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.

Pre-requisites: It is recommended that participants in the class complete the foundation/puppy class first couple modules. 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.

This course is only for healthy dogs with no significant prior injuries or ongoing conditions. If your dog has been injured or has ongoing issues check with your veterinarian to see if your dog is cleared for regular exercise.

Throughout this course, we will use luring, capturing, and shaping techniques to train new behaviors and skills to our dogs. We want them to be engaged in the learning process and play an active role. We will not use pressure or coercion to force a dog to perform a behavior. For dogs to recognize the benefits of fitness, they must be in control of the movement. We also want to avoid using pressure or coercive methods as our dog not performing a cue can be information for us. For example, if we ask a dog for a sit behavior, and the dog refuses, it is possible the dog is in pain and completing that action is uncomfortable. If we push on the dog’s rear end to force the dog into position, we could be causing the dog more discomfort. A dog not performing a behavior is information we should listen to.

FITNESS SKILL – NOSE TOUCH

Justification: For this skill, we want the dog to touch their nose to the palm of your hand. Many dogs become over-aroused when using a food lure during training sessions. We want to build value for the dog targeting our hand. We will use the nose touch cue to help our dogs achieve proper form and alignment during an exercise. Luring will still be used during this course, however having this extra “tool” in our toolbox will help for specific exercises. The nose touch can be used to cue weight shifting from side to side during exercise.

Proper Form: Dog targets the hand with the nose. Sustained nose touches, repeated nose touches, and light or firm pressure are all acceptable. Be sure the placement of your hand does not encourage an overextended neck.

To Teach: To teach a dog to touch their nose to your hand, be sure you have your dog’s focus on you. Present your hand 2-3 inches from the dog’s nose. Because this is a novel stimulus, your dog will reach out and sniff the hand. Mark (with the word “yes” or a clicker) and reward any interaction.

Next Level: Ask the dog to perform a nose touch from further distances away, or build it to a sustained nose touch. To get a sustained nose touch, mark and reinforce longer durations in tiny increments. Sometimes withholding a reinforcer for the first touch will frustrate the dog and they will subsequently press harder and longer on the second repetition.

FITNESS SKILL – TUCK SIT

Justification: Most dogs are taught to sit by luring the dogs head up and back. This technique teaches a rock back sit, where the dog’s rear limbs flex into a sitting position, while the forelimbs move backward to achieve the final sitting position. While there is nothing inherent- ly wrong with this style of sit, we will primarily use the tuck sit during fitness exercises as it engages the core and upper forelimb.

Proper Form: The front feet remain stationary while rear limbs flex and move forward into a sitting position. The dog should be square with rear limbs and front limbs tracking forward.

To Teach: To teach a tuck sit behavior, we must isolate the forelimbs and communicate to the dog that the forelimbs should remain stationary. Using a low, stable target such as a KLIMB platform or silicone target ask the dog to target their front limbs. Being sure to leave room for the dog to move into, lure the dog forward and into a sitting position. The rear limbs should move forward to meet the forelimbs and achieve a sitting position. If necessary, gently hold the dog by the collar to prevent them from rocking backward. Eventually, fade out the collar pressure.

Next Level: For dogs that are fluent with this and can achieve proper form consistently, you can add a level of challenge to this by asking the dog to nose touch side to side in the sitting position, or to perform a tuck sit up on to a balance pad.

HOMEWORK:

Nose Touch: The dog should be able to target their nose to hand from 6 inches away with minimal prompting.

Tuck Sit: The dog should be able to perform the tuck sit behavior with a verbal or hand cue.

About the equipment you will see me using in this course!

This week’s classes will include a warm-up and cool down as well as two strength/ fitness skills.

For the warm-up, have your dog loose leash walk for up to ten minutes before you work on the exercises.

The purpose of this cardio exercise is to warm up the dog’s muscles, increase respiratory and heart rate.

For cardio, we are looking for our dogs to do a sustained trot. The trotting gait is characterized by a diagonal two-beat pattern. The right forelimb and left rear limb will move at the same time. The left forelimb and right rear limb will move at the same time.

