Advanced Beginners continues introducing dogs to agility and the performance of agility obstacles, building on the skills established in Beginners.
Students should already be familiar with agility obstacles including jumps, teeter, dog walk, A-frame and weave poles. If you're coming from another club, email us and we'll usually arrange an evaluation.
As in Beginners, handlers are expected to practise between classes. Exercises generally don't require home equipment, though at this stage many students find a jump, a 12-foot plank and a set of PVC weave poles useful for reinforcing what we cover in class.
Suggested verbals
Your dog doesn't care which words you choose — but they care a great deal that you use the same ones every time. This is the list we suggest for students starting out.
| Behavior | Verbal |
|---|---|
| Instruct dog to stay in a stationary position | Stay |
| Release dog from a stationary position | Break or OK |
| Marker word | Yes |
| Instruct dog to get toy or food presented | Get It |
| Behavior | Verbal |
|---|---|
| Tunnel | Tunnel |
| A-Frame | Frame |
| Dog Walk | Walk It |
| Weave poles | Weave |
| Jump — take the jump in extension | Jump |
| Table — get on table and down | Table or Table Down |
| Initial 2O2O stopped contact training | Touch |
| Behavior | Verbal |
|---|---|
| Drive straight ahead to the next obstacle on the line | Go |
| Drive away from the handler laterally | Out |
| Wrap the front of a jump, turning right tightly 180° | Dig |
| Wrap the front of a jump, turning left tightly 180° | Check |
| Dog turns right approximately 90° | Right |
| Dog turns left approximately 90° | Left |
| Backside jump | Back |
| Threadle — take the non-obvious side of the jump or tunnel | In-In |