AKC FIT DOG Level 1 Virtual Group Class Six-Week Course Starts!
THIS CLASS HAS NOW SOLD OUT!
WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT CLASS AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE ENROLLMENT SOON!
TAUGHT BY? Lauren Tsao, MS, CDBC, CPDT-KA, Level 1 AKC FIT DOG Instructor
CLASS START DATE AND TIME? The first class starts Saturday, February 4th, 2023 at 11 am Central Time (course classes run every Saturday for six weeks straight at 11 am central time.) Graduation day is March 11th, 2023 at 11 am central.
LOCATION? Virtual over Zoom - anyone can attend anywhere in the world!
COST? $150 for the six-week course (six 1-hour virtual classes) - limited to eight dog/owner teams
PRE-REQUISITES? Puppy Foundations or Basic Obedience. Dogs and humans must know about training with treats using luring, capturing, and shaping and be able to focus during class. Because this class is virtual, reactive dogs who are not owner-handling reactive/aggressive are welcome to join us!
PLEASE NOTE: This class IS NOT for dogs in need of rehabilitation or physical therapy. This class is for healthy dogs with no significant prior injuries.
Does this count towards my dog’s AKC FIT DOG Title?
YES! But the AKC requires that you attend virtual classes live or submit videos of you and your dog doing the exercises in the course for instructor feedback each week to make sure your dog was actually taught the skills.
What Is AKC FIT DOG?
The AKC FIT DOG program is a program developed by the American Kennel Club and taught by AKC FIT DOG Instructors. Our AKC FIT DOG courses are fun and fitness-focused to help you get your dog into shape! You will learn proper form and safety while doing various fitness exercises to improve your dog’s balance, flexibility, stamina, and overall body fitness. Improvements in these areas can help prevent future injuries, while dog and owner have fun training with positive reinforcement-based methods at the same time! Many exercises taught in class also double as cute crowd-pleasing tricks too!
Attending our FIT DOG six-week course (even virtually) makes your dog eligible for points towards their AKC FIT DOG titles too!
Skills Taught In Level I:
The following skills and behaviors will be taught in the Level One course:
Tuck sit
Nose touch
Front paw targeting
Shake a paw
Cookie stretch
Kick back stand
Spin left/right
Fold back down
Cavaletti poles
Pivot rear legs
Required Items For Class:
Make sure you have your items for class ordered in advance! This course is an equipment-heavy course and having the proper equipment for safety during the exercise is very important, so make sure you have these items in advance.
Balance Pad (XL Size - any color, though dogs can see the color blue well.)
*highly recommended* Blue-9 Klimb Set with Safety Plugs (bigger dogs may benefit from two Klimbs for serious fitness seekers) (Other training platform brands for dogs can be used, but your instructor will have a Klimb)
Four, Six, Eight, or Twelve Cavaletti Poles for Dogs (Four is the minimum required.)
Regular well-fitted flat collar or Balance Harness
Regular 5 to 6-foot leash
Low profile dog bed or mat
High-Value Treats (we recommend CloudStar Chewy Tricky Trainers or Sojo’s Simply Treats)
Optional Items:
Klimb Traction Mat (good for dogs who slide on the Klimb and as a target)
Klimb Short Legs (good for shorter dogs)
*Note: This class is taught using positive reinforcement-based methods. For safety, no prong collars, choke chains/slip leads, or e-collars (stim or shock) will be allowed in class. When using the fitness equipment, dogs should have either a regular flat collar or a well-fitted harness that does not restrict movement.
About Your Trainer:
Lauren Tsao has years of professional hands-on experience working with a variety of dog training cases from puppy training to dog aggression using positive reinforcement-based training methods to get results and foster desirable behavioral changes. Lauren has a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare, which she applies to her work with animals and their owners. Additionally, she’s a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), AKC Approved Level 1 FIT DOG Instructor, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), and Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI). She was voted Mississippi’s #1 Positive Dog Trainer by SniffSpot in 2022. Read more about her here.