You can opt to take your dog for a short 10 minute walk before training (no longer so you don’t fatigue their muscles before training), or you can set up some cones to practice weaving through, or walk in big circles inside, being sure to walk on each side of your dog equally so they circle in both directions.

FITNESS SKILL – FRONT PAW TARGETING:

Justification: Front paw targeting a piece of equipment is a skill that we will use to increase the challenge of a previously learned skill. Today, we are looking to teach our dogs to target their front feet to an object while remaining in a neutral stand. Elevating front feet will shift weight to the rear of the dog, increasing the exercise difficulty. Teaching our dogs how to move their forelimbs independently of their rear limbs will increase proprioception and limb awareness.

Proper Form: Dog moves towards the target object and places both front feet on the object. Forelimbs are under the shoulders and a natural width apart. Rear limbs are under hips and a natural width apart. The dog is balanced from front to rear. When their balance is challenged, dogs will tuck their rear feet further underneath themselves, causing a roached back. Some dogs will stand with their rear feet wide. If either of these indications of improper form are present, discontinue exercise or decrease the level of challenge by changing equipment. Try something lower for them to stand on.

To Teach: There are many ways to teach front feet targeting. Start with a low balance challenge piece of equipment that also has some height to it. 4-6 inches is ideal for medium-sized breeds. The KLIMB without legs installed or a rubber bin is favorable. The difference in height sets the dogs up for success as the object has enough contrast to the flooring they are standing on.

To Shape Behavior: present the KLIMB, mark and reward for any interaction with the object such as moving towards it or sniffing it. Toss a treat off to the side to reset. When the dog offers front feet, mark and reinforce several times in position, toss a treat to reset. When the dog is reliably offering the two front feet target, you may add a cue such as “target” or “front feet.”

To Lure: Slowly lure the dog with food or with your hand touch cue up to the object. Mark and reinforce when the dog puts both front feet on the KLIMB. Reinforce in position several times before releasing the dog. When the dog is reliably targeting two feet to the object, you can add a cue such as “target” or “front feet.”

Next Level: For dogs that have demonstrated they can accomplish this skill with proper form, you can increase the challenge. Remember, if at any point the dog is unable to demonstrate proper form or shows signs of fatigue, discontinue the exercise or modify it to achieve a safe position.

Equipment Recommendations:

• Target a balance pad then perform nose touch side to side

• Target a KLIMB set at an angle, nose touch side to side

• Set a KLIMB at an angle, with two legs screwed into the top side of the KLIMB. Place Bal-

  ance pad on KLIMB, nose touch side to side.

Combine Exercises:

• Ask the dog to front feet target, release from the position and ask for a spin or twist on the

  flat, then target object again.

• Target front feet onto a KLIMB that is 4 or 6 inches in height. Ask the dog to tuck sit up on to the KLIMB.

SHAKE A PAW

Justification: In the “shake a paw” behavior, the dog targets one front paw to a hand or another target. This can be done with the dog in a sitting or standing position. Teaching our dogs independent limb awareness in the forelimbs helps increase proprioception and is a skill we will use to help dogs achieve proper form during exercises. Targeting one front paw will challenge the dog’s balance and shift their weight. When targeting one paw, the dog will shift their weight to the opposite side of their body.

Proper From: Before asking the dog to target a front paw, be sure they are in a square sit
or stand. The dog should lift either front paw while maintaining balance and proper form in the three limbs remaining on the ground. When in a sitting position, be sure the rear limbs remain tucked under the dog with paws and knees tracking forward. If rear limbs are sliding or splaying off to the side, discontinue the exercise. When starting in a standing position, be sure the rear limbs are under the hips and a natural distance apart. When the dog’s balance is challenged, they may tuck their rear limbs under their body or may spread the rear limbs out wide. If the proper form cannot be achieved, discontinue the exercise or modify it for success.

