Feeling stuck, intimidated, or overwhelmed working on obedience skills with your dog? If you feel like you’re not sure what to train, or if what worked for your last dog isn’t working for this dog, this class may be for you!
In the TEAM 2 class we provide structure as you build the skills your dog needs for TEAM, AKC, CKC, FCI, or the other obedience program of your choice! Let's break down the fancy skills you've seen in obedience trials!
In this class we introduce new skills while continuing to build the skills from TEAM 1:
Retrieves [NEW for TEAM 2]
Marking (look forward cue) [NEW for TEAM 2]
Pivoting without a prop- left and right (the foundation for pretty heelwork!)
Position changes in heel (and teaching a stand cue!)
Scent articles
Engagement-: "transitions" between exercises
Sends to a target
Jumping
Stays with distractions
Finishes
Fronts (teach fancy front pivots to get that amazing lineup!)
Took the TEAM 1 class, but still working through the skills? That’s okay! Join us for TEAM 2 and we’ll continue to work together to get you unstuck and making progress.
The individual pieces of exercises are broken down for you in manageable steps. Introducing all these core areas from the start makes sure that obedience remains fun for both the dog and the handler!
Join us this term to take your and your dog’s obedience to a new level!
What is TEAM?
The TEAM titling program is a virtual program designed to help reward obedience trainers for breaking down their training and building a strong base of foundation behaviors.
Each level adds complexity for the dog-handler team, presenting them with a wide range of interesting skills to master right from the start. There’s no reason to hold back on training for distractions, distance work or the "fancy" skills while teaching your dog to heel!
Note: You do NOT need to be interested in TEAM titles or have taken the TEAM1 class to join! Many students use this class as a roadmap for AKC/CKC/etc. If you don’t have TEAM 1 in your library, it’s helpful to at least have
Pivoting on a perch
Position changes started in front of the handler
Fronts with a platform
Teaching Approach
Lectures are released at the start of each week with all lectures released within the first 4 weeks. The lectures are broken down by each skill, often in multiple parts. I have written objectives and then written instructions for each step followed by multiple video examples for each step. The videos are usually between 30sec to 2min long and are taken from training sessions of a variety of dogs. I do not use voiceover or subtitles in the video. At the end of each lecture is a homework summary with the steps quickly summarized in order.
This class will have Teaching Assistants (TA) available in the Facebook discussion group to help the bronze and silver students! Directions for joining can be found in the classroom after you register.
Laura Waudby (she/they) trains and competes in obedience, rally, and agility. She was halfway to her OTCH with her UDX corgi, Lance, before his uexpected early retirement. She also has championship titles in USDAA and UKI. By day...(Click here for full bio and to view Laura's upcoming courses)
Because of the wide range of skills, students are not expected to master all 10 skills. About 3 skills will be introduced per week and gold students will have the option of working on any of the skills discussed from the current week or previous weeks. All lectures will be released in the first 4 weeks of class in order to give students enough time to focus on their desired areas.
The skills taught will be:
- Retrieve: Beginning steps to picking it off the floor and delivery to hand. Teaching a hold!
- Fronts: Fading the prop, working on pivots in front
- Position Changes (sit, down, stand): Working in heel position, building in pauses, building greater distance, adding handler distractions
- Moving Engagement/ Social Play for working on "transitions" in the ring
- Pivoting Skills: Fading the perch with left pivots and starting pivoting to the right
- Finishes: 3 styles of finishes, fading props, proofing heel position
- Stay: duration, distance, distraction behind the dog, handler's back turned
- Jumping: taking a jump without handler movement
- Scent articles: Fading food lure in finding your scent, switching to a retrieve alert
- Mark: Teaching a cued look straight ahead, watch me vs look forward on cue
Release Schedule:
Week 1: Pivoting left and right in heel, Position changes (heel position and pauses), Marking, Send to Target
Week 2: Retrieve, Fronts, Position Changes (marching and distractions)
Week 3: Scent articles, Finishes, Position Changes (distance), Play/engagement
Week 4: Stays, Jumping
Remember each student can pick what they want to work on each week from any of the topics a lecture has been released on. Students will likely not be able to master all skills in the 6 weeks and will focus on topics they need the most guidance in.
The exercises in this class build off of those in TEAM 1.
It is recommended that Gold students have either taken TEAM 1 (OB115) with either instructor at any level (gold, silver, bronze), OR have passed the TEAM 1 test.
Many of the gold teams will still be working on level 1 behaviors while ready to start level 2 work with other behaviors!
It is HIGHLY recommended that students start looking a level ahead of where they are at early on. This prevents boredom for both human and dog, and allows the dog to advance in exercises that are well known without getting "stuck" rehearsing only the earlier level. Gold students will be able to work at the level they are currently at, even if it isn't quite level 2 ready!
