Minimum Age Requirement for Dogs Participating in Agility
Please note that dogs must be at least 6 months of age to participate in agility classes.
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your registration to participate in a Cactus K9 event at any time. You will receive a refund, less a $15 administration fee, if a written notification of cancellation is received no later than 10 days before the start of the scheduled event.
Extenuating Circumstances: The Cactus K9 Club will consider a request for a refund past the cancellation deadline if medical documentation (dog or human) is provided. We encourage individuals to take advantage of the registration transfer option.
Registration Transfer: A confirmed registrant may transfer registration to another individual under the following conditions:
- email from primary registrant to secretary@cactusk9.com to explain circumstances
- a registration form is submitted by the new registrant indicating who is being replaced
- any transfer of fees is handled by the individuals involved.
Agility Skill Building Level 1
Instructors: Karen Williamson and Deb Murdock
Dates: Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb 4
Time: 9:00-10:15
Cost: $175 (10% discount for members)
Location: The Barn
Maximum #Students: 10
Members Only: Registration will open TBA
Non-Members: Registration will open TBA
Agility is an addicting sport for both you and your dog in which you navigate an obstacle course together. In this pre-agility class you will learn how to train your dog on the basic equipment such as tunnels, jumps, tire jump and the table. All exercises will be age appropriate so all dogs - old and young - can play. As a handler you will learn how to guide your dog through small sequences using positive reinforcement e.g. toy play and food rewards. This class will provide you with a good understanding of the foundational skills.
Pre-requisites: Basic skills (e.g. sit, stay, down, come). Dogs must be older than 8 months (especially at the barn in the cold and with many more distractions than in our yards)
Agility Skill Building Level 2
Instructor: Sherri Penner
Dates: Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb 4
Time: 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: $175 (10% discount for members)
Location: The Barn
Maximum #Students: 6
Members Only: Registration will open TBA
Non-Members: Registration will open TBA
Agility is a very fun sport for dogs and humans that can also be a confidence booster for dogs. There are many different skills that take time to develop. This class is the next step for dogs and handlers that have completed CK9C Agility Skill Building level 1 (formerly called Pre-Agility) or teams with equivalent skills.
Throughout this class set you will be working on;
- Jump Grids and One jump skills to improve your dogs understanding of jumping,
- Increasing your dog’s ability to take jumps and tunnels independently,
- Continuing work on Handling skills such as Front, Rear and Blind crosses,
- Serpentines, Pinwheels and 270 degree jump turns,
- Stays and Lead-outs
Prerequisite: Pre-Agility / Agility Skill Building Level 1
Dogs should be comfortable with jumps, tunnels, and short sequences.
Humans should have some basic knowledge of handling their dogs. (If in doubt about being prepared for this class, ask!)
Advanced/Master Skills
Instructor: Michelle Boham
Dates: Jan 7, 14, 21, 28 and Feb 4
Time: 10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: $175 (10% discount for members)
Location: The Barn
Maximum #Students: 5
Members Only: Registration will open TBA
Non-Members: Registration will open TBA
This course will focus on adding somme of the more advanced skills to your toolbox so that you can handle your dog's smoothest and fastest lines. We will be breaking things down and focusing on reading our dog's lines and approaches to obstacles, where we should be cueing extension vs. collection and other handling techniques to support our dogs. This may include threadles (slices vs. wraps), push back blinds (Germans), delayed blinds (Japanese), or anything you, as handlers, want to work on.
Start Up Agility (Level 1 for Indoors)
Instructor: Karen Williamson
Dates: November 12, 19, 26, Dec 3, 10
Time: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Cost: $175 (10% discount for members)
Location: Will be emailed to students.
Maximum #Students: 4
Members Only: Registration will open at 5 pm on November 3rd
Non-Members: Registration will open at 5 pm on November 4th
FULL
Prerequisites
Dogs must be 6 months old at start of class, basic skills preferred
This class will include similar content to our regular Agility Level 1 class with some modifications and enhanced skills offered due to the venue being used. We will employ the same fun and learning strategies so that you and your dog will come away with the basics needed to continue with agility training if desired. Please see our description for Agility Level 1.
Just Jumps
Instructor: Karen Williamson
Dates: November 12, 19, 26, Dec 3, 10
Time: 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Cost: $175 (10% discount for members)
Location: Will be emailed to students.
Maximum #Students: 4
Members Only: Registration will open at 5 pm on November 3rd
Non-Members: Registration will open at 5 pm on November 4th
FULL
Prerequisite
CK9C Level 1 Agility or Equivalent (please contact Instructor for equivalent)
Taught in an indoor facility, this class will focus on some basic jump patterns using up to six jumps and maybe a few tunnels. Understanding jumps is a core skill for all agility dogs. The goal for this class is to improve your dog’s understanding of typical jump patterns that are used in agility courses, such as boxes, threadles, serpentines, pinwheels, 180 degree jumps, and more.
