 

• Crooked sit's can be a result of a failure to teach correct form, a structural or injury issue, or most commonly a lack of muscle strength. Whilst fitness cannot correct structure, it can help you rule out an injury, re-teach correct form, and build muscle strength. 

• For most dogs, a heel position with a high head position is not anatomically normal, or comfortable. The large triangular muscle on the top of the back over the shoulder blades is involved in core stability and movement in the front limbs. This muscle is also shown to be one of the first to fatigue with exercise. That means that if your dog does not have a strong core, they physically will not be able to maintain this heel position. 

 

• Movement through positions in distance control can be taught with foundation fitness skills, that means dogs will develop the correct form and muscle memory. 

This is just a few examples of how fitness could benefit an obedience dog. Fitness exercises are a must for any performance dog, and can be adapted not only for the dog, but also for your sports!

Email me on hybriddogtraining@gmail.com to book a lesson, and keep an eye out here and on the Facebook page for upcoming seminars. 

June and July workshops at Hybrid Training (Morrinsville)

Hi everyone! I'm currently on an agility competition break, and given the wintery wet weather at the moment it's a great time to work on some other skills. So I'm running some workshops!

These workshops will be run at Hybrid Training, Morrinsville. Each workshop will run approximately a half day (3-4 hours) and start in the morning, or afternoon. Handling spots will be limited due to space.


Saturday 22nd June

Introduction to Competitive Disc Dog

Have you dabbled in throwing a disc for your dog? Are you interested in making sure that you are doing it in safely for your dog? Are you interested in figuring out if this might be a new dog sport you are interested in competing in? Remember we are having our first ever NZ Disc Competition (Up Dog Challenge) this year in November.

This would suit any handler that is able to throw something (note: you don't have to yet be good at throwing!) and any sound dog. There will be things that puppies are able to do.

If you already have an appropriate disc, please bring it with you! If you don't you can use one of mine, or buy them here:
 - https://www.smallplanetdiscsports.co.nz/hero-innova-superhero-dog-catch-disc/
 - https://www.smallplanetdiscsports.co.nz/hero-innova-supersonic-dog-catch-disc/
 - https://www.smallplanetdiscsports.co.nz/latitude-64-bite-dog-catch-disc/

PM Workshop: 12 - 3.30pm approximately. 
Handling $40 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

Sunday 23rd June

Nosework with Gaye Stammers

AM Introduction to nosework

PM Progressing nosework toward competition

The morning workshop is for handlers, and dogs brand new to competition style nosework. This will cover the foundation training skills and games, and introduce you to odour based nosework.

AM Workshop: 9 am - 12 approximately. 
Handling $60 (this include a basic odour kit, spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

The afternoon workshop is for dogs and handlers who already have foundation odour skills. This workshop will cover more advanced conceots like threshold hides, accessable vs. unaccessible hides, and training aspects. This will move you closer to being able to compete in Nosework competition.

PM Workshop: 12.30 - 3.30pm approximately. 
Handling $40 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

Please email Gaye directly for a place, or more information on the nosework seminars. Her email is gaylord@xtra.co.nz 




Saturday 29th June

Cooperative care

Cooperative care is all about making grooming, medical care, and other traditionally unpleasant things enjoyable, positively reinforced, and adding aspects of consent for our dogs to feel happy and confident. This workshop will discuss the foundation considerations and training skills, and allow you to work hands on in an aspect that is most valuable to you.

This could include:

• Muzzle training
• general handling and body work
• Putting on harnesses / collars / coats
• Injections/blood draw
• Taking tablets
• grooming
• Nail work
• Lying on side for bodywork and stretching

AM Workshop: 9 am - 12 approximately. 
Handling $40 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

Saturday the 6th July

Fitness Foundations

This workshop will allow you to work hands-on on the main foundation fitness skills that will allow you to have a balanced fitness workout. We will talk about the main foundation skills and why they are important, why form is important, how to teach, and how to advance them when you master them!

