About All-American Dog Sports

All-American Dog Sports is a sport-focused training business in the New River Valley: "All-American Dog Sports is located in Blacksburg, VA, in the New River Valley." The name is a deliberate joke about pedigree – the site explains that the term is "often used in canine competitions as a politically correct way of saying" mixed breed – and every dog the owner has titled has been a rescue.

What is offered

The service line is stated directly: "I offer private agility and obedience training, clicker training, problem solving, nosework, and events such as agility run-thrus and NADAC agility trials" and adds that "We also offer beginner agility classes held at Flying Fur! Dog Daycare"

Classes

The agility ladder is fully published – Foundation Skills for Agility, which covers "building off-leash control, targeting, handling moves, flat work for agility, and some basic obstacle introduction", then Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Agility, plus a weave pole class built on the 2×2 method. Competition run-thrus run as weekly drop-ins at $15 a dog, split into Intro/Novice and Open/Elite groups. A nose work track runs from an introduction taught by backchaining through search elements to advanced odor puzzles. Most courses run six or seven weeks: "Classes run for 7 weeks. The cost is $105.00."

Experience

"I have been training dogs in various sports for over 25 years, and teaching classes and private lessons for over 24 years. I am a CPDT-KA, certified by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers" Before moving to Blacksburg in 2001 the owner managed the dog training program for the APS of Orange County in North Carolina, and has since put obedience, nose work and trick titles plus "over 55 agility championship titles on multiple dogs, all rescue dogs of various breed mixes", four of which are in the NADAC Agility Hall of Fame.

Method and fit

"My philosophy is that dog training should be FUN for both the dog and the owner. Agility is a team sport – a game that we play with our dogs. I use positive reinforcement methods". Dogs of any breed or mix are welcome – "I welcome dogs of all shapes, sizes, and abilities – purebreds and mixed breeds alike." – but the class prerequisites are explicit that dogs "MUST NOT be aggressive towards other dogs or to people!"