FIT-foundations tm
FIT-foundations tm
Our FIT-Foundations™ classes are a fusion of manners, tricks and canine fitness using various positive reinforcement training techniques (lures, rewards, targeting, capturing and shaping) to motivate and teach our dogs to perform the exercises and behaviors.
Our FIT-Foundations™ programs are for non-aggressive dogs.
If your dog is reactive / over-excited / excessive barking / fearful - please contact us before registering or book a private or virtual session.
PupFIT-Foundations™
Check out our young puppy program for puppies up to 12 weeks old when starting (need at least ONE set of vaccinations 10 days prior to program start) Click HERE for more information
FIT-Foundations™ Level 1 (Novice Level)
An entry level manners class with a twist!
Like most other entry level classes, FIT-Foundations™ Level 1 teaches ‘foundation’ behaviors such as (but not limited to):
- SIT
- DOWN
- STAND
- STAY
- WAIT
- COME
- LET’S GO (loose leash walking)
- WITH ME (heel)
- FOCUS
- LEAVE IT
- TOUCH
- PAWS UP
UNLIKE any other entry level class, FIT-Foundations™ incorporates physical challenges using various pieces of canine conditioning equipment.
We introduce the difference between Paws and Feet, sphinx-down / settle differences, we focus on FORM during position changes, why it is important to know what your dog's 'normal' alignment is, we teach different positions and what they are called on various pieces of equipment.
We introduce various pieces of equipment in this level (FitPAWS k9FITbones, Blue-9 Pet Products Klimbs, balance discs, scattered sticks, cavaletti, rocker and wobble board, tunnels, hoops, balance beam, and more!) Approximately 40 skills!
It's the perfect blend of manners, fitness, tricks and FUN for your canine companion!
Your dog will not only learn the foundation behaviors, but by incorporating physical activity, we are able to add fun and exciting mental challenges to 'traditional' dog training. You will be able to improve your dog's physical health and their behavior at the same time!
Classes are held at our indoor training facility in Lacombe!
LESSON RECAPS are emailed out after every FIT-Foundations class. These recaps come complete with video tutorials and other helpful tips!
TUESDAYS 5:30-6:30pm
6 Classes December 10 - January 28 (no classes Dec 24 / Dec 31) (1 Spot Just Opened Up)
WEDNESDAYS 7:30-8:30pm
6 Classes December 11 - January 29 (no classes Dec 25 / Jan 1) 1 spot open
REGISTER HERE
Available as a Private or Semi-Private Program! Contact Us to discuss!
Also, check out our Canine Life & Social Skills program!
FIT-Foundations™ Level 2 (Intermediate Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 2 is heavily 'concept' based and our dogs learn to use their bodies in new ways.
We introduce the FitPAWS peanut in this level.
Go Around a cone, Figure-8s around 2 cones (and legs), Leg Weaving, Peekaboo while walking (these are great warmup exercises - not just cute tricks!)
We introduce sidestepping through a ladder with front paws in, shake hands, press a tap light, and wipe their own paws (this can be progressed to a nail board, helping to keep at least front paw nails shorter along with reducing the mud tracking in!).
Dogs use their mouth by playing tug, fetching a toy to hand, and learning to clean up their toys (this comes in handy when you drop something and now you have help retrieving it! Or perhaps helping with the laundry or carrying an item for you. This behavior definitely opens up a lot of opportunities!)
They will target a stick with their nose, learn to unroll a yoga mat and we progress the shell game introduced in FFL1 (we teach our dog to find food / toys using their amazing sniffing skills and progress to an intro to Scent Detection in FFL3)
Of course this is just the beginning! There are so many other fun behaviors that we will implement in this level.
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We build on the manners and behaviors taught in our Level 1 class while adding in more canine conditioning exercises to strengthen our dog's bodies while working their busy brains for the ultimate mental/physical combination. In our Level 1 program we introduced luring, targeting and verbal reward markers. In our Level 2 program we introduce another positive reinforcement training technique called shaping as well as a clicker which is a non-verbal reward marker (included with your program). By implementing these new tools and techniques along with the foundation skills we used in Level 1, we are able to further strengthen our communication skills and add more behaviors to our toolbox which improves the human-canine relationship and bond.