PM Workshop: 12 - 3.30pm approximately. 
Handling $40 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

Sunday the 7th July

Advanced fitness - Aiming for optimum condition for NZDAC

This workshop is for those who have already had experience in fitness, and are looking to work on how to organise a workout, and week appropriately. We will also discuss how to build up appropriately for large events like NZDAC.


AM Workshop: 9 am - 12 approximately. 
Handling $30 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

Saturday the 13th July

Advancing Dog Disc - Looking at competition preparation! 

This workshop will cover the general disc skills, different tricks, throws, and look at the competitions that will be running at the first ever NZ Disc Competition (Up Dog Challenge) this year in November. 

This workshop would suit those who have started some dog disc training and are interested in competing in November. Young dogs would be limited on which of the disc skills they could participate in. 

PM Workshop: 12 - 3.30pm approximately. 
Handling $40 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $15

Sunday the 14th July

Tricks

Do you want help with ideas of tricks to train? Help working through a trick that is stumping you? Or maybe you are working towards trick titles, and need some help.

This workshop would suit any handler, and any dog from puppies to seniors.


AM Workshop: 9 am - 12 approximately. 
Handling $30 (spaces limited) 
Auditing $10

If you need more information about any workshop or would like to secure your place please email me on hybriddogtraining@gmail.com

Please email Gaye directly for a place, or more information on the nosework seminars. Her email is gaylord@xtra.co.nz 

What to do when you cant do your normal things!

Often I get asked by people with injured dogs about ideas for activities that they can do with their dogs. And with Flori not being at full activity level, it's even more relevant! Here are my thoughts on what to do with your dog when they are sick, or injured, and what you need to think about doing with your non-sick or injured dog just in case this happens.

What do you need to be doing now, with your well dog? 

• Crating. 

I now follow Sarah Stremming 'Happy Crating' protocol, over crate games. It's really important to me that a crate is a happy, quiet, relaxed space, and not a working space. 

• Separation in the house

I think it's important that all dogs in a household are used too, and happy with, being in separate parts of the house. At the moment Flori is at the end of the house that is fully carpeted, and by herself a lot because she plays really hard with Deo and Evo. But she's had alone time her whole life, so being separated now isn't a huge deal. 

• Meeting, and being checked / handled by healthcare professionals

My dog's regularly visit, and are handled and checked by vets, hydrotherapists, physios, and more. It's important to me to keep them sound and comfortable and these regular checks are part of this. This becomes even more important if they become unwell or injured as these checks might be more frequent, or when the dog is sore or not feeling well. I want to have 'money in the bank' for happy and great visits. 

• Putting weird things on

• Basic cooperative care training

If you can train weave poles, you should be able to train some basic cooperative care such as handling for examination, restraint, teeth checking and more. These are also great things to train on miserable winter nights where you don't want to leave the house. 

• Fitness foundations

Not only is fitness essential for a performance dog, but having taught the basic fitness skills are really valuable if you ever have to rehab your dog. 

• A wide base of foundation training

Because you know what? Things happen, and there is also the chance that the dog you got to do agility is not able to do agility. So it's important that you both have other options. 

So what are some ideas for your unwell or injured dog? 

Enrichment is a normal part of my dogs. And when life gets in the way and I don't get to do as much walking or training as I would like, I up my other enrichment activities. 

I've made a document here with some enrichment ideas for dogs that are under restricted activities. This document is read-only, so if you want to share it with anyone please share this blog post. 

If you have questions or want lessons training anything discussed on this blog email me on hybriddogtraining@gmail.com 

Why sometimes you cant fix agility by doing more agility.

I remember that when I started agility I just wanted to do the jumps, and weaves, running sequences. I was annoyed and didn't understand why we had to do other things.... because isint agility just actually doing the things??

Fast forward a few years to instructing at a club setting, and I remember being disappointed at the reluctance of the class organizers to put more foundation skills into their classes. Because that wouldn't keep people coming and taking classes. However, there were so many issues with the handlers and dogs that could be resolved with some of these skills and training!

Take another leap into the future, and now what I sometimes see with people coming to me for lessons. A reluctance to work on some key areas, because they just want to do the 'sexy stuff' that looks like agility.

So what are the things that you should have mastered before starting sports specific skills, or entering the ring? 

