Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SUPERSTAR
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LET’S KICK
THINGS OFF!
Introducing Lauren Langman!
Over the last 10 years, Lauren Lauren has competed and has
has grown and developed the won prestigious Championship
largest dog training centre in Certificates (CC’s) in all three
the UK at her home in Devon. heights with her own dogs, as well
She is still very much “hands on” as clients dogs. She has gone on
leading and guiding her team of to make up “Agility Champions” in
dedicated staff from the front and all three heights, with her highest
constantly innovating and pushing performing dog, Samsir Blinkin
the boundaries of pet, sport and Brilliant at Devongem (Blink), the
working dog training through games. working Cocker Spaniel, having an
amazing 16 CC’s!
Lauren lives on site at the centre
with her partner, and fellow
agility competitor, Matt, and their
daughter, Eliza, who yes, you’ve Lauren is still very much “hands
guessed it, also has regular lessons on” leading and guiding her team of
with two of her own dogs in the fast dedicated staff from the front
paced sport of agility!
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In 2013, Lauren and her Border Whilst maintaining these excellent
Collie, Darleyfalls Free Flo for results on home soil, Lauren
Devongem (Fiji), won the highlight started competing internationally,
event of the UK agility season, the representing Great Britain at the
Olympia Agility Finals, held at the FCI World Agility Championships
Horse of the Year Show in London. in 2006 aged only 23 years old,
with her Border Collie, Harrjak
Competing at Crufts, Lauren has Clockstopper (Popi).
numerous placings and wins, most More recently in 2018, she
recently winning the small team represented Great Britain at the
event in 2017 and 2019 with Blink, European Open in Austria with her
as well as coming runner up in Border Collie, Style.
the large team event also in 2019
running Darleyfalls Bright Day at As the Small Team Captain for
Devongem (Style) alongside her 2019, Lauren also trained multiple
partner, Matt, running Fiji. students to go compete alongside
her and Blink, her working Cocker
Spaniel, in Team GB. They placed
4th (individual) at the FCI World
Lauren started competing internationally
Championships and are also a core
representing Great Britain at the FCI
World Agility Championships in 2006 part of the squad for 2020 with
very high hopes!
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GROW
SKILLS
FROM THE
GROUND UP
Creating an agility sports star starts with phenomenal
groundwork skills. In essence, these are dog training skills.
As you know we are concept trainers, and when it comes
to growing a future agility star, we start by looking at the
concepts a sports dog needs. We work through these
concepts by playing games.
We have picked out our top concepts
We have picked out our top concepts for growing for growing a future sports star
a future sports star to share with you!
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THE THREE
AMIGOS!
Optimism, Confidence & Grit. These concepts nicely
interlink with one another and there are lots of games
that we play that feed into each of these concepts.
Optimism Confidence Grit
Being cool with novelty. A crucial skill for any Or in other words
Everything about agility agility dog. Confidence resilience! Having the
is novel so growing requires the willingness ability to try and keep
optimism is key! to embrace novelty trying, without there
and find joy in trying being immediate
something new. reinforcement, is an
absolute must for your
future agility dog.
Optimism is key!
To get you started, check
out our eBook, Optimism
Rocks, for games that you
can play that will boost
OPTIMISM ROCKS eBOOK these concepts.
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Desire Impulse Control
Do your dog’s eyes sparkle when you train and play together? The difference between a broken start-line wait or
Are they truly giving you everything?
Are they raring to go? Are they a little
Before we go anywhere near impulse
control games, we have got to create
a solid, dependable one.
The difference between hitting a When you go into the competition
chaotic, fast twitch and wild?! Good! a true pulse first! You have to grow
contact or missing it. The difference ring, it is very likely that your dog’s
The thing with a lot of dog training, that fire and desire in your dog’s
between hitting a weave entry or arousal level will kick up to an all new
and this includes agility, is control belly! When you have real, true
missing it. The difference between level. Prepare your dog by training at
is put onto the dog too early in the desire, you can then start to organize
knocking a bar or keeping a bar up. the level you will need your dog to be
training journey. the chaos!
Impulse control feeds into every successful in the ring. This takes time,
element of agility in some way. patience, and layering games, but
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MAKE YOUR
DOG BELIEVE
THEY ARE A
CHAMPION
Your hair looks nice today!
To grow the
How did that make you feel? Good, ultimate agility
right?! To grow the ultimate agility super star you need
super star you need to make your to make your dog
feel like a rock star
dog feel like a rock star. Big them up,
make them feel great, don’t knock
their imperfections. Don’t knock them
when they tried and they didn’t get it
quite right. Make them feel like a hero,
a true winner! Remember, confidence
is everything in agility.
