Homework

I like to use my time in classes effectively. Part of the reason I dropped out of agility class with Luna last spring was because I didn't have time to do the (unassigned but obvious) homework that we needed to progress. We weren't making progress in class without the homework. And that just wasn't reinforcing for me!

I know that my students give up a lot to go to class. It takes time for the class and the drive. There's the cost of the class, the gas, the time. And so I try to give sufficient homework to help them get the most out of class. But I have to restrain myself so that I don't overwhelm anyone!

At the same time, many people take classes just to get their dogs out and about and to have that special hour of the week. I don't want to be condescending about a lack of homework completion either.

With my private students, we typically go two weeks between lessons to give everyone time to work on skills in between and get the most out of the lessons.

Some examples of agility class homework from a class last week with a student who also teaches with me (...so I try to pile on the homework so that she has more to pull from when working with students).

-Work on the stay part of her contact behavior
-Work on getting into position, front feet on the ground, back feet on the board (2on 2off)
-Getting a fast response to the down cue
-Getting an automatic down on surfaces
-Working on a stay from a down
-working on a stay from a sit (student uses for lead outs)
-Work up to moving 50' away.
-Tugging with varied items.
-Find tossable treats
-Send distance to a cone
-backing up
-Running with the handler
-Turning away from the handler when cued

That's nothing isn't it...