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Agility Right from the Start Now Available

New Book by Swedish Canine Agility Experts Brings Powerful Training System to the US

Waltham, MA, April 13, 2010–Karen Pryor Clickertraining proudly announces the release of Agility Right from the Start, the first canine agility book from Swedish agility experts Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson Vegh. Based on the same powerful modern training system that has made the authors leading agility teachers throughout Norway and Sweden, this ground-breaking new book combines positive rewards-based training methods with a systematic approach that covers all aspects of this exciting and rewarding sport.

“Agility is truly the ultimate dog sport,” said Bertilsson. “It combines speed and precision, teamwork and independence, dog training skills, and handler finesse in a wonderfully complex mix. Our approach teaches you how to use clicker training principles and good agility practices to create a dog and handler team that can get around any course with flow, speed, and precision.”

Johnson Vegh added, “Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned competitor, our book is designed to inspire you to make the most of your agility training. We show you how you can break down behaviors step-by-step, ensuring that both you and your dog get it right—right from the start!”

In this comprehensive book, the authors present state-of-the-art, step-by-step instructions for building behaviors using positive reinforcement principles. The training is presented in small, digestible pieces that allow the dog to master one skill at a time. This training philosophy helps build confidence and ensures that both dog and handler get it right from the start, so that no retraining is necessary.

The authors start by addressing the theoretical underpinnings that guide their modern approach and then present an array of basic skills that give dog and handler the foundations necessary to succeed in agility. The third part of the book provides instruction on how to combine foundation skills to teach a dog to follow a handler and maneuver the agility obstacles in sequences. More than 600 detailed photographs and dozens of instructive exercises demonstrate and explain specific foundation and advanced skills such as:

  • Reward procedures
  • Going between, over, and under things
  • Developing body awareness
  • Liking and creating noise and movement
  • Mastering the weave poles

"Wow, what a textbook!” said Moe Strenfel, owner of Momentum Dog Sports and author of the DVD Foundation Training for Agility. “Easy to understand, logical progression, and the detailed instruction splits the training behaviors down small enough so that even the first-time agility trainer can achieve success without all of the traditional frustration a normal sports how-to book can create. It will become the bible for my foundation classes.”

About the authors

Emelie Johnson Vegh and Eva Bertilsson live in Sweden where they run Carpe Momentum. Appreciated for their systematic approach that focuses on joy and success for both dog and handler, they offer agility seminars, as well as clicker training seminars, throughout Sweden and Norway. They are the only instructors in Europe to offer TAGteach™ Primary Certification seminars. The two colleagues regularly contribute to the Scandinavian clicker training magazine Canis and have been published in Clean Run. They are part of the 2010 ClickerExpo faculty, presenting their application of clicker training principles to agility. Agility Right from the Start is their first book.

Agility Right from the Start is currently available. For more information, visit www.agilityrightfromthestart.com.

CONTACT:

Julie Gordon
Karen Pryor Clickertraining (KPCT)
49 River Street #3
Waltham, MA 02453
Phone: 800-47-CLICK
www.clickertraining.com

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