The better we are able to communicate and have our requests understood by our dog, the less stress occurs at both ends of the leash and the more willing our four-legged team mate will be to perform the behaviors that are asked of them. Like us, the stronger their foundation is physically (core, stabilizers, etc...), the better able they will be to prevent injuries. Maintaining a healthy weight and body composition is of the utmost importance for our four-legged companions as obesity correlates to disease and can even promote an early death.
By incorporating more physical and mental challenges, we can potentially lengthen our dog's life span while helping prevent injury and disease.
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As a BONUS, for those who EARNED their Do More With Your Dog! NTD (novice trick dog) in Level 1, we provide the opportunity for teams to EARN their ITD (intermediate trick dog title) in Level 2 as well as Master titles!
***Pre-requisite FIT-Foundations Level 1
TBA
FIT-Foundations™ Level 3 (Advanced Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 3 is our Advanced program, building on the manners, tricks and skills taught in our Level 2 program while adding in even more canine conditioning exercises to strengthen our dog's bodies while working their busy brains for the ultimate mental/physical combination. Like in our Level 1 and Level 2 programs where we used a variety of positive reinforcement training methods (luring, targeting, shaping) and implemented both a verbal reward marker and a clicker, we continue strengthening our communication skills while adding more behaviors to our toolbox in order to continue to improve the human-canine relationship and bond. Our Level 3 program implements a new training technique called 'capturing'; students use this skill to teach chin to floor (head down) aka CUTE!
This level is where we get a start on the sport of Scent Detection.
We use wintergreen so that students can progress their skills with an easy transition into a scent-specific class.
By incorporating more physical and mental challenges, we can potentially lengthen our dog's life span while helping prevent injury and disease.
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Some of the skills in this level include:
Send to Place from 10ft / 3 Behaviors at 10ft (distance) / Back Up 5ft / Solidifying finding 'Feet'
Sidestepping Ladder (back feet) / Chin (chin target) / Cute (chin to floor), Bow
Practice Heeling drills Get Ready, Heel, Auto-Sit, Stay, Front, Finish (plus Cone Drill exercises)
Intro to Scent Detection (wintergreen) / Clean Up Toys / Pickpocket Pooch
Step360 Look-Look (mirror image)
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As a BONUS, for those who EARNED their Do More With Your Dog! ITD (intermediate trick dog title) in Level 2, we provide the opportunity for teams to EARN their ATD (advanced trick dog title) and Master title in Level 3!
***Pre-requisite FIT-Foundations Level 2
FIT-Foundations™ Level 4 (Expert Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 4 (Expert Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 4 is our Expert program, building on the manners, tricks and skills taught in our Level 3 program while adding in even more canine conditioning exercises to strengthen our dog's bodies while working their busy brains for the ultimate mental/physical combination.
Like in our FIT-Foundations levels 1-3 programs where we used a variety of positive reinforcement training methods (luring, targeting, shaping, capturing) and implemented both a verbal reward marker and a clicker, we continue strengthening our communication skills while adding more behaviors to our toolbox in order to continue to improve the human-canine relationship and bond. Our Level 4 program implements a variety of chained behaviors in order to perform more complex skills and tricks.
By incorporating more physical and mental challenges, we can potentially lengthen our dog's life span while helping prevent injury and disease.
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Some of the skills we will perform in this level include:
Soccer / Intro to Triebball (send dog around ball from 15ft - dog pushes ball towards you)
Ladder (push ball through ladder / back up through ladder / review sidestepping paws & feet)
Paw Pods (all 4's - independent limb placement)
Distance (6 behaviors at 12ft) / Send to small target 20ft away
Semi-Formal Retrieve over jump (a toy can be used in place of 'dumbbell')
Subtle Cues - My dog can read! (Index Cards)
Double Balance Beam / Low Teeter / Double Hoop Jump /
Review Shopping Cart / Barrel Roll / Scent Detection (6 container wintergreen search)
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As a BONUS, for those who EARNED their Do More With Your Dog! ATD (advanced trick dog title) in Level 3, we provide the opportunity for teams to EARN their ETD (expert trick dog title) in Level 4!
