Classes Offered for March/April 2018

• CNW - Contacts and Weaves

  In this class, contact and weaving skills taught will be geared to advancing the dog on to one of the advanced classes. Specific attention will be given to fast and accurate contact work, using (primarily) the targeting method. Contact and weave stations and sequence exercises will be used. This class can and should be taken in conjunction with either Handling I or one of the Intermediate classes. Please note: while there will be instruction provided in this class, many sequences or stations will be set up for students to practice independently.

  Prerequisites: Dogs must have taken Agility Foundations 3 and/or 4 with ACA and/or have permission from Diann Gastley.

• Agility Handling 2

  These classes will include skills similar to the skills taught in the Advanced Handling class, taught at an intermediate pace and level, using the tire, jumps, and tunnels to perfect handling moves. Skills taught will include front crosses, rear crosses, blind crosses, pinwheels, jump chutes and grids, serpentines, threadles, and counter rotations. This class should be paired with one of the Contacts and Weaves classes. Each class gets progressively more difficult and most need to be repeated at least once. Instructors: Elsie Maylott and Diann Gastley

  Prerequisites: Students wanting to attend Handling 2 must successfully complete Handling 1 or have previously taken Handling 2.

• Agility Handling 3

  These classes will include skills similar to the skills taught in the Advanced Handling class, taught at an intermediate pace and level, using the tire, jumps, and tunnels to perfect handling moves. Skills taught will include front crosses, rear crosses, blind crosses, pinwheels, jump chutes and grids, serpentines, threadles, and counter rotations. This class should be paired with one of the Contacts and Weaves classes. Each class gets progressively more difficult and most need to be repeated at least once. Instructors: Elsie Maylott and Diann Gastley

  Prerequisites: Students wanting to take Handling 3 must have successfully completed Handling 2 or have permission from Elsie Maylott.

• AF2 - Agility Foundations 2

  In this class dogs will be taught agility skills including: targeting, cone work, stays, station work, board work, obstacles (table, tire, tunnel, as well as an introduction to the dog walk and a-frame), beginning jump work, tricks, warm-up routine, and toy/drive work.

  Prerequisites: Attending a previous Agility Foundation 1 (Previously named Beginning Foundations) or higher class at A Click Above.

• AF3 - Agility Foundations 3

  This class is a continuation of Foundation 2, with concentration given to jumping skills and beginning handling over jumps and tunnels as well as other skills. Skills taught will include: stays, beginning agility handling on short sequences, jumping skills on one jump, contact obstacle skills (mainly end behavior), and beginning weaves. This class may be taken concurrently with Foundation 4, with permission of Claudia Bates.

  Prerequisites: Attending a previous Agility Foundation 3 or 2 Class and/or permission of Claudia Bates. Dogs must be at least 10 months.

• AF4 - Agility Foundations 4

  This class is a continuation of skills learned in Foundation 2 and 3 classes with concentration on contact work. Skills taught will include: targeting/board work, stays, contact end behavior, teeter, weaves, and full contact work.

  Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of Agility Foundation 3. This class may be taken concurrently with Foundation 3 Agility Skills, with permission of Claudia Bates. Dogs must be at least 12 months.

• Agility Handling 4

  This class will be a continuation/progression of Handling 3, while introducing weaves and contacts into sequencing to perfect handling moves. Each class gets progressively more difficult. This class may need to be repeated more than once for dog and handler teams to advance successfully to the next level. Instructors: Elsie Maylott and Diann Gastley

  Prerequisites: Satisfactory completing of Handling 3 and Contacts and Weaves or have permission from Elsie Maylott.

• Agility Handling 1

  These classes will include skills similar to the skills taught in the Advanced Handling class, taught at an intermediate pace and level, using the tire, jumps, and tunnels to perfect handling moves. Skills taught will include front crosses, rear crosses, blind crosses, pinwheels, jump chutes and grids, serpentines, threadles, and counter rotations. This class should be paired with one of the Contacts and Weaves classes. Each class gets progressively more difficult and most need to be repeated at least once. Instructors: Elsie Maylott and Diann Gastley

  Prerequisites: For Handling 1, successful completion of ACA's Foundation 3 and 4 is required. Dogs must be able to work off-lead in the sequences.