Agility Cues
Instructor: Karen Williamson
Dates: November 13, 20, 27, Dec 4, 11
Time: 6:15 - 7:15
Cost: $175 (10% discount for members)
Location: Will be emailed to students.
Maximum #Students: 4
Members Only: Registration will open at 5 pm on November 3rd
Non-Members: Registration will open at 5 pm on November 4th
FULL
Prerequisite:CK9C Level 2 Agility or Equivalent (please contact Instructor for equivalent)
Agility is a very fast paced sport, and our dogs need to make split second decisions on every course. It is the handler's job to inform the dog of our expectations. Our dogs will want to follow our motion, but we can teach skills that will help dogs make better choices on a course. Skills in this class will include directionals, go farther away, come in closer, backsides, threadles, and more. These are accomplished with teaching verbal and physical cues.
This is an advanced course with homework.
Agility Weaves Level 1
Not offered at this time.
Weave pole training is awesome! And is a necessary skill in agility. Weave Poles are the most difficult piece of equipment for agility dogs to learn, but when taught well, they are amazing! Weaves are physically and mentally challenging for dogs, but when done well, they are stunning to watch. The end goal is for a dog to be accurate, fast, and independent while weaving. This will take quite a bit of training and on going maintenance.
There are a few different ways to teach weaving but for this class we will be using the 2 x 2 method from start to finish. By the end of the class set your dog will be weaving 4 to 6 poles in succession. There will still be work to be done but this is a strong foundation to build on.
Prerequisites:
- Agility Skill Building Level 2
- This class is intended for dogs that do not have previous training with weave poles or dogs who would benefit from foundation training.
- Two sets of purchased or homemade 2 x 2 weaves
- A jump and tunnel are assets.
Agility Contacts Level 1
Not offered at this time.
Contact equipment performance has a significant role in agility. The A-Frame, Teeter-Totter, and Dogwalk all have contact zones (usually yellow) painted on the bottom of the ramps. In order for your dog’s performance to be successful, they must have at least one foot in the coloured area at the bottom of these pieces. The contact zone rules are in place for the safety of dogs. Training your dog to stop at the bottom of the contact with their 2 front feet on the ground and their 2 back feet on the equipment is important to safety and success. The Teeter-Totter is unique as there is movement and noise as well as a contact zone. This training will take some time to be reliable.
In this class, you will work on exercises that will help your dog understand the expectations of contact equipment (2 front feet off/2 back feet on). This will be achieved by using;
- Targets
- Training planks
- Stopping with help in the contact zone of the equipment
- Movement on slightly wobbly surfaces
- Teeter totter games that engage your dog
- Release training off of equipment
- These exercises will be taught in a fun, fear-free manner using positive training methods. Your dog will have working time on all of the contact equipment during this set of classes in the safest way possible.
Prerequisite: Agility Skill Building Level 2 or equivalent
Recommended home equipment: a training plank
Agility Contacts and Weaves Level 2
Not offered at this time.
This class is for dogs who can perform 6 consecutive weave poles and have taken contact level 1 training or can perform all contacts with a stop at the bottom. The focus will be on sharpening and expanding these skills. Dogs will work up to 12 consecutive weave poles. The contact equipment will be worked in sequences.
This class is intended for handlers and dogs that are seeking to improve these skills for competition.
Prerequisites: CK9C Level 1 Weaves and CK9C Level 1 Contact Training. An equivalent level of training will be considered.
Agility Skill Building Level 3
Not offered at this time.
This class is the next step in training for competition and fun for you and your dog. This is a handling class which builds the working relationship between you and your dog. It will build on skills that you have acquired and increase the difficulty of these skills. You will start to use more training and handling cues. The sequences will be longer in this set of classes.
Prerequisite: Agility Skill Building Level 2
Agility Skill Building Level 4
Not offered at this time.
This class is a combined, continuing handling class for all upper level students. In this class students will be working on longer sequences and full courses with increased handling challenges. There will be contacts and weave poles incorporated into the class work so it will be an asset to have contact and weave pole training. There will be a focus on advanced handling skills, training dogs specific agility skills, and on the games that are played in agility, Standard, Steeplechase, Jumpers, Gamblers, and Snooker.
Prerequisite: Agility Skill Building Level 3
Contact and Weave Pole training is an asset
Agility Distance Level 1
Not offered at this time.
This class is intended to improve the ability of dogs to work away from their handlers. Working away from a handler is a difficult skill for most dogs and requires incremental training and practice. Having distance skills is important for the game of Gamblers but is also very helpful for other Agility courses. Each week will focus on one or two different skills that will help build confidence in the dogs and an understanding of the handlers expectations. Handlers will learn how to increase distance and the ability to send their dog to obstacles at a distance. Some verbal skills will be taught as well as strategy for Gamblers.
Prerequisite: Agility Skill Building Level 3