To Teach: To teach a dog to target one paw to your hand use a mix of capturing and luring. With the dog in a sitting position, put a cookie under your dog’s chin with one hand. The other hand should be stationed in a way where you can “catch” your dog’s paw. When they try to swipe your hand away with their paw, mark and reward. Gradually fade out the treat and open your hand to “catch” the paw. Mark and reward successful repetitions - be sure to teach both sides.

A different technique to try is via luring. With the dog in a sitting position, lure your dog’s head up and back. As they lift their paw up, gently grab it with your free hand. Mark and reward any steps towards the final behavior.

Techniques such as capturing, shaping, or molding can also be used dependent on the dog and skill level of handler.

Next Level: When the dog is able to perform the behavior with proper form in a sitting position, begin working on the skill in a standing position. Dependent on the dog’s skill level, have the dog hold the position for 5-15 seconds. Practice on both sides. Vary the height at which you ask the dog to target your hand.

Watch the video below to see how I troubleshoot him wanting to move his back feet to perform the behavior. Since that is not maintaining proper body form I want to show him how to keep his back feet still so he uses his core strength and balance rather than compensating and shifting his weight to allow his back legs to take the weight rather than his core. Be sure to listen all the way through where I discuss when not to push and take a break instead.

Cool Down/ Flexibility: For a fun confidence-building exercise, set up an obstacle course with the equipment you have on hand. To start, set everything in a straight line. Practice having dogs slowly and methodically walk over the equipment. Pause at intervals and have the dog achieve a neutral standing position. The goal is not to get over the equipment quickly, but to find balance and proper alignment while moving over new and unfamiliar equipment.

Cookie Stretches: Typically, we do not want to stretch our dog’s muscles manually. We want to teach our dogs behaviors that will effectively stretch their bodies. Cookie stretches have been taught by a wide variety of fitness professionals. For this week, we will be working on luring our dogs head from a neutral position to their shoulder, last rib, and hip. With the dogs rear end closest to your body, and their head facing away, gently grab the dog around their waist to stabilize them. With a dog treat in the other hand, lure your dog’s head from the neutral position to one side and towards their shoulder. Hold that position for 3-5 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Pay close attention to the dog’s spine that it doesn’t become roached or hyperextended. Be sure the dog’s neck is bending to the side, and not twisting. Some food motivated dogs will twist their head and neck from side to side to access the food. If this is the case, alter your luring technique to achieve proper form without the neck twisting. You may consider using a lickable treat so the dog can access the reinforcer throughout the exercise. Repeat exercise targeting the last rib, and the hip on each side.

HOMEWORK: Work on achieving proper form with front paw targeting, and the “shake a paw” behaviors. You can use novel objects in their environment such as a couch cushion, park bench, wooden log they find on a hike, etc.

 REVIEW HOMEWORK SKILLS/ WARM-UP: Get your dog into a working mindset by doing warm-ups. Typically, this is reviewing a known behavior or skill from the previous class. Ready your dog by working on your Tuck Sit, and Front Paw Targeting.

CARDIO/ WARM UP

We want our dog’s bodies warmed up and primed for the skills we will be practicing. You can do a couple minutes of Loose leash walking, remember the goal is to have your dog trot. If you have KLIMB tables, you can set two tables up across the room from each other and work on sending your dog back and forth between the tables. You can do so on leash if they still need help or send them off leash if they can get on the tables independently.

KICKBACK STAND:

The kickback stand is a behavior where the dog moves from a sitting position to a standing position by moving its rear feet back while the front feet remain stationary or with minimal movement. A kickback stand engages the dog’s core more than stepping forward into a stand. This skill also increases rear limb awareness. Teaching the dog a kickback stand will give us another tool to help our dogs achieve proper form during other exercises.

Proper Form: To achieve the kickback stand, the dog must start in a sitting position. From there, the rear limbs should move backward into a neutral standing position. The forelimbs should remain stationary. Be sure the dog achieves a natural standing position. Front and rear limbs should be a natural width apart — forelimbs under shoulders, rear limbs under hips. The spine should be neutral for the breed. Many teach the kickback stand by luring or pointing overtop of the dog’s head to cue them to walk backward. Be careful with this technique as we do not want the dog’s head and neck to become overextended.