If you do not have the TEAM 1 class, the following skills are prerequisites(NOT needed if you have the level 1 lectures!). While not all the skills are needed since you can't work through every single topic in just 6 weeks, I will refer students back to level 1 lectures for any skill that isn't ready for the level 2 notes:
Pivoting in heel on a perch
Understanding of how to teach sit and down with a front foot, rear foot target, OR a platform.
Stay with a zen bowl/distraction on the ground
Front to a platform
Scent articles started (to food in a container or a smear of food on the article is ok!)
Equipment needed is dependent on which skills each team wants to focus on. Ideally, teams will have access to:
Perch for pivoting (round bowl, phone book...)
Dumbbell or other formal retrieve object (something the dog does not see as a "toy"
Foot target for position changes (Whatever the team is used to such as PVC box, larger platform, front foot target, rear foot target...)
Scent articles. Teams who have been working on a nose touch indication to a flat lid may continue that, or we can talk about switching to a retrieve alert if they are ready. Retrievable articles might be canning rings, leather bracelets, or traditional dumbbell shaped articles.
Marking in this context (as opposed to "marking" as the reward cue we use to bridge the time between the dog's behavior and getting their reward) is the act of a dog looking forward out toward another object, and waiting for a cue to be sent.
The dog can watch a thrown retrieve item and mark the location of the landing (especially useful if thrown into long grass!), or the dog can be given a mark by the handler which tells the dog when and where to look. This second part will be the focus of this lecture as it is not a natural behavior for the dog. Dogs have to be trained to follow a point and while they readily pick up on it (compared to wolves!) their first instinct is still to stare at your hand versus following the invisible line you are pointing out to the object.
Teaching a mark is a useful skill for directing your dog to retrieve something they didn't see thrown and for directing your dog to a specific item/cone/target when there are multiple choices for the dog to choose from. It can also be used to point out the next task your dog is to do such as looking ahead to mark their "go out" location in Utility, or the first obstacle in agility.
Here is an eventual goal behavior of Vito working in Utility. I mark him to look forward to his go out location so he knows what to expect, and then stand up straight waiting for the judge to start the exercise and tell me to send my dog. I want my dog to continue to look where they should be going next.
And here is final picture for the TEAM2 test: dog looks at you when you return (a cue is allowed, but I would suggest that you train the dog's default to be looking at you unless told otherwise), pause, cue the look forward and remove your hand, pause, then release forward.
Stage 1: Teaching the Look Ahead
Since most dogs will readily stare at cookies or their favorite toy, we will begin by using their reward as a lure. For this exercise, I place my chosen reward in a bowl or on a target lid to make it clear to my dog that they will be getting released to it. Since I don't allow my dogs to be released to distractions on the ground, the bowl/target quickly becomes a cue to my dog that they will be able to get the item at some point.
Start with the dog on a stay (on a platform can be helpful!) as you place a single cookie in a dish and set it out about 2-5ft away. Return to your dog and encourage* them to look forward at it! When you see your dog looking ahead, use a special release cue that tells the dog they can have the reward in the dish such as "dish!" or "Cookies!".
*Encouraging them to look at it can be pretty much anything at stage 1! This can be talking to your dog about the yummy items, pointing at it, a collar grab restrain, pretty much anything! (See the problem solving section below for ideas if your dog is stuck!)
Loot starts on a platform to help him wait, return to him and gently touch his chest and assume a track start to try and be clear I'm not looking for focus. As soon as he looks at the dish I release him with "cookies!" which is my marker cue to tell him he can have the treats in the dish! He anticipates the second rep and I let him go, but make sure he's in a sit for the next rep.
Some dogs will find it easier to start in between your legs to make it clearer they are allowed to look forward.
Here Wren is starting between my legs. I'm struggling a bit with how to give her a signal to look forward, but overall she's doing well!
The setup is simple, but many dogs will struggle with various parts of this first step.
1. Your dog struggles to stay as you encourage them to look forward.
2. Your dog dog stays, but won't look at the dish. They think it's a trap!
Problem Solving: Dog Won't Stay!
If your dog has a hard time staying as you encourage them to look forward, try either grabbing their collar with your opposite hand (right hand) or having them on a leash you hold behind your back!
Here Chilli is a bit more advanced as they are working on some duration of looking forward, but they are using a leash to help Chilli wait!
And here is an example where I grab Loot's collar as I return to him
Problem Solving: Dog Isn't Looking Forward
Many dogs will think this is a trap! They might be hesitant to look at the dish, especially if you've already done a lot of "Zen bowl" training for focus!
