Tracy Sklenar has been training dogs and competing in dog agility for almost 15 years. She is the Training Director of Leader of the Pack (www.lotp.com) in central New York State and on the faculty of Agility University (www.agility-u.com). Tracy also travels throughout North America to teach seminars and compete.

Tracy has competed successfully in agility with a variety of dogs of all shapes, sizes and temperaments. Currently, she shares her life with 5 dogs: 2 Dalmatians (13 year old Pierce and 12 year old Samson, both retired from agility), a Rat Terrier (10 year old Rebound) and 2 mixed breeds (6 year old Export and 3 year old Matrix). In the ring, their runs are noted for accuracy, consistency and speed! Besides putting numerous titles on the dogs, Tracy and her canine partners have earned multiple National finals appearances (in both individual and team events) as well as wins and placements at local, Regional and National events. She has also represented the USA at the European Open with Export in 2009, 2010 and again in 2012.  Samson and Export have also appeared in national advertising campaigns, in print and on TV.

Tracy also has extensive coaching experience, ranging from local competitors to international teams. In May 2011 she was the Coach/Manager of Team USA at the World Agility Open in the United Kingdom, and was proud to see the US team bring home 10 medals – more than any other country! She served as the Manager for Team Canada at the IFCS World Agility Championships in the U.K. in May, 2010, reprising her role from the 2008 event in Belgium. Both the 2010 and 2008 teams were very successful, ranking high in the Individual medal count and bringing home the Bronze overall in the Team event. Tracy is looking forward to 2012, when she will be coaching the Canadian team at the IFCS World Agility Championships then coaching Team USA at the World Agility Open in Belgium!

Outside of international competitions, Tracy’s 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, connection, consistency, mental focus, play and fun for both the handler and the dog. She also has extensive experience teaching and coaching, instructing local classes, teaching clinics & seminars throughout North America. She was a longtime instructor at Say Yes! Dog Training in Canada, and has been fortunate enough to learn from many of the top instructors in agility and animal training.

Location:  This workshop will be held at Daytripper’s 5 Boulder Street, Little Britain location, outdoors on grass in a fully fenced and gated regulation size ring and will run rain or shine.  The site is located just east of the hamlet of Valentia at the south end of the City of Kawartha Lakes.  There is limited on-site camping (no hook-ups).  Contact us for more information or to book a spot.  For more information regarding places to stay nearby please check out the Helpful Links page of our website. 

Details Details:

In order to participate dogs must be in good health and up-to-date on vaccines.  Please refer to workshop details for other specific prerequisites.

Working spots are very limited.  In order to secure a working spot pre-registration is required.  Refer below to “To Reserve a Working Spot” for more info.  Space for auditors is unlimited. 

Friday, September 21 – Pre-Starters and Starters:  On the Road to Success -- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. -- $230 (including tax) – includes auditing one other full day, drinks and snacks. 

To help you provide clear information to your dog, building your communication and teamwork on course we’ll work on your footwork, handling skills and other skills helpful for success to competition.  This workshop is geared towards pre-starters and starters teams but teams working at more advanced levels will also benefit, particularly during exercises involving trial-like distractions.

Prerequisites:  Dogs in this workshop should be training at the Pre-Starters, Starters levels.  Participating dogs must be able to complete a sequence of six to eight obstacles consisting of jumps and tunnels.  There may be more than one dog in the ring at a time, so dogs must not demonstrate any aggression towards other dogs. 

Saturday, September 22 –– Advanced and Pre-Masters Handling:  Attack the Course and Run Clean More Often -- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  -- $230 (including tax) – includes auditing one other day, drinks and snacks.   
Do you want to run fast and with great form not only in training but also at trials, and get more Qs in the process? At trials do you find yourself reverting to your old habits, babysitting your dog around the course?  This workshop will help you learn to attack the course and run at trials like you do in class, and we’ll focus on running style and the transitions and cues needed to execute tight turns and to drive your dog around the course.

Prerequisites:  Dogs must be competing in Standard and Jumpers at the Advanced level.  This workshop is also suitable for dogs at the ‘pre-Masters’ level – training at the Masters level or competing at the Masters level and in need of a tune-up.  There will only be one dog working in the ring at a time. 

Sunday, September 23 – Masters Handling Workshop -- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. -- $230 (including tax) – includes auditing one other day, drinks and snacks.   
This handling clinic will teach you how to balance the dog's drive to you with her drive to obstacles while you
learn and execute the handling moves needed to conquer the European-style challenges that we are now seeing here in North America! Tracy's goal is to build the handler's confidence on difficult European-style challenges that will make Excellent and Masters courses seem easy by comparison and help the handlers runs in competition the way they run in training.
Prerequisites:  Teams must be competing at the Masters level in both Standard and Jumpers, or by special permission of the instructor, in order to participate in this workshop.  If you are requesting special permission to participate, please email us with details of your dog’s training and competition experience.  There will only be one dog working in the ring at a time.

Auditing -- $80.00 per day (including tax) – includes drinks and snacks. 

Please note that the fee for participants is for one handler/person.  An auditing fee will apply for additional attendees/anyone that you might bring with you. You may bring and participate with more than one dog, running one dog per exercise.

To reserve your working spot:  Mail a completed registration form, a $100 non-refundable deposit per workshop and a cheque for the balance post-dated for August 21, 2012.  Payment is via money order or a cheque made payable to Daytripper Dog Training.  Please mail your registration form and cheque to Daytripper Dog Training, 5 Boulder Street, Little Britain, Ontario   K0M 2C0     

Auditors:  Please send your registration form and a cheque or money order payable to Daytripper Dog Training no later than September 16, 2012.  No refunds on cancellations after September 18, 2012.  See mailing address above.

Cancellation policy for participants:  Deposits are non-refundable.  If you cancel prior to August 21, 2012, your cheque for the balance of the workshop will be returned to you.  After August 21, 2012 the cheque for the balance is non-refundable.

Click here for a registration form.