Teaching: Low balance challenge props can be used to help teach this skill. Consider using a Traction Mat or KLIMB, or low profile dog bed as a rear foot target. With the dog in a sitting position an appropriate distance from the target, move a treat from the dog’s nose, towards their chest. The dog should move backward and end with the rear feet on the target. Mark and reward steps towards the goal behavior.

Another way to achieve the kickback stand is to start with the dog standing on a KLIMB table. With the front feet position as close to the edge as possible, cue the dog to stand. You can lure the dog forward in this case, as the dog does not have space to move forward, they will move rear limbs back to achieve the standing position.

There are many other ways to teach the kickback stand — experiment to determine what works best for your dog.

If you are not sure how to get your dog to stand, check out the foundations modules “puppy push ups” for more guidance.

Raise the bar: When the dog is able to perform the kickback stand from a sitting position with proper form on flat ground without props, consider increasing the challenge.

Equipment recommendations:

• KLIMB without legs installed front limbs on KLIMB, have the dog tuck sit up onto the KLIMB, then kickback to a neutral stand with rear limbs on the floor. The elevation will increase the challenge for both behaviors.

Combining Exercises:

• Ask the dog to perform a tuck sit then a kickback stand. Repeat 3x.

• Ask the dog to shake a paw while performing the kickback stand.

• Ask the dog to front feet to target a balance pad. Perform a tuck sit with rear limbs remain- ing on the floor. Then perform a kickback stand.

Have an operant dog that keeps throwing you behaviors when you are wanting stillness? Watch as I work on that with Nick.

The secret is you have to be ready to catch the moments and reinforce FAST to get in front of offers. It’s a challenge when your dog thinks very fast and many people get very frustrated, and so do the dogs, so the answer is MORE reinforcement not less! Don’t wait them out, get in front of the problem. These dogs are trying SO hard to get it right, so show them right is far less complicated than they are making it by reinforcing a stand 10 times in a few seconds so they see nothing is what you want. Reinforce nothing, because in this case that is the exact something you need!

FITNESS SKILL – SPIN LEFT/ SPIN RIGHT

Teaching our dogs to spin to the left and right helps our dog develop indepen- dent limb awareness. It also increases flexibility through the spine.

Proper Form: The dog should flex through the spine while walking in a tight circle. The movement should be fluid and balanced without stopping and starting. The dog should walk through the movement as opposed to hopping or jumping. We want all four feet moving independently.

Teaching: With the dog standing in front of you, use a food lure or hand touch to guide the dog around in a circle. During the first couple of repetitions, mark and reward while the dog is facing away from you. Complete the motion and reward the dog facing you. While luring, be sure the dog’s head is staying neutral. If the dog’s head is too high, unnecessary strain will be put on the neck and spine. When the dog can complete one full rotation without stopping, start to fade the food lure into a hand signal. Be sure to practice both directions.

Raise the difficulty level:

Have the dog perform the cue on the KLIMB. The smaller surface area will encourage increased flexion. The elevation increases muscle memory and proprioception.

Equipment Recommendations:
• Perform the Spin in both directions overtop of low cavaletti.

• Perform spin on KLIMB Exercise Combinations:

• Incorporate the spin behavior into your warm-up and cooldown routines.

Cool Down/ Flexibility: Remember that we do not want to stretch our dog’s muscles manually. We want to teach our dogs behaviors that will effectively stretch their bodies. For week three, we will continue with cookie stretches.

This time we will lure our dogs head and neck to the chest, to the forelimb carpus, and the rear limbs/ hock. With the dogs rear end closest to your body, and their head facing away, gently grab the dog around their waist to stabilize them. With a dog treat in the other hand, lure your dog’s head from the neutral position to their chest. Hold that position for 3-5 seconds. Repeat to the ankle, and hock, and then to the sky.

Be sure the dog’s neck is bending to the side, and not twisting. Some food-motivated dogs will twist their head and neck from side to side to access the food. If this is the case, alter your luring technique to achieve proper form without the neck twisting. You may consider using a lickable treat so the dog is able to access the reinforcer throughout the exercise.