• Handler training mechanics

If you cannot train your dog to turn in a circle on the flat with clear and consistent communication and clean mechanics, that produces fast and low error training without stress or frustration, then how the hell can you expect to train a complex skill, like a collection agility jump? 

The foundation handler training mechanics that I work hard on with my young dogs (and myself as a trainer) before starting sports specific skills include: 

 - using reinforcement markers like a clicker or verbal markers

 - Having a variety of reinforcement options

 - Picking the most appropriate reinforcement for the dog, and the behavior

 - Timing of marking, and handler mechanics e.g. movement of hands

 - Being able to split a skill into smaller training sessions, and criteria, and knowing when to increase your criteria towards the end goal. 

 - Being able to be strategic about the environment, and equipment set up to increase the chance of success. 

 - Being able to plan a training session to make a clean loop of reinforcement for any skill

 - Being able to read behavior to decide when to change your plan, or end a session. 

How have I ensured this was an effective training session? 

• Foundation skills

There are so many foundation skills that are relevant for dog performance sports that are not adequately trained. This can have a huge impact on your sports, and also on your life with your canine teammate.  I would expect these skills are not only well trained, and highly reinforced, but have also been generalized to different environments and contexts. 

These can include (but are not limited too): 

 - Basic positions like sit, down, stand

 - Movement between positions (e.g. sit to stand) 

 - Cooperative care for grooming and healthcare

 - Leash walking

 - Putting on harnesses, coats etc. 

 - muzzle training

 - recalls

 - Interaction with items (e.g. feet on a object) 

 - Interaction with the handler (e.g. leg weaving)

 - Movements independently (e.g. spin, twist, reversing)

 - Foundation fitness skills

 - Heelwork

 - Problem-solving e.g. toy enrichment

 - Happy crating

 - Stationing

 - An alternative behavior to demaning handler interaction

 - Waiting in a stationary position

• Body movement and strength

In every dog sports that I compete in, or watch I see dogs with movement, strength, or lameness issues at every single training session or competition. I understand that it's hard to learn about how animals move, and what good movement looks like. But I feel like it's our responsibility as performance dogs owners and competitors to seek professionals to help us make these judgments if you are unable to do so yourself. 

If you are having an issue with a particular skill (like weaves) your first point of call should be ruling out both injury, and a lack of strength that may be contributing to your dog's performance issue. And I just don't want to hear 'oh the vet says they are fine' because you know what? Vets do NOT receive orthopedic or sports medicine training. They are not good (well most!) with orthopedic issues, and most have no idea about the physical pressures that our dog's sports put on our dogs. 

And I don't just mean agility. I can tell you that the vast majority of obedience, and gun dogs that I have seen competing have the same issues. Lameness, muscle imbalance, lack of strength, and poor movement. 

I really believe that fitness training (cardio, strength, balance, etc) should be a part of every performance dog's training schedule. As high-level athletes cross training is important. Not only that but you can often pick up subtle changes in fitness work, like posture in a stand, that may be a sigh of an early injury and not evident in performance training or competition. 

• Optimal working state of mind (arousal, stress) 

I'm sure most of you that follow me already know that I think a dogs arousal level can have a big impact on training, and competition. Whilst I think that some dogs are genetically predisposed to being outside what we consider the 'optimum' arousal zone (e.g. low and stressy, or high and over aroused), I think that much can be done in your training and competition planning, set up, and trainer techniques, to keep your dog in the optimum zone. 

This involves not only reading your dog's behavior, but having trained and practiced your processes and patterns to help keep your dog 'in the zone'. These are things that you should have trained and practiced thoroughly before starting sports specific training. 

• Delayed reinforcement strategies

So often I think that the problems that I see in the ring are related to the ring being a different place than in training. Because so often in training the handler has treats, and a toy on them at all times, and reinforces liberally. Now don't get me wrong. I'm all into throwing all the treats and giving all the toys. The problem becomes when this always happens in training, and never in a show. That's really confusing! And frustrating, for both handler and the dog. 

Working on delayed reinforcement strategies are part of ring readyness and a clear communication system.  And this should be with food, and with toys. And again, this is something that you really need to have working on BEFORE you start competing! 

