This course is designed to inspire dog owners to engage in fitness-related activities with their dogs while minimizing the risk of injury or harm due to inexperienced instruction. Level Two builds on the skills and concepts taught in Level One while keeping the same purpose in mind. Completion of this course will earn you 6 points towards an AKC FIT DOG title. As a reminder, this course is not designed to train you on how to develop fitness programs for dogs or how to work with dogs in need of rehabilitation. This course is only for healthy dogs with no significant prior injuries or ongoing conditions. 

Prerequisites: Completion of Level One Fit Dog course prior to entering Level Two. Dogs should understand the training game and be able to focus on tasks during class. Owners should understand lure-reward-based training methods, though capturing and shaping as training concepts may also be used in class. Dogs may be crated for brief breaks during class.

Please note: This course is not designed to train you on how to develop fitness programs for dogs or how to work with dogs in need of rehabilitation. This course is only for healthy dogs with no significant prior injuries or ongoing conditions.

Note: Melissa is a Certified Control Unleashed Instructor (CCUI).

Control Unleashed was developed by internationally known trainer Leslie McDevitt, and is a collection of pattern games. Pattern games are a fabulous tool for all dog sports. As the title implies, the goal of the games is "control," i.e., engagement regardless of a leash. Although originally designed for agility dogs, the games are now used to create a strong foundation of partnership with your dog, which is essential for life as well as any sport you choose to compete in.

The games create a pattern of your dog choosing to engage with you despite distractions. This can be extremly helpful for dogs that have big feelings about distractions. We teach the games in a low-distraction environment, and we will gradually increase distractions at the dog's pace. Dogs that are working on reactivity to other dogs are welcome in the class, and the skills learned in the class are aimed at reducing reactivity and allowing dogs to stay engaged with their owners while other dogs are nearby, with the long-term goal of them being able to work off leash safely. That being said, safety precautions will be taken to ensure ALL dogs are safe at all times. We will be using gates/blinders and space. Dogs will be crated when not working.  

Prerequisites: None