HOMEWORK: Continue to work on the Kickback Stand and their Spin Left and Right behaviors. You can use any equipment you have available at home to increase the challenge if the dog is able to complete the exercise with proper form.

CARDIO/ WARM UP

We want our dog’s bodies warmed up and primed for the skills we will be practicing. You can practice recalling your dog from KLIMB to KLIMB if you have them, or whatever elevated platforms you are using. Set the dog in a stay on one KLIMB or on the floor. Walk 10-20 feet away to a second KLIMB. Recall the dog to the KLIMB (or just to you if you don’t have one). Practice this back and forth across the training area.

You can also incorporate other previously learned skills such as tuck sit, kickback stand, spin, and paw targeting. Ask for three reps of the behavior before continuing the recall exercise.

FOLD BACK DOWN

Performing the Fold Back Down to Stand exercise involves all major muscle groups. To perform this skill, the dog must engage their core, forelimbs and rear limbs.

Proper Form: The dog should start in a neutral stand. When cued, the dog will shift its weight to the rear while flexing the forelimbs and rear limbs. The dog will end in a sphinx down po- sition. If the dog rolls on to one hip, or the forelimbs and rear limbs do not move at the same time, the dog has not achieved proper form. Additionally, all four feet should remain stationary. Be sure the dog’s topline remains neutral for the breed throughout the exercise. Many dogs will roach their backs when the treat or hand is moved towards the chest.

Teaching: With the dog in a balanced stand, lure (or use a nose touch cue) the dog’s head down and back at a diagonal angle. You will be pushing the hand in towards the dog. As the dog begins to flex its forelimbs mark and reward. Gradually shape the dog into the final position.

If the dog performs a bow, your treat or hand is likely too low. If the dog performs a sit, the treat or hand is likely too high. Low balance challenge level equipment such as a Traction Mat or KLIMB table can be used to help the dog achieve proper form. Consider starting with the dog on the KLIMB or two KLIMBs connected. Ask the dog to stand with their front feet as close to the edge of the KLIMB as possible. Cue the dog to down. Because the dog cannot move forward, they should perform the fold back down with a little assistance. If the dog consistently moves its front feet forward, consider using a barrier/ wall in front of the dog.

There are more videos and instructions on fold back downs in the Foundations modules as this is what you get working on Puppy Push Ups!

Next Level: When the dog is able to perform the skill with proper form increase the challenge by having the dog elevate their forelimbs on a balance pad. You can also combine it with other exercises such as a tuck sit and kickback stand.

CAVALETTI POLES

Cavaletti poles are used to increase strength, limb awareness, and stride length. Repetition through Cavaletti poles can be used as a cardiovascular exercise as well.

Proper Form: When using Cavaletti to increase stride length we will set the Cavaletti poles an even distance apart. This distance is based on the dog’s stride length which can be predicted by their height at the withers. If the dog is 19 inches tall, the poles should be set 19 inches apart. The dog should be able to move through the poles at a steady trot pace without hitting any of the poles.

Teaching: The poles should be set an appropriate distance apart for the dog working on the skill. The height of the poles should be no more than half the height of the dog’s hock. If the dog’s hock is 6 inches tall, the poles should be no more than 3 inches tall.

Once your dog will target the cones and do the cavaletti from cone to cone you can set a target or KLIMB (or elevated platform) at each end of the Cavaletti poles. Have the dog trot through the poles from target to target. If the dog is hitting the poles while walking, consider shortening the distance.

Next Level:

You can work towards increasing the distance between poles in one-inch increments slowly over time. This exercise can also be done on a slight incline. Do not practice Cavaletti poles exercises going downhill.

Equipment Recommendations:

Cavaletti poles can be used for a wide variety of exercise including the following

• Teach your dog to crawl underneath

• Have your dog perform spin left and right over top of cavaletti
• Set Cavaletti poles up in a circle formation and practice trotting in both directions.