***Pre-requisite FIT-Foundations Level 3
FIT-Foundations™ Level 5 (Champion Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 5 (Champion Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 5 is another Expert program, building on the manners, tricks and behaviors taught in our Level 3 & 4 programs while adding in even more canine conditioning exercises to strengthen our dog's bodies while working their busy brains for the ultimate mental/physical combination. Like in our FIT-Foundations levels 1-4 programs where we used a variety of positive reinforcement training methods (luring, targeting, shaping, capturing) and implemented both a verbal reward marker and a clicker, we continue strengthening our communication skills while adding more behaviors to our toolbox in order to continue to improve the human-canine relationship and bond. Our Level 5 program implements a variety of chained behaviors in order to perform more complex behaviors and tricks.
By incorporating more physical and mental challenges, we can potentially lengthen our dog's life span while helping prevent injury and disease.
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Many of the behaviors & tricks from previous levels make their way into this program to practice and hone skills
NEW SKILLS:
Weave Poles (intro)
Orbit (go around me backwards)
NEW POTENTIAL SKILLS:
Achoo (bring me a tissue)
Footsies (peekaboo - paws on my feet while we walk)
Airplane Arms (circle me jumping my arms while I sit)
Open to suggestions from the class as to what the group wants to learn!
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As a BONUS, we provide the opportunity for teams to practice / take video to submit for their TDCH (champion trick dog title)!
***Pre-requisite FIT-Foundations Level 4
FIT-Foundations™ Level 6 (Grand Champion Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 6 (Grand Champion Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 6 is another Expert program, building on the manners, tricks and behaviors taught in our Level 3 & 4 programs while adding in even more canine conditioning exercises to strengthen our dog's bodies while working their busy brains for the ultimate mental/physical combination. Like in our FIT-Foundations levels 1-5 programs where we used a variety of positive reinforcement training methods (luring, targeting, shaping, capturing) and implemented both a verbal reward marker and a clicker, we continue strengthening our communication skills while adding more behaviors to our toolbox in order to continue to improve the human-canine relationship and bond. Our Level 6 program implements a variety of chained behaviors in order to perform more complex behaviors and tricks.
By incorporating more physical and mental challenges, we can potentially lengthen our dog's life span while helping prevent injury and disease.
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Many of the behaviors & tricks from previous levels make their way into this program to practice and hone skills
NEW SKILLS:
Basketball
Ring Toss
Open to suggestions from the class as to what the group wants to learn!
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As a BONUS, we provide the opportunity for teams to practice / video to submit for their TDGCH (grand champion trick dog title)!
***Pre-requisite FIT-Foundations Level 5
TBA
REGISTER NOW
FIT-Foundations™ Level 7 (Champion Masters Level)
FIT-Foundations™ Level 7 is our Trick Dog Champion MASTERS program.
This program coincides with the 'Do More With Your Dog!' Novice-Expert Masters titles that Teams have an opportunity to earn in FIT-Foundations Levels 1-4.
Teams who have not earned or submitted for their Novice-Expert AND Novice-Expert Masters titles will not be able to submit for this title without first submitting for previously mentioned titles.
Teams who have completed FIT-Foundations Levels 1-6 and are not submitting for titles are still welcome to register for this program.
***Pre-requisite FIT-Foundations Level 6
In addition to our own unique FIT-Foundations™ Levels curriculum, we've incorporated
Do More With Your Dog! novice-expert behaviors / tricks, so teams have an opportunity to
EARN their NTD (novice trick dog) - ETD (expert trick dog) & novice-expert master titles!
*The actual titles are not included in our programs.
Once you earn your title(s), you can submit your application to Do More With Your Dog!
Our FIT-Foundations Level 5 coincides with Do More With Your Dog! Champion Trick Dog title and FIT-Foundations Level 6 coincides with the
Grand Champion Trick Dog title (Teams wanting to earn these titles will need to submit video of their tricks to Do More With Your Dog!)
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If you do not want to earn trick titles, no problem!! You are still welcome and encouraged to participate as our FIT-Foundations program combines manners, tricks and canine fitness as well as foundation skills for various dog sports like Rally-O, Scent Detection and Agility.
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Need to miss a class or want to review what you learn in class? We've got you covered!
Email recaps including video tutorials are sent out after EVERY class! We also send bonus information, handouts, and class reminders!