In my opinion, the vast majority of agility 'problems' can be related back to an issue with one of the above areas. That's why I believe that sometimes just practicing the agility, isn't going to fix the agility issues. 

I totally understand the reluctance to work on some of these things when you just want to do the agility. And I sometimes find myself moving too fast through the foundation skills and putting skills into an agility setting earlier than I should. But you know what? Taking more time earlier will mean your skill will progress faster later on. And hopefully without issues arising that you have to go back and fix! I've learnt this the hard way.

What is a year?

A year is the time it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. 365 days. 8760 hours. A year can feel like a lifetime, or go by in a flash.

This week Flori turned a year old. And how fast this time has gone! It seems like just yesterday that she was a tiny wiggly black beast.

We've achieved so much over this time. I've learnt about the awesomeness of having a spaniel in your life. I've learnt about gun dog training and competitions. I've learnt what that increase in spaniel tail bum wiggling in the field means (watch out.... I've found bunny smells!), what a bumper is, and what it's like to have a bitch in season in a multi-dog house!

I, along with the school, have learnt about the benefits of having an amazing dog like Flori at school full time, working with students. Every day I am amazed by how she is with the students, and at the impact that she has.

Flori and I have developed as a team, working through lots of foundation skills, gaining a trick dog champion title, working through cooperative care, my first gold Fenzi online class spot, seminars, and more. We still have lot's to work on... but that's normal, everyone always has 'to work on's'

Unfortunately, the next phase in our training is not in the direction I was hoping for. I was looking forward to starting agility foundation skills and progressing some gundog work. But instead, we are looking at rehabilitation and the possibility of surgery.

After Flori's first season her posture and movement patterns changed. And didn't get back to the normal patterns expected. So I took her to an orthopedic specialist, who has diagnosed her with luxating patella's. At the moment we are looking at rehab, and reassessing in six months if surgery is required.

So I don't know for sure what our sporting future will be, which is scary, and disappointing. I know we will find something fun to do together that we both love, that her body can handle, but it's still a bit gutting to possibly not be able to train her in the sport I hoped she would compete in. Actually extremely gutting.

So make sure you are getting your young dogs checked, especially before starting any sports specific training! I'll keep you all posted on how our rehab is going.

Rock Solid Stands for Agility Measuring - Online learning class

This year I have quite a few online classes coming out, which is pretty exciting! With some of these I'm experimenting with some different online formats, and/or platforms. This is so I can find the platform that works best for the style or material in a particular class. Also because whilst I love Facebook there are inherent issues with the groups as an online class.

For the latest online class: Rock Solid Stands for Agility Measuring, we will be using a self-paced instructional Google document, with a support Facebook group. This group will also have units of work (the same units in the document) if you prefer to work through Facebook.

These units allow me to organize the Facebook group, and also means you can also hit a button, which tells me (and you) when you have completed a unit of work.

This class get's slightly geeky about measuring. The traditional way of teaching a dog to stand for measuring stick was to lure it under. But as a measurer for many years, I have seen more dogs that not who are not just unhappy about this process, but terrified.

The cool thing about the way that this skill is broken into smaller chunks is that it gives you step by step information, to build a dog that LOVES being measured. Also, these skills are really transferrable to other skills such as cooperative care.

Here's Flori's first ever time being measured by another person to illustrate this skill: 

This course is available to individuals, or clubs for purchase.

Individuals have access to the Google document, and Facebook group (with learning units) for the one-time price of $40NZD. This allows you to not only access the information but ask questions and post videos of any of your own dogs for feedback, at any time.

Clubs have the ability to purchase for access for the club instructors, and committee members. Please note that whilst these concepts can be applied into the class situation, all course content (text, videos, and pictures) cannot be shared with other club members. Club's purchasing this class will nominate one person to have access to the file, and Facebook group on behalf of the club. This person may post videos also, on behalf of themselves, the committee members, or instructors. Club access is $100NZD.

Please email Kelly on hybriddogtraining@gmail.com for more information, or to access the class. Please note that this class content will be released starting from the end of May 2019.