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DON’T BE
IN A RUSH
Dogs can start competing in agility at 18 months.
That’s a young age and this can put Work out what works for you and
a ton of pressure on your dog’s body your dog and go from there.
and brain, as well as pressure on You will never regret spending more
you, if this age becomes somewhat time on the foundations.
of a marker. Don’t rush!
Start competing when you and
your dog are ready. Absolutely have You will never regret spending
training goals. Without goals you more time on foundations
won’t get anywhere!
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TRAIN THE
DOG IN FRONT
OF YOU
Every dog is different. What works for one dog doesn’t
necessarily work for another.
There is more than one way to train or be successful at, be brave and say
an agility skill, so don’t get stuck no! You know your dog best. It is so
thinking things must be done a very important to advocate for you and
certain way. It is all about you getting your dog’s success and sometimes
creative. We may be fixed on the that means saying no to things that are
outcome, but we need to be more not for you or your dog.
than flexible in our approach.
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DON’T PUT THE
PRESSURE ON
Oh golly! It can be so very easy to pile on
the pressure when it comes to training
and competing in agility.
It can be easy to look around and
worry that your dog isn’t at the same Savour every
level as a classmate or litter mate. Let special moment.
that go! It is your own unique journey Enjoy the ride!
with your dog. Savour every special
moment. Enjoy the ride! Enjoy your
dog and always remember the point is
to have fun!
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DON’T And don’t forget, training should be
a fun time, not a long time!
TRAIN
it will pay into the stress bucket,
agility is tough on your dog’s body.
Think of it like mileage on a car, the
more miles, the more likely it is the
car will breakdown.
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YOUR
MINDSET
Tops sports ladies and gents know just how crucial mindset
is when it comes to achieving their competition goals.
You don’t have to be anywhere and your abilities, which in turn
near the dizzying heights of a become self-fulfilling prophecies.
professional athlete to benefit from
boosting your mindset in a positive What you think tends to be what
way in your agility training goals. happens. The cool thing is you can
flip that around and re-train your
Agility is a spectator sport, brain to only think in a positive way.
and whether you are in a class This takes daily practice, so start now!
or at a competition, it can be
very easy to feel judged by
your peers as they watch.
This is when those gremlins in your head
This is when those gremlins in your come out and you start having negative
thoughts about yourself and your abilities
head come out and you start having
negative thoughts about yourself
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WARM UP &
COOL DOWN
Whether you are training or at a competition,
a mental and physical warm up is crucial for your dog
(don’t forget about you too!)
One of the best physical and Like with a warm up, a cool
mental warm ups for your dog down after a training session or
is Figure of 8 walking. competitive run is really important
for your dog (and you!!)
The pattern enables you to warm
your dog’s body up on both sides Allow your dog the opportunity
in a gentle way. to unwind and let them decompress.
Always ensure your ‘8’ pattern One calming activity we like to utilise
is large enough that your dog is as part of our agility cool downs
loosely turning. The action in itself is scatter feeding. Sniffing for the
is calming and enables your dog to food is calming, and a gentle mooch
lower their arousal, enabling them around to find the food enables
to get into a learning and listening your dog to cool down their body
head space. at the same time.
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WHY SO
SERIOUS?!?!
Agility is a competitive sport and it can be quite easy
to fall into the trap of taking things just that little bit
too seriously!
If you have dreams of competing one Always know that your dog is
day know that you’ll have plenty of trying their best and they are
runs that will be unlucky and almost- doing it for you. Don’t lose the
nearlys! It’s the way the sport is! A joy, always have fun, smile and
lot has to go right to get a clean run laugh at yourself and
which is why it’s important to always remember …it’s just agility!
take away something positive from
each run no matter what happens.
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WALK
• Before thinking about how you are • Practise more than one way to • Once you are out of the ring, close
going to handle the course, find handle a certain obstacle, then your eyes and visualise you and your
all the numbers first, simply walk settle on the one that feels most dog running the course. Do this
to locate, it is the best way to feel comfortable for you and your dog. multiple times before you run.
THIS
more comfortable! Don’t always train the easy options.
