Carson Dog Sports

What dog sports are available through Carson Dog Sports?

• Carson Dog Sports offers just about every dog sport out there.  We offer classes in agility, competitive obedience, Rally Obedience, Conformation and Canine Freestyle.  We are working to bring K9 Nosework to the area and are planning a seminar for Fall 2010.  We will soon be offering an introductory session for those people interested in retriever/gun dog work, and an introductory class in Earthdog for terriers and other go to ground breeds.  We also will be working with the local Flyball Team to offer Flyball.

What is Agility?

• Agility is a fast paced sport where the handler guides the dog around an obstacle course made up of jumps, tunnels, weave poles, A-Frame, Teeter, Dog Walk and a few other types of obstacles.  The dog with the fastest time and the fewest faults wins.

What is Competitive Obedience?

• Competitive Obedience is a more structured sport where the dog performs a series of exercises, such as heeling, retrieving, standing for examination, sit stays, dropping on recall, etc.  and is scored according to the preciseness of which they complete the task.

What is Rally Obedience?

• Rally obedience is a teamwork sport but is a bit less stringent in its judging than Competition Obedience.  In Rally the dog/handler team moves at their own pace through a series of 10 to 20 stations, depending on the level.  These stations consist of numbered signs describing a task to be performed, for instance “Call front, Finish left, Move forward 3 steps.”  Rally was designed with the traditional pet owner in mind, but can still be challenging for those who enjoy higher levels of competition.  Communication between dog and handler is encouraged and perfect heel position is not required.

What is Conformation?

• Conformation is the beauty contest of the dog world.  It is what most people think of when thinking of a “Dog Show.”  Dogs are judged in the conformation ring based on how well they fit (or conform) to the published breed standard for their particular breed. Most people think about pure bred dogs when thinking about conformation, but the Mixed Breed Dog Club of America (MBDCA) offers conformation competition for mixed breeds.

What is Canine Freestyle?

• Canine Freestyle is dancing with your dog.  It is a choreographed routine performed to music.  Canine Freestyle is designed to showcase the joyful relationship between dog and handler.

What is K9 Nosework?

• K9 Nosework is a new sport and is designed to develop the dog’s natural abilities to use their nose.  It engages your dog’s desire and instinct to hunt and their love of toys, food and exercise.  Dogs identify different scents (target odors) in boxes and up on tables, much like a drug detection dog scents out drugs.   Once they find the hidden scent, they are taught to alert their handlers.

Do I need to have taken any other training classes before doing a dog sport?

• Although you do not need to have attended a formal class you do need some basic skills. Our program is set up so that the initial Focus and Relationship Building class will give you the skills you and your dog needs to be successful in a group class setting.  Your dog should understand commands for sit, down, stay and come. He need not be 100% reliable but this is a good place to start.  He needs to be able to sit quietly in a crate or tethered to the wall sometimes while you are learning.  He needs to be housebroken (you will be held responsible to watch your dog and clean up after them should he not make it outside – cleaning supplies are in the building).  Many of the beginning classes are taught on lead. However, it is necessary to have basic control over your dog.

What is positive reinforcement training?

• Positive reinforcement training is the training method that applies no adversives (punishment) to a dog’s learning.  It subscribes to the tenant that dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarding to them, so it is our job as owners and handlers to figure out what motivates our dogs (is it food, toys, attention, chasing squirrels, etc.) and then use that motivator to teach the dogs to work with us.  Positive reinforcement training is NOT permissive training.  In fact, using our methods, we teach dog’s to be responsible for their actions (use self-control) and expect quite a lot of the dogs in terms of both self control in the presence of distractions and focus on the handler.   Positive reinforcement is about learning how to be an effective leader to your dog and makes the learning process fun for both dog and owner.

I just want to have a good time with my dog and have no desire to participate in a dog sport.  Are there classes for us?

• Absolutely.  At Carson Dog Sports we have many classes that are in our Backyard Champion track.  These classes are designed to provide you and your dog with lots of fun and to provide a basis for a rewarding relationship for you both.  If after being in the Backyard Champion classes, you decide that you want to try a dog sport, you will be able to change over to the Competition track and ramp up the level of your training.