• Novice Obedience

  This Competitive obedience class geared towards dogs and handlers working towards the Companion Dog title. Please note: Due to the nature of this class, each handler may register only one dog. Instructors: Karen Allen and Kris Eckard

  Prerequisites: Dog/Handler teams must have attended ACA's Obedience Foundations 2 class (previously Missing Link) with Karen Allen or have attended previous Novice Obedience classes with Karen Allen.

• Obedience Foundations 2

  In this class dogs are taught skills needed to perform in the Beginning Nov and Novice Class as well as some fluencies for the Open and Utility Classes. This class will concentrate on teaching dogs to have better focus for the task at hand by motivating the dog in a positive way then rewarding the dog with what the dog really finds as a high reward. Covered in this class will be concentration on heeling, (taking it from controlled walking to actually attention and focus to what is needed to heel reliably) understanding all stays, as well as happy, focused, and structured recalls. Dogs will learn very fun retrieves and how to mark objects. Jumping exercises will be taught in a very fun and motivating manner (prelude to rally advanced and to utility). Dogs will be taught to use their noses in a fun way in doing nose games. When your dog comes thru this class they will be ready for the Novice Competition class. Skills learned in this class are essential for progression in our obedience program. Dogs must be able to work next to each other without being reactive. Instructors: Nancy Walkins, Liz Breyer, Julie Bacon, and/or Mary Iannelli

  Prerequisites: Dogs must be able to participate in class activities with dog in close proximity without aggressive reaction. Attendance of the Obedience Foundations 1 class (previously named Pet Manners) or have permission of the instructor, Karen Allen.

• Masters Competition Agility

  This class will help handlers to improve handling skills while completing challenging sequences and short courses! Handlers will be taught strategies for handling upper level courses of all registries. The sequences and courses will be very challenging. LIMITED TO 10 DOGS/CLASS.

  Prerequisites: Mastery of all the equipment including straight up weaves (on/off side) and teeter and completion of AKC, NADAC, or USDAA Open/Advanced standard titles as well as at least one Masters Standard leg is required.

• Novice Competition Agility

  This class is geared toward the dog and handler teams currently competing at the Novice level or above in any agility venue. Focus will be on course analysis, memorization and strategy, obstacle discrimination, all types of crosses (and more...). Advanced Competition Handling will expand on the skills learned previously and further challenge students! LIMITED TO 10 DOGS/CLASS.

  Prerequisites: Mastery of all equipment including straight up weaves and full teeter. Dogs must be able to do weaves on THE RIGHT as well as on the left side. Dogs must have earned at least one leg in Novice AKC and/or USDAA Novice/Starters to participate in Novice Competition Handling.

• Pre-Competition Agility

  This class is designed to get dogs ready to begin competing at the Novice/Starters level. Sequences, small courses, and full-size courses will be done in this class to help the dog and handler team to fine tune the skills learned in Handling 1, 2, and 3. The skills covered will be front crosses, rear crosses, lead out pushes/pivots, course work analysis, application of handling systems, and obstacle discrimination.

  Prerequisites: Completion of Handling 4 (or Handling 3 and permission of Elsie Maylott) and/or previous attendance of Pre-Competition Handling as well as proficiency of dogwalk and A-frame, and the teeter, as well as some skill on weave poles.

• Advanced Competition Agility

  This class will help handlers to improve handling skills while completing challenging sequences and short courses! Handlers will be taught strategies for handling upper level courses of all registries. The sequences and courses will be very challenging. LIMITED TO 10 DOGS/CLASS.

  Prerequisites: Mastery of all the equipment including straight up weaves (on/off side) and teeter and completion of AKC, NADAC, or USDAA Open/Advanced standard titles as well as at least one Excellent Standard leg is required.

