Fenzi Courses

Me too!

How do you like it so far?

I'm going back through all the focus course work and really putting a concerted effort into trials with success this summer!
I was a little disappointed that the focus course didn't use a wide variety of dogs or even really any unfocused ones which made it hard to figure out how to actually work with disengagement. Hoping to baby step our way through distractions so we don't have any more disengagement but still.

Did anyone here take Bridging the Gap? I am strongly considering signing up for gold even though I'm a week late!

Yeah, that was my biggest issue with the focus class too. The exercises were good, but it was hard to figure out what to do when the dog disengages. They did mention it one of the weeks, but the answer just seemed to be putting the dog away, which only works if the dog doesn't want to be put away. If I'm trying to train outside and Watson wants to sniff all of the things, putting him back in the house isn't going to make him change his behavior - he'll just think it was time to go back inside. I don't learn well when the demo dogs are all perfect and focused. Oh, the border collie with OCD tendencies has no issues focusing on you during training in your living room? Not helpful. Haha

I'm in the Bridging the Gap at bronze. I like it so far, but so far haven't really learned much- but it is like 2 classes long, so I am expecting that will change.

So far we have discussed engagement and have been getting the dogs to ask for engagement without us saying or doing anything (although we are allowed to have treats/toys that they are aware of- which to me makes it too easy but I imagine we are working toward not having anything) We also are not supposed to match the dogs enthusiasm or do more enthusiasm to get the dog more motivated. Which seems a little weird to me coming from an Agility background, but it makes sense if you are going into competition obedience or something.

Then we talked about generalization, basically training in different environments, including ones that are very distracting so your dog is well prepared.

I like the lurker group too.

But so far, at least for me, the course seems pretty basic. I really did like the engagement lectures and it really got me thinking, so I am happy I am in this class.

So far I'm digging it! My guys are already good with the zen stuff (they've all done IYC), know hand touches, and have solid release cues to movement and to no movement, so thus far it hasn't been too many new things. However, I have been focusing A LOT on getting Kimma to calm herself down while practicing the zen stuff. She is super pumped about training and while she will DO everything, I guess I never made it a point to have her be super relaxed while doing it (though she IS super relaxed while doing mat work so I know it is possible LOL).

YESS! So glad I wasn't alone in feeling like I walked away wondering 'but what do I do when..' I think I was spoiled by taking Nancy Little's class first. She was fabulous and had tons of videos of different dogs at different points in their training and made sure to include their mistakes in the videos!

Yeah, I know if I put Penn away& 'have fun' without her ..she really doesn't care. She'll lay in her crate& watch me ..but not with an intense desire to join me lol I think she just thinks I'm crazy.


Awesome. I meant to say signing up for bronze.. i'm not sure why I typed gold aha I find it odd that you cannot match the enthusiasm of the dog ..I'm pretty sure that would shut Penn off pretty quickly. Weird! I'm more intrigued and interested in taking it now ..I'll ask you again in a week& see if you are finding it more worthwhile aha

Am enjoying the sensational stays one although Kep has already done the hand zen and IYC type stuff. I have just been reading the stuff on duration so will work on that next. I have only asked him to do a stand stay when we do agility type training so will interesting to do more of that. His waiting for a release word is good.

The FCI heeling one is stuff we do already in obedience class since 10 month old Kep was a little puppy (my instructors base their teaching on Kamal Fernandez stuff having done his seminars and online courses too), he has a nice trot with extended arm and he enjoys the static stuff. I like watching the gold videos and seeing the comments posted by Kamal Fernandez!

I think by the not allowed to match the enthusiasm or doing more enthusiasm than the dog was showing was mostly because she doesn't want you asking or begging the dog to work. Instead, she wants everyone to wait for their dog to essentially ask to work. Then you can give excitement/rewards, but if they get off track and start smelling the environment or looking at something, etc. she seems to want you to not do anything really (no excitement to beg the dog to work) but to wait for the dog to turn to you and then excitement can begin again.

Basically, teaching the dog to continually ask for work instead of you asking for work. I think this concept will get clearer as the weeks go and is a good skill for when competing.

It's interesting topics to think about regardless!