• Time the best lines, walk them, pace
• Consider your dog’s line. Walking • Don’t watch how other people are them out, and consider the fastest
their path will give you a view of walking the course! Walk it for you. and the safest routes. Think about
what they’ll see before and after where the dog is coming from, think
WAY!
they take each obstacle. This about where the dog is heading to,
will open up potential off course and think about the dog’s individual
traps. What do they see when skills, as well as your ability to be in
they come out of the tunnel? What perfect position for handling.
other obstacles are opened up
There is a lot to think about
into their line of sight if they were
to take a wider than expected
remember and can be quite your dog’s line. Think of you and
your dog as if you are running on
a daunting aspect of agility parallel train tracks and stay out of
their way!
to a new handler. • If you are running a full course,
Being skilled in the art of course chunk the course down into 3-4
walking is all part of your agility mini sequences, this will help you
journey. To help we have put to look for lines and patterns,
together some top tips for you rather than trying to remember the
so that course walking becomes numbers. Sometimes using contact
something that excites you, rather equipment to break up the course
than something you dread! into sections can be super helpful!
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FITNESS
READY
Agility dogs are essentially
• Standing still on a platform
for duration
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YOUR FITNESS
PLANNER
As we are so passionate about fitness for all dogs it
led us to develop our own Triple F Fitness formula.
To really geek out about Triple F – FAST, FIT AND FLEX – so that you
and what it encompasses can write in exercises which help
click here for the Triple F DVD. to develop and grow each of these
targeted areas.
Below we have included a handy
fitness planner for you which
considers each element of Triple F TRIPLE F DVD
FOUNDATION
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DOGS NAME:
WEEK COMMENCING:
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
NOTES
HAVE YOU GOT
ALL THE SKILLS?
Competition can be hard on the dog and hard
on the handler, but it doesn’t need to be this way.
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Like UsoO n
Face b ok
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BONUS SKILLS TRACKER! Using the table below we have listed a few skills for you with a progress tracker so you can tick off
when you have worked on each layer. We have also left you some space to add on your own!
SKILL FOUNDATION LAYER SKILL BUILDING LAYER PROOFING LAYER MINI SEQUENCING LAYER FULL COURSE LAYER
Jump Performance
Skills
Go cue
Decel cue
Lateral distance cue
Tight turn cue
Soft turn cue
Long Jump
Table
Independent Equipment Skills
ARE YOU
READY TO
PUSH THOSE
SKILLS ON?
We are extremely excited to share skills and drills
course maps designed by top international handler,
Tobias Wust and Martin Cavill, who is a top UK Judge.
How cool is this?! You really are in good hands!
Tobias has been working with dogs for around 20 years and
is part of the head coaching team at HSZ, a large purpose
designed dog training centre based in Germany. He has a
pure passion for the sport of Dog Agility and has regularly
competed up to international level for over 10 years.
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Tobias Wust
Tobias and his sheltie Dorte (Excited Blackbean with
Eager to Work) are currently the reigning European
Open and FCI World Champions.
Speaking in the run up to the 2019 for consistent speed from
FCI Agility World Championships, his dogs. This is achieved by
Tobias described his EO win as training easier exercises to
“a key goal” and “perfect”, which build speed. In addition to
is just fabulous to hear. His other this, Tobias watches their food
achievements in regional, national, and overall health, committing
European and International to regular training as a “must”
competition span pages and include atleast 1-2 times a week, and
many of the “major” events on the also using alternative therapies
FCI calendar! such as hydrotherapy
underwater treadmill. Dörte,
Watching the teamwork between and his other dogs, are family
Tobias and his dogs is truly inspiring dogs who live in the home with
and anyone who thinks running a Tobias and his family. They go
small dog is the easy option would on holidays, to the beach, play,
be quickly silenced by the many awe laze in the sun and do regular
inspiring runs available to watch on dog things much of the time!
YouTube!
“Together, stronger than ever
He describes one of his biggest before” – Tobias on Dörte
goals of the moment as pushing
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TOP TIPS
I worked with her and grew her skills,
and guess what, what we reached the
goal of becoming world champions!
FROM TOBIAS Hear some wise words from Tobias!
Here are his 5 top tips that he has picked
out specially to share with you!
1. Your relationship with your dog skills, and guess what? We reached the
is everything! It’s not all about agility, goal of becoming world champions!
ensure your dog lives a balanced life.
4. I often get asked; what makes an
Take them for walks, enjoy them for
agility champion? Here’s what I think:
simply being a dog. Your dog is your
pet first, agility dog second. • Consistency in your training
• A phenomenal relationship, which
2. From early on work on growing
leads in to;
your dog’s value in food and toys
so that you have multiple ways to • Having ‘that’ feeling with your dog,
reinforce them in your training. This you’ll know it when you have this!
gives you greater flexibility when You are so bonded, you have
choosing what reward to use and become the ultimate team.
how it is delivered.
5. Similar to my first tip, agility
3. Work hard with the dog that you isn’t everything in my life and it
have. When I first got my dog Dorte, shouldn’t be in yours either. Make
she wasn’t immediately what I would sure you have balance in your life
consider a ‘world level’ dog. I didn’t lose and enjoy things outside of agility
heart. I worked with her and grew her with family and friends.