What is a clicker and do I need to have one to attend classes?

• No, you do not need to have one to attend classes.  A clicker is a tool that uses a “click” sound to mark a behavior and tells your dog that they have performed the correct behavior.  You will learn how to use a clicker, but you do not need to use one to participate in classes.  A clicker is a great aid in teaching animals using positive reinforcement, but it is not the only way to do so.  Some people really like working with a clicker and others find it cumbersome.  You will be allowed to choose if you want to use one in your training.

Do I need any specialized, expensive equipment to get started in any of the competitive dog sport classes?

• No.  Though we think you will quickly get addicted to the fun of dog sports and want to get your own equipment, you do not need any specialized equipment to get started.  All the foundation exercises and skills are taught using inexpensive things you may already have around the house or can get easily at stores like Walmart or Home Depot.

Will I get a refund if I miss a class or can’t attend all classes?

• Unfortunately no.  Make up classes will be offered only if a class is cancelled due to weather or is instructor/Center caused.  We do not offer refunds, discounts or make-up classes for classes you miss because of external conflicts.  A refund of 1/2 the course fee will be provided if, after the first class, you decide you don’t want to continue.  In order to get the partial refund; however, you MUST notify the instructor or the Center PRIOR to the start of the second class session.

Will my dog be off leash?

• Yes, eventually. It is important that your dog has a good “come” command as he may be distracted and want to visit other dogs and people. YOU must be more interesting to your dog than all the other things going on in class.  Some of the beginning skills are taught on lead, but you will be taking your dog off leash as the classes progress.

How do I make myself the most interesting thing to my dog?

• The answer to that depends on the dog.  Some dogs are very food motivated, some dogs are very play motivated and some dogs need to be taught to be motivated.  Now is the time to find out what makes your dog tick.  One of the first things you will be asked to do is figure out what your dog loves and to make a list of your dog’s favorite things.   You will then be able to draw on the things on that list to become the most interesting thing to your dog.

Are classes time to play with other dogs?

• No. Unless specifically part of the course curriculum (like scheduled play in puppy classes) classes are for you and your dog to play and learn together.  Classes are not play sessions.

Is dog training or learning a dog sport easy?

• The more you can practice what you learn in class, the faster you and your dog will improve. Most skills, even those related to agility, do not require any specialized equipment to master.  Most things can be taught using items that you have around the house.  You will be learning what every day items you have at your disposal to aid you in training your dog from your instructors.  For most complex sports such as agility and canine freestyle, you will HAVE to take time regularly to train your dog at home or they will not learn the skills.

My dog is timid or shy, are canine sports suitable for her?

• Group classes and learning new skills can be a great way to socialize a dog. It introduces them to a new environment, new dogs and people, different noises and objects. For some dogs group classes will be overwhelming and it is important to evaluate each dog individually.  Carson Dog Sports will be offering options for dogs that have fear or reactivity issues.  We have our Reactive Rover class, which will be specifically targeted to those dogs who are fearful or reactive to their environment.  We also have private and semi-private lessons available so to provide a safe environment for your dog to learn in.

My dog is aggressive toward other dogs, can he participate in group classes?

• A class situation is not appropriate for dogs that are aggressive or who have injured another dog or person. You should seek the services of a qualified behavior specialist to evaluate your dog.  We do have a very good certified canine behaviorist in Carson City to refer you to who can help you with your dog’s aggression.

My dog is uncomfortable and does not like strangers touching him or coming near, can he participate in classes or dog sports?

• In many dog sport training classes, the instructor will need to hold your dog to help it learn so it must be friendly to strangers.  Depending on your dog and their issues, private lessons dealing with basic skills may be appropriate for your dog.  An evaluation of your dog by one of the center instructors is possible if you are interested in pursuing formal training with your dog.  You should seek the services of a qualified behavior specialist to evaluate your dog.  Again, we can refer you to a certified canine behaviorist to help you with your dog’s social issues if we feel that we can not effectively and safely deal with him.