If your dog struggles with this first step, switch to tossing the reward in front of them versus placing it. As your dog watches the toss, you can release them before they have the opportunity to look back at you! You may also want to be out of heel position for this exercise as your dog likely has a strong foundation of keeping eye contact in heel! Move to the right side of your dog, a foot out in front of your dog, or even try having your dog between your legs!
I recommend also pre-placing a cookie in the dish before you return to your dog and get ready to toss a 2nd treat. That way if your dog does happen to look forward before the toss, you can capture that look and give your dish cue!
With this technique, it's also helpful to give a verbal "look" type of cue right BEFORE you toss the 2nd treat into the dish. This can help the dog expect the toss, and thus look forward on the verbal cue!
Grace is showing this technique. She's a bit hesitant to release on the cue here even though she has a lot of practice already in knowing that "cookies!" means run to the dish!
And here Ginny is working on this. I'm holding her collar to prevent her from going early. You can see she isn't quite getting it yet!
Here Ira has also struggled with looking at the dish. Mom slides it forward so the dog is looking at the MOTION of the dish. On the first one she isn't quite sure yet, but the next two she nails the focus forward! Mom is just starting to delay the release to the dish until after the dish has stopped moving! She's also adding in a chest hold here as a reminder of oppositional reflex/restrain games. This could actually stick as the dog's eventual cue to look ahead.
Here is Nala who also has a very strong foundation of giving eye contact with the Zen Bowl! I discover with her that she remains looking at the bowl while I'm setting food in it. It's the start of my standing up that makes it hard. So I quickly send her a few times with my hand lingering at the bowl. When I realize that this can start a hand signal I try switching to my other hand (the one closest to her). I release with the marker cue "cookies."
Stage 2: Adding in the Hand Signal and/or Verbal
Most trainers will use a hand signal to tell their dog when/where to look ahead. Since your dog will be starting from heel position, the most common signal is lowering your left hand to your dog's head level. You may need to bend your knees with a small dog! Hold your signal still either directly above their head or in the space between your dog's head and your leg. Remember this hand signal is about giving a direction for your dog to look. It will not give your dog permission to actually run out! Hold your signal still and wait for your dog to stop staring at your hand and actually look ahead at the reward like you have been working on. Release your dog verbally and without moving your hand forward.
This stage isn't a full step for most dogs. More than likely you were already using a hand signal in stage 1. The main goal of this stage is to start to formalize it.
You may also decide to use a verbal "look" type of cue before your hand goes down. Because most dogs respond easier to a signal vs a verbal, give your verbal "look" a half second before your hand moves.
Note that I always "reinforce" the look ahead by giving them their release cue to forward/to the dish.
While the technique of reinforcing the look forward by feeding the dog from your hand can be successful, it is not one I recommend at this stage. Often a dog could inadvertently learn to face their nose forward but they are still thinking about what the handler has versus actually applying their full focus forward. The technique of rewarding from your hand would be best for a dog who already has very strong focus forward and needs to learn to relax a bit before being sent.
Stage 3: Focus First
Now that your dog is eagerly looking forward and isn't confused by the presence of your hand, we will start to teach him that looking forward is only to be done when given the cue. Contrasting an "auto watch me" (this will be the dog's default behavior) with "look ahead" (only on cue now!) may be initially confusing but will start to cement the concept that your hand going down actually means something!
Before giving your mark signal/verbal, make sure the dog is looking at you first. Feed your dog several times from your hand before giving them the mark signal to look forward.
Note that some dogs may naturally look down to swallow after each reward. And while this itself isn't a problem, it does make it hard to get flow. If that is your dog you may need to jump to the problem solving section and/or skip the rewards from your hand if your dog is doing pretty well with looking at you first.
Here is Zumi working on this concept. I start to add in rapid reinforcement for looking at me before marking. This is where a marker cue like "yes" or a click that tells the dog food is coming from your hand is important! In this old video my clarity is there on my cues. You'll see me clicking for focus, but after the mark signal I also click or even say yes as I release her! That's super confusing to the dog! I recommend only using a clear "dish"/"cookies" type of cue to send the dog forward and not click before the send.
And here Loot is working on this skill. I feed him several treats quickly before touching his chest and assuming his track start. I *skipped* to this step a little earlier with him then I do with some dogs as I thought it would make more sense with him to have a clear difference of when he should look at me and when he shouldn't. He already had a lot more experience with a Zen Bowl and looking up at me before starting this marking exercise and I could tell he was getting unsure on what the rules were. The look ahead is not solid yet, and still on a chest touch versus a hand signal.
Here Wren is nailing the idea of focus first but she sometimes struggles to look forward, especially as I try to get to a full 1 second of duration before the release. A few times I have to re-mark her when she looks up too early. And at the end I find she's not quite looking forward at the target but off to the side. I don't want to practice releasing her too much with this off look. Fortunately, I figured out she was looking at her dinner bowl, and I changed the angle I was working on!
