The Spotted Wonder: Workshops

Ashley teaches workshops regularly near Winston Salem/Greensboro. Workshops are a great way to supplement a weekly training class by going more in depth with a specific training topic. Workshops can also be great stand alone training sessions as well. They are between 2-3 hours in length and cover a wide range of topics  including foundations, handling, obstacle independence, jumping, and trial/ event preparation.

Also scroll down to see what teachings I'm offering outside of NC

To register: 

For regular students you can send me an email.

 dogzyay@gmail.com or spottedwonderdogtraining@gmail.com

If you have never taken a lesson/class/workshop with Ashley (or if you haven't in the last 6 months) you will need to fill out the registration form.  Click on the appropriate links below the descriptions to be directed to the registration form.

 April 2023-

Come for the Chicken Cup, stay the next day for fun and learning at Monster Meadows in Mineral, VA. 

https://www.monstermeadows.com/

Masters/International Skills and Drills: Layering and Distance 

Sunday, April 2nd

Monster Meadows (Mineral, VA)

9am-12pm (3 hrs)

6 participants

$90

This workshop will focus on individual distance based skills and strategies for courses in UKI and ISC. These skills can be very beneficial and in some cases necessary to navigate these courses. Dogs should be proficient with all equipment and training on Master level courses. Some obstacle independence will be needed (mainly with jumps/tunnels) and understanding of backside/threadle.  

 Masters/International Skills and Drills: Discriminations 

Sunday, April 2nd

Monster Meadows (Mineral, VA) 

1:30-4:30pm (3 hrs) 

6 participants 

$90 

This workshop will focus on discrimination based challenges typically seen on courses in UKI and ISC. Either/Or training will be covered. Discriminations covered: Tunnel vs Weave, Backside vs front side, intersections, etc. 

E-mail for a spot

dogzyay@gmail.com 

If you are interested in booking Ashley to include your facility for US Open prep seminars in the last half of 2024, email her here : dogzyay@gmail.com

US Open Prep series:

Are you planning on attending the UKI US Open this November? Do you want to do everything you can to prepare yourself and your dog for the courses, the atmosphere, and the pressure? Take the time to prepare your team for the physical and mental challenges needed. Planned and thorough event preparation leads to bettering your teamwork together.

***There are different locations for different dates. Please note the location of each workshop***

-6 spots available per workshop.

-Attend one, multiple or all four

-Discount when you pre enroll for 3 or all 4 workshops. ($30 off of 3 workshops and $40 off of all 4)

Skills/Drills & Sequencing-Planning:

One part of early event prep is reinforcing learned behaviors and putting skills together in sequences. We will work on the handler's ability to plan and visualize handling for the best outcome for the "real" run. We’ll discuss how to “do your homework” for a big event, how and when to structure training as low/intermediate or high intensity, and how to add pressure in training. Skills covered: handling and discrimination drills, crosses, distance/directional cues, and discriminations (tunnel/contact, tunnel/tunnel, tunnel/weaves, jump/jump, backside jump/frontside jump, and intersections). Individual contact/weave/jump skills will be combined into sequences as well.

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US Open coursework prep :

US Open-Coursework- analysis
Expectation vs. Reality.

Why do you decide on the handling choices during your walkthrough? How much do they hold true when you lay down the course with your dog? We'll analyze, discuss transitions and critical points for 2 courses and run them. Find the best handling choices for YOU and YOUR dog. Prepare to "visualize" and "pressurize".

Agility Games Challenge: Snooker and Gamblers
Come play UKI Snooker and Gamblers.
Discussions will be centered around rules and strategy for both. This workshop will prepare you for the Games challenge at the US Open. For those relatively new to the game, this workshop will help you improve on these types of courses.
Pre-requisite: Must watch tutorial and read handout upon enrollment

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US Open prep Coursework- Lay it down/Go for it

3 nested courses. At a national event you walk all of your courses for the day first thing in the morning. We will have timed walkthroughs for all 3 of the nested courses focusing on finding the most efficient lines. Feedback will be given after each run, and sections can be run again. Time to add pressure to your preparation.
Prizes for clean runs accomplishing "handling challenges" on the "final" course. (Format: walk - walk, run- run, then walk/run the final course)

E-mail Ashley to enroll

dogzyay@gmail.com 

Handling choices-

How do you know which handling choice to make over another? We'll focus on finding the solution. Different handling options will be explored. Gain confidence when it comes to the decision making process during a walkthrough. *Appropriate for dogs sequencing 8-10 obstacles (jumps/tunnels) or more.

Jumping finesse

We'll cover a variety of drills to help your dog build great jumping ability and independence. (Drills: Grids, drive lines, arcs, slices, with focus on handler timing)

Pre-requisite- Dogs must be 15 months or older and have had at least an introduction to low jumps and tunnels/sequencing.This workshop is also appropriate for more advanced dogs and handlers hoping to improve bar knocking.

Young dog sequencing-Tunnels!

We'll work through a variety of sequences involving tunnel traps, crosses and obstacle independence. Skills will be broken down for any team that needs it. Focus will be on the Tunnel bypass cue and rear crossing the tunnel.