How fast will my dog learn what is being taught?

• That depends on many things and will vary from dog to dog. The speed of you and your dog’s progress is not the most important thing. What is important is properly learning the fundamental skills at the beginning of your journey together. Our training methods are designed to teach you how to effectively communicate with your dog and to really teach the dog how to learn.  What, if any, previous training methods were used on your dog will greatly impact how quickly your dog learns.  If aversive methods were used, we may need to go back and re-teach some things and convince your dog that nothing bad is going to happen to him if he makes a wrong choice.  And, of course, a big component of how quickly your dog learns is how often you take time to practice the things you learn in class.

What training methods do your instructors use?

• We believe in purely motivational training with positive reinforcement.  We also use the clicker to teach many of the skills.  Dog sports, and really life in general with your dog, require a relationship that is mutually respectful.  Our methods focus on building a working relationship between you and your dog where your dog WANTS to perform for you and work with you.  We do not believe in using “dominance based” training, but teach you effective leadership skills through control of those resources your dog finds important.

I have two dogs.  May I bring both dogs to one class?

• In the beginning classes, we find that it is too difficult to train more than one dog at a time. If you have two dogs, you will need to register both dogs and have another person handle the second dog such as a spouse, family member or friend.   If you can’t do that, we suggest you start one dog first and start the other in another session.

May my child(ren) attend class with me?

• Adult observers and older children are welcome to watch classes. (This could assist with the training at home as some exercises are more effective if two people are involved). However, children and adult observers that do attend will need to remain seated throughout the class session. They are also requested not to disturb, distract or cause confusion for the dogs, handlers or instructors. Some of the dogs in the class may not be used to being around children or having strangers approach them. It is extremely important to all concerned that no dog be approached, touched or fed without the permission of the owner/handler. We strongly suggest that adult and children observers be educated to acceptable behavior around strange dogs.  If the child can not abide by these rules, we ask that they not accompany you to class.

May my child handle our dog in class?

• Children are wonderful handlers and are welcomed to work with/handle their dog during a class. However, an adult responsible for the child must remain as an observer throughout the class session. We also require that the child be able to maintain control over the dog (i.e that the dog not drag the child around, and that the dog will listen to command given it by the child).   The child needs to be aware that it takes a long time to train a dog and that this is a commitment for them to practice with the dog daily and be responsible, cooperative and focused during class time.

How old does my dog/puppy need to be before beginning training classes?

• Research has shown that early socialization is critical to having a healthy, well adjusted grown dog.  If you have designs on wanting to compete in a dog sport, those early social experiences are even more critical.  Carson Dog Sports offers classes for puppies as young as 9 weeks (we require only proof of the first set of puppy shots).  Our Puppy Pre-school, Puppy Kindergarten and Sport Puppy classes are all geared toward young dogs.  Our pre-requisite course, Focus and Relationship Building requires that your puppy be only 7 months old (they can be younger if they have successfully completed our Puppy classes).  Because of the physical nature and the potential for injury with some of the dog sports, it is strongly recommended that any strenuous, repetitive physical exercise be delayed until the puppies growth plates have had sufficient time to close.   Your instructors will guide you in determining when it is safe for your puppy to begin strenuous exercises.

How long does it take before I can show my dog in competitions?

• Training for any dog sport is a long term commitment.  It can take over a year to teach the dog all the skills they need, any equipment involved, and to teach you to handle the dog.   The amount of time will vary depending on a number of things, the most being how much time you are putting into training at home outside of class time.  Your dog will likely never be ready for competition in the complex sports like agility and canine freestyle if you do not practice the skills you are learning in class at home.  The hour per week that you spend in class will not be enough on it’s own to prepare your dog for competition.

How long are class sessions?

• Class sessions vary.  The course descriptions tell you how long the courses run.  Many are 6 weeks in length, but some are 4 weeks, 5 weeks and 8 weeks.  If you want to compete in an organized dog sport, you probably need to be prepared to train for a year before getting in the ring (with the exception of Conformation).  Dog training and dog sports are addicting…so on second thought, you probably need to plan on training for a VERY LONG TIME!