Problem Solving: Working on Focus around the Dish
If you are struggling to get your dog to actually look at you, review our automatic leave it homework first from TEAM1. You may need to back up to holding the dish in your hand and getting eye contact!
Once the dog is looking at you and not the dish, give your dish marker cue and lower the dish for them to eat. Work up to doing a quick discrimination exercise of "yes" = cookies from your hand, and "dish" = grab a treat from the dish. Work this with the bowl in your hand to prevent errors before putting the dish on the ground.
Here Splash is working on giving me focus with the dish and I primarily mark "yes" and reward from my hand before throwing in a "cookies" rep where he sends to the dish
And here is an example with the dish on the ground and Ginny reviews easy focus on me, and the difference between "yes" and "cookies."
I did not do the exercise in heel in the above video, but work on that next! Make sure your dog know how to look at you when you are at their side and the zen bowl is in front of them. Do NOT tell the dog to mark/look forward at the dish in this context. Yet. The goal of this stage is to build up your dog's understanding of having default focus on you.
Next, try doing an around-the-clock game with a Zen Bowl. Start with the dish behind them where it should be easy to look at you, and gradually work that dish out in front. Instead of marking the dog to look at it before sending, send the dog only when they are looking at you for at least one full second. Your "cookies" cue will reward the focus on you. Don't transition back to telling the dog to mark/look at the dish until that eye contact is easy!
Here Marina demonstrates working on this skill. You can see her trainer does one "test" rep of cuing her to mark/look at the bowl towards the end, but the next rep she makes sure to reinforce Marina directly for the eye contact.
Some dogs will have a harder time transitioning from handler focus to object focus. For these dogs, stay close to your Zen Bowl and after giving your dog a cookie from your body for eye contact, go back into the encouragement position you used in the very first step. This may mean crouching into a track start, looking forward at the object yourself, and possibly putting a hand on your dog's chest to raise excitement levels!
Overview
1. Reward your dog for looking at a dish with food in it! Release them with a special cue such as "dish" or "cookies." Do NOT click or say "yes" as that will mean they get a reward from your hand!!
2. Add in a hand signal if you haven't already been using one. Typically this is your left hand lowered down to their head level. You may also wish to add a verbal "look" type cue right before your hand moves if you want!
3. Get focus on you before the mark signal!! You may need to warm up with the dish in your hand and getting eye contact! And/or practice pivoting away from the dish and then sending the dog only when they are looking at you before going back to the mark!
4. After the dog is looking at you, give the cue to mark the dish, then release to the dish on your "cookies" cue.
A sampling of what prior students have said about this course ...
This is a great class and a great instructor. The team program is lots of fun for both handler and dog- it presents obedience skills in chunks that build neatly upon each other. Laura's videos are clear and very helpful- she has an excellent eye for each student's need, and is able to quickly find the tweak need to make the team successful.
I found Laura to be kind and understanding when I was having difficulty and genuinely happy for us when we made progress. I'm hoping to return for Level 3 to continue the fun challenges.
Laura, I can't thank you enough for all the feedback and video examples that you have given me the past 6 weeks!! I feel that I can now continue training Brodie by following the many suggestions that you have given me. I can hardly wait for T3! Also, I liked that you posted all the lectures at the beginning of the course. It gave me a chance to choose what I thought would be most beneficial for me and my dog.
This was a great class! We were able to work at our own pace and cover the exercises and skills that we needed the most help with. Laura was terrific, offered great critiques and a variety of strategies to tackle each problem, often running off to make a video with her own dog to demonstrate a point. It was like having 6 weeks of private lessons in whatever we most needed! My observation is that all of the dogs and handlers improved over the 6 week course. I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning foundation skills and perfecting them, and to anyone interested in the TEAM program.
Thank you,Laura,for all the time and effort you are putting forth making your classes so very valuable! Appreciate the extra videos you post for individual students!
Awesome lectures, awesome feedback , awesome problem solver, awesome timing of feedback to students, awesome ability to break down desired behaviors, awesome dedication as Laura has been known to whip out a new video for students so they have a visual aid, awesome ability to watch each and every moment of your video. Did I mention she was awesome? I can not think of one thing to recommend for improvement.
Registration
There are no scheduled sessions for this class at this time. We update our schedule frequently, so please
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Registration opens at 11:30am Pacific Time.
The instructor will be participating in the FDSA in-person training camp in Ohio from October 4-6 and will not be available to answer class forums. Class will be extended to compensate and will end on November 13, 2024.
Instructor: Laura Waudby
