In Focus Developing a Working Relationship with Your Performance Dog

Developing a Working Relationship With Your Performance Dog Deborah Jones, Ph.D. and Judy Keller Paperback 104 pages Release 2004 Great runs on agility courses don't just happen. And they aren't just a matter of exquisite handling and thorough training. Behind every flowing run in agility is a great partnership. For some dog and handler teams this partnership develops naturally over the course of training. But unfortunately this isn't always the case. Many dogs can meet the physical demands required for agility but have difficulty with the mental aspects of the game. Agility requires concentration, confidence, and a willingness to take direction from and work with the handler. Without this, you can end up with a dog that is distracted, unmotivated, out of control, or inconsistent in the ring. The authors of In FOCUS, animal behaviorist and clicker expert, Deborah Jones, Ph.D., and a former AKC/USA World Team member, Judy Keller, join forces to show you how to use their FOCUS program—Fun, Obedience, and Consistency lead to Unbelievable Success—to develop or repair that underlying working relationship you need to succeed in agility or any performance dog sport. Whether you are starting agility with a new dog or trying to solve performance problems with an older dog, it's never too late to build focus! About the Authors Deborah Jones, Ph.D. and Judy Keller developed the FOCUS program in 2003. This program is designed to help trainers form a good working relationship with their performance dogs. Deb has an academic background in learning theory and social behavior. She is also an innovator in the use of the clicker in dog training. Judy has been on the AKC Agility World Team three times, winning team gold in 1998. Both Deb and Judy share a strong commitment to using training methods that are positive and gentle, yet are also efficient and effective.