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Martin Cavill
Martin lives and works in South Wales, United
In 2007, with a growing interest
in the sport, he began his judging
career with the UK Kennel Club as
a way to give back to the sport and
has now judged almost every UK
major final including the prestigious
course maps and the choice of
them is yours! You can either enjoy
having a go at the full course or you
can break them down and work on
elements creating mini sequences
to work on very specific skills.
Kingdom with his wife Rosie who also competes in Olympia Agility Finals.
Have fun upping your and your
agility and their seven dogs. Martin competes with Martin was approved as a
“Championship” level judge in 2015
dog’s development with these
course maps and the choice with
both working cocker spaniels and border collies. and has awarded the top level of them is yours!
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When thinking about course design,
Martin very much considers the dog
and handler as a team.
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NAVIGATING THE ROUTE
TO AGILITY & SUCCESS
Here’s a selection of curated agility courses for you to try.
Have fun upping yours and your dog’s development with these course maps
and the choice with them is yours!
You can either enjoy having a go at the full course or you can break them down and work
on elements creating mini sequences to work on very specific skills.
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KERNOW AGILITY CLUB 2019 KERNOW AGILITY CLUB 2019
Large C6-7 Olympia Agility Small & Medium C6-7 Agility
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KERNOW AGILITY CLUB UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019
Large G1-3 Agility Senior Agility
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UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019 UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019
Champ Ability Masters Ability
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UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019 UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019
Masters Jumping Nursery Ability
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TEAM GB INTERNATIONAL TOUR 2019 TEAM GB INTERNATIONAL TOUR 2019
FCI A3 Large Agility FCI A3 Large Jumping
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TEAM GB INTERNATIONAL TOUR 2019
FCI A3 Small Medium Agility
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AGILITY AGILITY
Heat Final
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CHIPPENHAM AGILITY CLUB 2019 CHIPPENHAM AGILITY CLUB 2019
Small Champ Agility Small Champ Jumping
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CHIPPENHAM AGILITY CLUB 2019 Practice Course 12
Small Champ Jumping
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Practice Course 13 Practice Course
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Practice Course Practice Course
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Practice Course Practice Course
Jumping
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Practice Course Practice Course
Jumping Jumping
Practice Course
Jumping
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NOTTINGHAM AGILITY CLUB 2019 DEVON DOGS 2019
Large 6-7 Agility Jumping 1
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HUNDESPORTZENTRUM NRW – GERMANY 2019 HUNDESPORTZENTRUM NRW – GERMANY 2019
Agility 1 Agility 3
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WYE VALLEY DTC 2019 LUX WINTER CUP 2020
Large Grade 3 Jumping Small/Medium Jumping 1
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LUX WINTER CUP 2020 UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019
Small/Medium Jumping 3 Champ Ability
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UKA HAWBRIDGE 2019 HUNDESPORTZENTRUM NRW – GERMANY 2019
Champ Ability Agility
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WYE VALLEY DTC 2019 LUX WINTER CUP 2020
1-2 Jumping Open Jumping Large
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DEVON DOGS 2019 DEVON DOGS 2019
Agility Agility
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CRUFFTS CRUFFTS
Agility Agility
Competitors Competitors
Class: British Open Jumping Judge: Martin Cavill Class: Large Team Relay Judge: Martin Cavill
& Equipment & Equipment
Thursday 5th March 09:35 Large/Medium/Small Thursday 5th March 10:25 Large
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CRUFFTS CRUFFTS
Agility Agility
Competitors Competitors
Class: Novice Cup Jumping Judge: Martin Cavill Class: Singles Heat Agility Judge: Martin Cavill
& Equipment & Equipment
Thursday 5th March 08:45 Medium/Large/Small Friday 6th March 14:00 Large/Small/Medium
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CRUFFTS CRUFFTS
Agility Agility
Competitors Competitors
Class: Singles Final Judge: Martin Cavill Class: Singles Heat Jumping Judge: Martin Cavill
& Equipment & Equipment
Friday 6th March 17:10 Small/Medium/Large Friday 6th March 09:25 Medium/Large/Small
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CRUFFTS CRUFFTS
Agility Agility
Competitors Competitors
Class: International Agility Judge: Martin Cavill Class: International Jumping Judge: Martin Cavill
& Equipment & Equipment
Saturday 7th March 14:40 Large Saturday 7th March 08:15 Large
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Phew!
There’s a lot to take in from this eBook!
We didn’t lie when we said it was a bumper edition!
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