Cool Down/ Flexibility:

For today’s cooldown activity, set up an obstacle course utilizing any fitness equipment the dogs have been trained with. To start, set everything in a straight line. Practice having dogs slowly and methodically walk over the equipment. Pause at intervals and have the dog achieve a neutral standing position. The goal is not to get over the equipment quickly, but to find balance and proper alignment while moving over new and unfamiliar equipment. Core behaviors of fold back down, tuck sit to kick back stand, play bow, and front feet elevated are also great ways to stretch the dog.

For Flexibility, practice the shake a paw behavior as well as having two front feet elevated on an object tall enough to get extension through the rear limbs. For most medium-sized dogs, one KLIMB set at 12 inches tall will suffice.

HOMEWORK: Work on the fold back down, kickback stand, and tuck sit. You can use other equipment in your environment (park benches, steps, tree stumps, etc) to challenge your dogs if they are able to achieve proper form on the flat.

CARDIO/ WARM UP:

You can use the Cavaletti pole exercise and, practice behaviors of tuck sit, kickback stands, and fold back downs as well as other previously learned skills. The goal is to warm up the muscles and prepare for other activities.

PIVOTING WITH REAR LIMBS

Teaching our dogs to pivot with the rear limbs is a great rear-end awareness exercise. When dogs are able to move their rear limbs independent of their forelimbs, other complex behaviors such as advanced heeling, or tricks suck as backspin, and walking back- ward can be taught. Understanding how to move their rear limbs independently will also help with proper positioning and form in other exercises.

Proper Form: With forelimbs remaining close to stationary, the rear limbs will pivot 360 degrees around the forelimbs fluently in both directions. The forelimbs should be under the shoulders, the topline should be neutral for the breed, and rear limbs should be slightly extended. Be aware many dogs will have a much wider stance during this exercise as more weight is shifted to the rear. The dog’s head should be level with the ground and not twisting side to side.

Teaching: For this exercise, we will use an upside-down rubber feed bin. Utilize your front feet targeting behavior to have the dog place its forelimbs on the bucket. With a treat in your hand, lure the dog’s nose towards their shoulder in an arc. As the dog’s rear feet pivot away from that pressure, mark and reward. Slowly build up to multiple steps.

You can visit the Trick Dog section for more training examples for teaching rear foot pivoting.

An alternative technique is to stand in front of the dog with front feet elevated. As the handler takes a couple of steps around the bin, the dog should pivot with the handler - mark and reward.

Next Level:

When the dog is able to perform one complete rotation in each direction with proper form, have the dog perform multiple steps or rotations. You can also consider practicing on different heights of equipment. The taller the equipment is, the more challenging it will be as more weight is shifted to the rear.

Equipment Recommendations:
• Try pivoting around a KLIMB with 6 inch short legs installed.

• Consider practicing with a balance pad. Keep in mind the balance pad adds challenge for the forelimbs.

Cool Down / Flexibility:

For today’s cooldown activity, set up an obstacle course utilizing any fitness equipment the dogs have been trained with. Practice having your dog slowly and methodically walk over the equipment. Pause at intervals and have the dog achieve a neutral standing position.

HOMEWORK: Review all skills!

LEVEL 1 WEEK 6 GRADUATION EVALUATION!!!!

Warm-ups: Your choice of any of the previous warm up drills!

Assessment:

If your dog is able to demonstrate 8/10 skills with proper form, they are ready to progress to the next level class.

• Nose Touch

• Tuck Sit

• Front Paw Targeting

• Shake a Paw in Sit and Stand

• Cookie Stretches (demonstrate their favorite)

• Kick Back Stand

• Spin Left and Right

• Fold Back Down to Stand

• Pivoting with Rear Legs

• Obstacle Course with Cavaletti

BONUS EXERCISE: demonstrate skills with proper form on a piece of balance equipment such as a balance pad.

If you would like to receive a class Graduation Certificate and credit towards an AKC FitDog title video your assessment and post it on the Facebook Academy Homework Group! If you are not on Facebook email me with a link to a YouTube video of your assessment. (I cannot accept videos that require me to download a video for viewing, it needs to be on a hosting platform)