• Obedience Foundations 1

  In this class dogs are taught manners, with an emphasis on self- control, sit, stay, down, recall, walking on lead, as well as all of the skills required to pass the Canine Good Citizen test. Handlers will learn how to use the clicker to teach and reinforce desirable behaviors and attach cues. This class is designed to help owners to train their dog to become a well-behaved member of the family and community. It can also be a stepping stone to more advanced obedience classes. Instructors: Nancy Walkins, Liz Breyer, Julie Bacon, and/or Mary Iannelli

  Prerequisites: This class is for dogs over 6 months of age OR dogs who have taken a previous ACA class such as Puppy Kindergarten. Attending a previous A Click Above Puppy, and/or Obedience Foundations 1 (previously named Pet Manners) class OR attending one of the orientation sessions given prior to the start of the session. Dogs must be at least 6 months.

• Agility Handling with Video Analysis

  The concentration of this class will be to use video to improve handling and be able to better recognize errors in body position. The sequences will involve mostly jumps and tunnels but may also involve contacts and/or weaves. Each week one or two short courses will be run and videotaped. The videos will be posted online. LIMITED TO 8 DOGS.

  Prerequisites: Permission of Elsie Maylott.

• Agility Foundations 1

  In this class dogs will be taught the skills needed to begin agility classes such as: cone work, shaping tricks and behaviors, interaction with props/equipment, toy work, stays, and recalls. This is a very fun class that can be taken in preparation for Agility Foundations 2 or as a stand-alone fun class Instructors: Elsie Maylott, Julie Bacon, and Mary Iannelli

  Prerequisites: Puppy Kindergarten and/or Obedience Foundations 1 (previously named Pet Manners). Handers new to A Click Above must view the orientation video and read the handout prior to the first class. This class is a prerequisite for Agility Foundations 2. Dogs must be at least 6 months.

• PK - Puppy Kindergarten

  This class will introduce puppies to social situations as well as beginning obedience training suitable for puppies 8 weeks to no more than 10 months of age. This class also covers the skills needed to pass the S.T.A.R. Puppy Program, with an emphasis on owner education.

  Prerequisites: Attending a previous ACA Puppy and/or Obedience Foundations class OR watching the orientation video and reading the orientation handout prior to the first class.

• CUO - Utility Skills with Karen Allen

  This class is a competitive obedience class for dog and handler teams working towards the Utility Dog title. The sessions will be broken down as follows: Three weeks will be spent on improving heeling, signals, articles, and the moving stand; three weeks will be spent on how to improve gloves, go outs, and directed jumping.

  Prerequisites: Dog/Handler teams must have attained a UKC, ASCA, or AKC Companion Dog title (provide date to Karen), must be able to retrieve a dumbbell, or have permission from Karen Allen. Dogs must be at least 15 months.

• CRO - Rally with Karen Allen

  This class will teach skills needed for the Novice through Excellent levels of AKC Rally. The Rally style of obedience has really taken off with the AKC now adding more classes and titles. Rally is HOT right now! It is also fun for the handler and the dog. Handlers will be taught how to learn a course, perform each sign, and teach the dog the skills to perform each behavior. Karen will go over the Rally concept covering all the signs, rules, and training required for each level. Each week there will be a course set up for each handler to perform individually. There is some jumping involved so dogs under a year of age will either jump a low jump height or not participate in jumping activities.

  Prerequisites: Dogs must be 9 months of age or older, must have attended Obedience Foundations 3 and/or must have permission from Karen Allen.

• COO - Open Obedience with Karen Allen

  This class is designed to help handlers brush up on skills needed for competing in Open obedience classes. The class will include the following: retrieving exercises, all jumping exercises, and heeling exercises. Please note: Due to the nature of this class, each handler may register only one dog.

  Prerequisites: Dog/Handler teams must have attained a UKC or AKC Companion Dog title (provide date legs were acquired on registration form) and must be able to retrieve a dumbbell or have permission from Karen Allen. Dogs must be at least 15 months.