The last lecture was about different ways to acclimate the dog to new working environments.

I really probably should take bridging the gap but I feel like it's all going to be stuff that I don't like doing. The entire reason that I'm so terrible at reducing reinforcers is because I just hate the work it takes lol. But I've been told by a few people that I should do rally with Cajun... yeah, she's totally on point if there's a cookie involved. We fall apart pretty fast without them!

WCRL allows food in the ring, just sayin.

There's also a trial this weekend if you have any interest in watching. Frodo is competing Sunday, Megan will be there both days.

Shhhh I'm already tempted enough to sign up for your rally class.

Come to the trial!

Do it!!

Question for you guys, do you watch everyone's videos that signed up for gold or just pick one or a few to watch?

I love fenzi courses, I think the lectures alone are worth the money, but also like seeing it applied and looking at the trainers critiques and being like yes! I already knew that/would have said the same thing or hmm... I've never thought about that before!

I sort of have been taking a break from my courses, and then binge reading/watching everyone's stuff and then going and stopping for awhile again.

I am also in love with one of the people in the gold level with a whippet and her whippet herd, I love all of her videos and she seems to have all the fitpaws stuff!

Also, another question, have you ever taken a course at bronze just to learn the content but then decided to take the same course at gold later? I am thinking of doing this with the shaping class, I think I want to take it at gold, but I think I don't want to wait for having the time to do it at gold, so I am thinking of taking it at bronze and deciding later if I still want to take it at gold some other time.

Hoping to use a lot more shaping with the next dog!

No, so far I haven't had the desire to go back and re-take a class at Gold that I took at Bronze. I think there are too many other classes I want to take to be taking the came class twice at this point.

And no, I don't watch every Gold student's videos. Sometimes I will pick a couple people and just keep up with them (usually someone around my level, and someone more advanced who I enjoy watching). Often I'll go through and read their threads quickly and then decide based on the text if I want to watch certain videos.

Yes, so far I am really happy taking bronze level! The gold classes are very expensive, I could take 4 classes at bronze for the price of one class at gold. I am usually a very quick learner and do not need the extra help, so I just don't think that 1 gold class would be more beneficial than 4 bronze classes. Although, a lot of people here recommend taking shaping at gold.

I kind of like watching all the gold students videos- I am amazed at the difference between the two classes I am taking this semester. One class has a lot fewer gold students, and of those gold students, only about 2 of them are actually active and doing the work.
The other class has a lot more gold students, and most people are active doing the assignments.

I really enjoy seeing how much I already know so it is rewarding for me to just watch everyones videos and read the instructors comments, but I am finding I pick up on a few things here and there that I wouldn't have thought about. I think $65 is very reasonable for 6 weeks of being able to watch a whole class and see the instructors feedback as well as keeping the lectures (and videos in the lectures) forever!

I feel like I am going to take a lot of Fenzi courses this year/part of next year and then I will probably just take 1 class a year after I get through the main ones I want to take and have been recommended.

So.. What classes are you guys thinking of taking in June? Registration is just over a week away!

I'm going to take Performance Fundamentals with my new pup and that's it. I don't think I'll have time for anything else with a new puppy running around.

I'm really tempted to take it at Gold, but she will be 8.5 weeks when it starts and I think that's way too much pressure. I wish she were a month older (or even a couple weeks). I'll probably just take bronze.

ETA: The distractions class sounds like something we could use, but I really didn't like the prey class by the same trainer, so I think that's out.

Luckily there is not much else I'm interested in this round, so I don't feel bad about focusing on just Performance Fundamentals. I might add "It's All In Your Head" since it will be interesting to read without any immediate dog training requirements.

I think that performance fundamentals will be super fun with your new pup. Excited for you!

And I feel the same way about distraction class... it's exactly what I would want to take, but I thought the prey drive class was useless so I won't be taking it. Big bummer.

Did you take Performance Fundamentals? I've heard good things about it and a new puppy is the perfect opportunity. I've done all of the stuff in the syllabus with Watson, but most not from such a young age.

And yeah, I was just as disappointed with the prey drive class. Looking over the syllabus for the distractions class it looks like a lot more of the same. Little training games that have nothing to do with your dog being distracted by things.