Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont NY

June 15-17, 2012

Thursday seminars

We are planning lots of great seminars for Thursday, June 14th.   

Here's the list of presenters :

 - Tracy Sklenar (agility handling, mental prep)

- Dr. Laurie Coger (health and nutrition)

 - Dr. Deborah Gross-Sanders (fitness and conditioning)

Download the seminar registration form               Word                PDF

Seminar descriptions:

Let's Get Ready To...RUN! – Presented by Tracy Sklenar

This seminar will help you connect with your canine partner as well as serve as a great warm up for CPE Nationals! Dogs and handlers will get to work on sequences commonly found in CPE-style courses (openings, middles, and closings!) to tune up timing and connection! Drills will be fast and fun, designed to build confidence and bring out the best in you and your dog! We will work both Jumpers and Standard sequences. The session will last three (3) hours (8:30 AM to 11:30 AM).  Participation will be limited to 14 working spots with unlimited auditors.

Run Your Best: Mental Preparation for Competition – Presented by Tracy Sklenar

This lunchtime lecture will help you get your mind ready for any run, whether it is a local weekend trial or a National event! Tracy has experienced big events as both as competitor and a coach, so she has many tips to alleviate nerves, remember courses, get over mistakes, and prepare for success!  There is no limit to the number of attendees at this one-hour seminar (11:30 AM to 12:30).

Fit Dogs are Faster: Conditioning and Strengthening the Agility Dog – Presented by Dr. Debbie Gross Saunders

 Agility and other dog sports are wonderful for your dog, but training for those sports by itself is not enough to ensure your dog’s long-term health and wellness or to keep him at his peak performance. Dogs participating in performance sports require cross training activities, including both a conditioning program and strengthening exercises. Doing a variety of strengthening exercises will improve your dog’s performance and, even more important, will protect him against injuries.

In this talk Dr. Saunders will discuss a variety of strengthening exercises that should be part of your cross training program outside of agility. Exercises to improve jumping strength and power, improve collection and turning ability, increase forelimb and hind limb strength, improve balance, and increase hind-end awareness will be included.

 This seminar will be held from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  There is no limit on the number of attendees.

 
Natural Health for the Performance Dog: Healthy Dogs Run Longer – Presented by Dr. Laurie S. Coger

The overall health of the performance directly impacts not only how well they run, but also the length of their career.  A proactive health management plan can help keep your agility dog running well into his senior years. In this talk, Dr. Coger will discuss key aspects of a natural wellness plan, including nutrition, supplements, disease prevention, and management of existing health problems.

 This seminar will be held from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.  There is no limit on the number of attendees.

About the Presenters:

Dr. Laurie S. Coger is a longtime dog sport enthusiast, and much of her practice focuses on performance dogs.  She graduated with honors from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, majoring in Animal Science, with a special interest in nutrition, and later received her DVM degree from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Coger’s practice philosophy emphasizes natural methods and care. She regularly integrates chiropractic, low level laser, herbal, nutritional, and physical therapy techniques into her treatment plans.  She is a frequent speaker at canine events, and writes for award winning national magazines, the Australian Shepherd Journal and DogSport.  Her latest project is the recently published Vaccines Explained: the Wholistic Vet’s Guide to Vaccinating Your Dog. You can learn more about Dr. Coger at TheWholisticVet.com or on Facebook.

  

Dr. Debbie Gross Saunders is an internationally renowned canine rehabilitation expert. She teaches courses in the University of Tennessee’s Certificate Program in Canine Physical Rehabilitation, the nations’ foremost canine physical therapy program. She has authored many chapters in veterinary textbooks, and writes for professional journals as well as magazines dedicated to the dog enthusiast. She is a regular contributor for Clean Run, Dog Sport, Working Dog Digest, Dogs Naturally, and various breed magazines. You may have seen her on Good Morning America or heard her on Ask Martha’s Vet with Dr. Marty Goldstein. She owns and operates Wizard of Paws Physical Rehabilitation for Animals, a rehabilitation, conditioning, and wellness center in Colchester, Connecticut. You can learn more about her at WizardOfPaws.net.

  

Tracy Sklenar has been training dogs and competing in dog agility for over 10 years. She is the Training Director of Leader of the Pack (www.lotp.com) in central New York State and is a longtime instructor at Susan Garrett's Say Yes! Dog Training in Ontario, Canada. Tracy has competed successfully in agility with a variety of dogs of shapes, sizes, and temperaments. Tracy has also appeared as a Behavior Counselor on Animal Planet’s ground-breaking series, “Animal Precinct.” Tracy's coaching experience ranges from local competitors to international teams. Tracy's coaching experience ranges from local competitors to international teams. In 2011, she coached Team USA at the World Agility Open in the UK, with Team USA bringing home more medals and placements than any other team. She has also coached Team Canada at the IFCS World Agility Championships in 2008, 2010 and 2012, with Team Canada bringing home impressive medal totals. Local and national level students have achieved great success with a variety of breeds, including championship titles, national finals appearances, top five finishes in their breed, and more! Tracy uses positive reinforcement, games, and shaping to build brilliant behaviors in the dogs while teaching the handlers to be consistent and positive in their handling and dog training. She emphasizes teamwork, consistency, mental focus, play, and fun for both the handler and the dog.

Questions?/Info:  Email Jeff Boyer