E275: 스테이시 볼스(Stacy Bols) - 소형견과 함께 어질리티 대회 출전하기

trainer, which was a really big deal 20 some odd years ago. And we did crazy things like crate training and clicker training and things like that. So I really didn't have a lot of the aversive training background that a lot of people, that's all there was to do when they got dogs. So lucky for me, that's how I started. And I've just always found it really interesting to figure out how another species of brain works and how we can work together. So that just kind of led me down the road of learning about dogs and how they learn and how we can develop a great relationship. Awesome. So how would you describe your training philosophy? Definitely cut to size. So every dog is different and every breed is different. Every person is different. Every situation is different. So while the general rules of dog training all still kind of apply, I really enjoy the problem solving aspect of training. And this is where I want to go with it. How do we get there? And sometimes what we try works and sometimes it doesn't. But that kind of problem solving of dog training is the reason why I'm still doing this 20 years later. How has that kind of impacted your approach to both life and training? Well, I think life, I'm not always as patient as I am in dog training. That's for sure. And being that I have started and continued with miniature schnauzers, it's really caused me to have to think out of the box quite a bit. They're not what people would consider traditional sports breeds. Although I've been successful with mine, it has not happened in a traditional way. So that's really made training fun and figuring out how each dog works and getting the best out of them is really why I enjoy doing the sport. That's awesome. So part of the reason that I asked you on the podcast is because you're going to do a webinar for FDSA in the not too distant future on the challenges of competing in agility, specifically with smaller dogs. I know you mentioned you've been in schnauzers for a while, but can you share just a little more on your experience training agility specifically with little guys? Yeah, there's a lot of things that are different with small dogs than big dogs. Um, and a lot of it has to do specifically with their height and their weight, because that changes how they interact with equipment and handling on the course. Um, it's something that's not really talked about very often and that a lot of instructors don't have a lot of knowledge about. So lucky for me, I started training with somebody who had small dogs. Um, she had Jack Russell's. So, um, that was at least a good start for me.

Um, but as I continued to get on in the sport and became an instructor, I realized that I had kind of a rare tool that a lot of other trainers didn't have, uh, because small dogs are different and how they react and train on equipment and things you have to think about that you don't have to think about with large dogs, um, can really make or break how successful you are with your small dog. How does, um, you know, a dog size kind of impact like handling choices that you might make on course? Well, probably the biggest difference is the fact that here in the States, um, all of our courses are the same size for all size dogs. So we don't have a small dog course and a large dog course. So the spacing is the same regardless of what organization you're running in for all size dogs. So the things like number of strides that a dog takes between the obstacles, um, ability to stay committed to the obstacles as the handler can move away. Those sorts of things are completely different for small dogs as they are for large dogs. So if you would like to be able to handle them, um, in a similar manner to the large dogs, you really have to train differently and have a whole nother layer of proofing that the larger dogs may or may not have to have. Are there, um, pieces of equipment then that you train differently with a small dog than you might with a larger one? For sure. Um, probably the one thing that people think about the most often is the teeter, um, being that it's a, uh, obstacle that moves differently depends on the weight that's at the end of it. Um, those things are really quite challenging for little dogs. And there's a whole bunch of components that go into the performance of the teeter that you have to consider, um, differently, you know, think about how far up in the air they are, uh, how far the, the teeter drops underneath them, um, things like rebound that wouldn't happen on a larger dog. Um, so those things are pretty common, um, challenges for small dogs. Um, but even some things like, um, jumps. And we think about proportionately what they're jumping compared to their shoulder height. Um, that can be significantly different, the physical effort that we're asking the dogs to do. So really almost every piece of equipment is different for small dogs than large dogs. What other kinds of, um, unique challenges do you see handlers run into when they're working with a smaller dog? Um, one of the things that I see probably the most often and, and something that most large dog people would never even think of is the timers and the cones and where they are in relationships to the jumps.

Um, they can be in the takeoff area for the dog. It could be in the landing area for the dog. Um, and so small dog handlers, when they're walking the course on top of everything else that they have to do when walking a course, they have to be aware of looking at those things and, you know, potentially changing the position of a cone or, um, asking the judge to look at the placement of the timers, um, things like that. Contact approaches. Those are different for big dogs than little dogs. Um, so what may be safe for a large dog may or may not be safe for a small dog. So all of those things that you have to keep in mind for a smaller dog when you're walking on top of handling and timing and remembering the course and all that other stuff that everybody else has to do, I think definitely make it challenging. Yeah. Um, any general tips for how handlers can kind of think about the sport from their small dogs perspective? Um, probably the main thing is, is to really kind of look at the dog's lines, um, and what they can see. Um, because again, their perspective, their head height off the ground changes what they can see or not see on the course. And so looking at that from really their perspective and understanding how they physically execute the obstacles in the ground differently than the large dogs can help you really understand how to give the dog the best information on the course and when they need it. Yeah. I hadn't really thought about that, I guess. Just the fact that like, obviously they're shorter, right? So like they can't see quite as far ahead on the course and they may or may not be able to see you based on where other obstacles are and things like that. Yes. It's totally different. Definitely adds an element of challenge for sure. Um, so I've got three kind of questions here at the end that I always ask, uh, first time guests. So I'd love to go through them. The first one is what's the training related accomplishment that you're proudest of? Um, oh, there's, there's a lot of them because I really, uh, enjoy the, uh, thought of you can't really be competitive with a small dog or you can't be competitive with a miniature schnauzer. I was told that quite a bit when I first started agility. So, um, I think just bringing out the best in each one of my dogs. Um, I know that obviously I don't, didn't know near as much when I first started as I know now. And of course, if I could go back knowing what I know now with my first dog, he would have been even better. Uh, but I really feel like that each dog has benefited from what I've learned with the

previous dog and have, I've really worked hard to figure out what is the best for them. So when we end up, you know, closing down on our career and retiring, I can look back and say, you know, we really got the best we could out of playing this sport together. Oh, I like that. What is the best piece of training advice that you've ever heard? Um, I think be flexible. I think that's really key. Um, you know, there's lots of methods out there and there's lots of philosophies out there as far as training different things. And, you know, listen to your dog to look at what they're telling you. Um, you know, I kind of try to start out with an outline of training. This is kind of what I want to try to accomplish in the general steps I want to use to get there. But if you really pay attention to what the dog is telling you, um, you can be flexible with your training plan and try some different things and end up still achieving the best result. That how you got there may be completely different than how you'd originally planned. So last one here. Um, who is somebody else in the training world that you look up to? Um, one of my best friends is a deadly shoemate. And, um, she, luckily I, we crossed paths seven or eight years ago. And, uh, with my, when Kermit was really young and, um, we kind of got to know each other and we very much view dog training the same way, um, that, you know, let's problem solve, let's figure it out. And, uh, her and I both enjoy bouncing things off of each other. Um, she has a completely different background in dogs and, uh, than horses before that, um, than I do. So, uh, we really enjoy that, um, being able to be open to what is the dog telling us and how do we figure out and problem solve, uh, what we need the dog to know. I like that. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast, Stacey. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. And thanks to all our listeners for tuning in. We'll be back next week. Don't miss it. If you haven't already subscribed to our podcast in iTunes or the podcast app of your choice to have our next episode automatically downloaded to your phone. As soon as it becomes available. Today's show is brought to you by the Fensi Dog Sports Academy. Special thanks to Denise Fensi for supporting this podcast. Music provided royalty free by bensound.com. The track featured here is called Buddy. Audio editing provided by Chris Lang. Thanks again for tuning in and happy training. Music. Music. Music.