Announcing: long distance classes!
New LoLaBuLand project for 2011: long-distance classes!!! You can either participate or audit, all through this website, all on a special wish from those who live too far to come to classes. We'll do both puppy and handling classes, the plan is as follows:
For handling class:
I send a course map of a course we did in my handling class and then give you two weeks to set it, run it and send a video. Then we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different choices, I will also publish a video of my dogs on that course. After a week or two of discussion, I send another course and then you again have two weeks to set it and post a video. We'll do 4 courses, so the class will be about 3 months long.
For puppy class:
I write you a "to do" list, you ask if something is not clear, you start with your dog, tape it and send it, I comment, give suggestions on how to proceed etc. You get a new list every two weeks, taking old tricks further, checking the progress and starting with new stuff. We'll go through 6 "to do" lists, so this class will be 3 months long.
What do you think? Let me know how many of you would be interested in this. Those who want to participate in handling class need to have an access to equipment to set a course somewhere and a camcorder to tape it. To participate in puppy class, all you need is a dog (not even necessary a puppy!) and a camcorder. Those who want to audit don't need anything other than paying auditing fee and by this, you get an access to all the videos and comments and you're welcome to ask questions and participate in the discussion. The plan is to start end of February, but you're welcome to post your wishes and preferences.
Oh, and yes, we're getting fancier, that's the new look of our training DVDs:
I would also like to be added to the list for puppy class. Mine’s a bit ove ra year and I’ve been working through the trick training and heeling videos, so my only hope is that there isn’t too much overlap for those of us that have purchased your videos already!
Hi, Silvia, I’m very very very far from you, so it could be a great oportunity, I’d like to participate too
Great Idea, congratulations
Alex
Siliva!!!!
I’m so excited that you’re doing long distance classes! I thought we would have to wait 2 years to get to your location when we move to Poland but now we can start even sooner!! I have a 5 yr old Corgi and 3 yr old BorderCollie and we are addicted to clicker!
For your first puppy class I would like to sign up right away with my corgi Niea and later Troy and myself will work on more handling!! Troy is working on agility at the local positive reinforcement agility center and he has also been in the Superdogs dog shows in Canada.
We are so excited and want to start right away!! How much is your first puppy class? Please lets us know soon so we can manage money for the next few months! (There are a lot of upcoming CARO and AAC trials in the area!)
I’m interested in puppyclass too
Hi,
I would be interested especially in running contact classes 🙂
Also I have a question -- can you give us a full size photos for DVDs that those who upload videos from internet could print them at home.
Hi Silvia,
This sounds great but 2 things make me hesitate:
-- the long distance factor (you can correct our mistakes only after the tape is sent. So, we may not do the right thing from the beginnning and make errors that could have been avoided).
-- the choice of the tricks is not discussed before and adjusted to the dog and the owner
Irene
Well, my thoughts on that are:
-- The beauty of clicker training is that you can’t do any major mistake that would ruin your relationship with the dog -- it will actually probably only make it stronger. We all do mistakes, that’s the only way to progress, that’s how we learn. Occasional check-up is probably way more feedback as participants would ever get without this class. Whoever have an opportunity to join such a class locally, they should of course do so. But even in my normal class, 99% of work is done at home and I’m very happy with the results.
-- No, it’s not, I chose the tricks based on my experience, just as I do in my normal classes. Of course, everybody is more than welcome to train as many other tricks that are not included as possible, as every single trick has positive side-effects. The tricks we’ll be focusing on in class however are those that I found most beneficial to promote physical and mental development of young dogs, especially good for future or already active agility dogs.
Please add me to any list for more information on the long distance classes! Especially puppy/tricks right now (winter here). I will watch to see how to sign up!
I love the idea. I would definitely think about doing the puppy class. I was wondering, though, what you think the minimum age for the puppy class would be? My puppy will be just turning 8 weeks old at the end of February. Would it be more beneficial for me to just audit?
It’s on you to decide… As he won’t be familiar with clicker yet, things can take somewhat longer, but if you’re o.k. with that, you can of course participate, start your puppy on the right paw and then maybe finish the tricks later on. Personally, I love starting early, the tricks we’ll be working on are the first ones I teach with my puppies too and I start right away, at 8 weeks. Which breed is your puppy?
She is a Maltese mix (we think maybe poodle). We adopted her mother while she was pregnant, so she is growing up with us and I’ll be starting clicker work early on. Thanks for your reply, I’m definitely leaning towards participating now.
O.k., that certainly makes it even easier as you can do a lot till her 8th week already.
Sounds fun! I would be interested in the long distance handling class.
Would like to be considered for the classes, I might enroll in both…. Only request is that the handling course happen closer to spring (March, April) as I will not have a place to run a full course until then.
Can’t wait to hear more!
I think we’ll start with first handling class already end of February, but considering how much interest there is, I’m sure we can do another one for you and others with the same problem in April, how about that?