Pre-requisite- Dogs must be at least 15 months or older and should be sequencing 5-10 jumps/tunnels.

Lines!-Discriminations 

Find the best line for your dog. Find the best handler path. Skills covered will center around layering obstacles, and handling jump/tunnel discriminations. *Appropriate for dogs sequencing 8-10 obstacles (jumps/tunnels) or more.

Lines- Drive it!

Drive lines ("straight aways") are a very common aspect of just about any agility course.This workshop will center around training to improve your dog's understanding of a drive line. Handling will be centered around whether to make the choice to drive your dog on ahead of you, or whether you should be in front guiding them. To create balance and versatility in your agility system with your dog, you will want both of these abilities in your toolbox. 

Balance: Motion and Verbal Directional cues  

Learn how to balance verbal and motion cues. This workshop is great for teams wanting to gain better verbal and motion based directional cues. We will focus on how to blend them into your agility handling system and how to make sure they are on time.  If you want to improve your handling and communication with your dog, learning how to define all of your cues for them is a must. This workshop is also perfect for anyone who wants to develop stronger verbals for your dog. Dogs participating should be sequencing 8-10 obstacles or more with crosses.    

 Masters/International skills and drills
This workshop will focus on individual skills seen on courses in Masters levels of AKC/USDAA, Champion levels in UKI and ISC/AKC. These skills are needed to navigate these courses. We will focus on groundwork and how to begin to sequence them. If your dog has an understanding of these skills, we’ll work towards creating better independence with them. (Skills focus-Independent backsides, threadle slices/threadle wraps, weave entries and blind crosses). Dogs should be training on Open/Masters level sequences/courses.

Front and Blind crosses-

Find the best location to use a front or blind cross. Focus on placement, timing and execution of your crosses.  *Some independent obstacle skills required. 

Appropriate for dogs sequencing 8-10 obstacles (jumps/tunnels) or more. 

Obstacle commitment, handling and timing 

Learn how to prevent late timing of handling cues. This workshop is great for teams wanting to gain better jump/tunnel commitment and to focus on timely verbal and motion/positional cues. If you want to improve your handling and communication with your dog, these skills are a must.  Dogs participating should be sequencing 5-10 obstacles or more with crosses.      

Competition prep (3 hours) 

Preparation (for a busy competition season or for a specific event) will involve putting skills together and mastering handler timing. We’ll focus on the handler’s ability to plan and visualize handling for the best outcome for the “real run”. We’ll discuss how to “do your homework” for a big event or how to identify common challenges a judge presents. Learn how and when to structure training as intermediate or high intensity and how to add pressure into training so that you can have the confidence you need during a competition run.  Skills: motion/verbal directionals, discriminations, crosses, distance. Whether you are preparing for a regional or national event or for a busy trial season, this workshop will set you and your dog up to go into the ring confident, knowing you have the skills and that you can put them together. 

UKI US Open/AKC Nationals/Cynosport prep workshop series:

Are you planning on attending AKC Nationals,Cynosport or the UKI US Openl? Do you want to do everything you can to prepare yourself and your dog for the courses, the atmosphere, and the pressure? Take the time to prepare your dog and yourself for the physical and mental challenges needed. Planned and thorough event preparation leads to more results in your teamwork together.

US Open prep-Sequencing

One part of early event prep is putting skills together in sequences. We will work on the handler's ability to plan and visualize handling for the best outcome for the "real" run. We’ll discuss how to “do your homework” for a big event, how and when to structure training as intermediate or high intensity, and how to add pressure in training.

US Open prep-Mastering handling drills and discriminations

Another part of early preparation for an event is mastering handling and discrimination drills. The courses you will see will contain these elements (with varying difficulty), so take the time to focus on crushing handling drills involving crosses, distance/directional cues, and discriminations (tunnel/contact, tunnel/tunnel, tunnel/weaves, jump/jump, backside jump/frontside jump, and intersections). Individual contact/weave/jump skills will be combined into sequences as well.

US Open-Coursework- analysis

Expectation vs. Reality. 

Why do you decide on the handling choices during your walkthrough? How much do they hold true when you lay down the course with your dog? We'll analyze, discuss transitions and critical points for 2 courses, then run them. Find the best handling choices for YOU and YOUR dog. Prepare to "visualize" and "pressurize".

US Open prep Coursework- Lay it down

3 nested courses. At a National event you walk all of your courses for the day first thing in the morning. We will have timed walkthroughs for all 3 of the nested courses. Feedback will be given after each run, and sections can be run again. Time to put your preparation to the test.

US Open prep Coursework- "Go for it"
What happens if you make a finals round? You will need to find the most efficient lines and plan the most efficient handling to give you and your team mate the best chance possible. Finals is not about getting a Q, it is about owning the course. 3 nested courses. Prizes for clean runs accomplishing "handling challenges" on the "final" course.
(Format: walk - walk, run- run, then walk/run the final course)

Agility Games: Snooker and Gamblers

Come learn how to play Snooker and Gamblers. 

Discussions will be centered around rules and strategy for both. Great for US Open prep or if you'd like to learn how to play.