Movement Puzzles Academy
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DOORS OPEN!
Registration closes on October 31st 11:59pm ET!

BOOST your dog's CONFIDENCE and stress resilience with fun MOVEMENT EXERCISES.

So that he can learn new skills faster and feel EMPOWERED in new or challenging situations. 

MOVEMENT PUZZLES ACADEMY

Online program for dog training enthusiasts.
By Mari Valgma, CPCFT 

What are
MOVEMENT PUZZLES?

Movement Puzzles are pattern movement exercises where the dog moves between 2 bowls - the 2 bowl game - and does different exercises independently while moving from bowl to bowl.

The exercises are carefully structured in a way that they help to improve dog's confidence in new situations, body awareness, coordination, understanding of where their bodies are in space and how they move.

Every single exercise teaches something to the dog, be it moving on elevated surfaces, focusing on precise paw placement higher from the ground, move through tight spaces, run through noisy stuff, turning around in tight areas and so much more!

What makes these "obstacle courses" unique is the training philosophy used for teaching them. Inspired by the best practices in human coordination and movement training. Proven to work just as efficiently with dogs by more than 1100 Movement Puzzle enthusiasts in our Academy.

The learner must feel safe at all times, we only use positive reinforcement and force free training.

Instead of handler cues and luring, we use patterns, clever prop setups and splitting the exercises into gradual, easily achievable steps for the dog.

So the dog does the exercises only on her own initiative, independently from the handler, helping these skills transfer over to real life surprisingly fast! Your dog will be feeling empowered "Yes! I want to do this! This is fun!".

Every single repetition gets reinforced, even if the dog does something unexpected (usually called a "mistake").

In this training we DON'T USE withholding the reinforcement, waiting for the dog to offer a "correct" behavior before reinforcing or no reward markers (like saying "no" or "uh-uh") when "mistakes" happen. It's not Vito's game.

Instead, it's a two way communication. We set up the exercise and our dogs let us know if it works for them and what needs to be changed. When "mistakes" happen, then it's information to us how the exercise setup needs to be adjusted!

Movement Puzzles are about you learning from your dog, getting to know him better, finding out what situations he finds challenging and how to support him so that he would feel more confident and empowered and can learn faster.

We create setups where the dog can ACTUALLY be successful!

When I started teaching this concept, it quickly came out that Movement Puzzles are NOT just for working or sport dogs!
Here are some of the AMAZING BENEFITS you can expect:

  • Your dog will feel more confident in new or challenging situations
  • Cautious dogs become more eager to explore and try new things
  • Learning new skills faster thanks to improved coordination - your dog will know how to use his body better and faster!
  • More efficient at work - your dog will get better at navigating the environment and can solve complex tasks (like finding the nosework hide!) faster!
  • Better distance skills, more independent and confident working further away from you.
  • Lower anxiety thanks to the feel good hormones released in the brain during coordination training.
  • Better frustration tolerance because your dog feels more in control of her own body an movements! 
  • Improved dynamic impulse control and better decision making while in motion.
  • Higher stress resilience because your dog is used to novelty and challenges and knows that he's still has control in new situations!
  • Less running or bumping into things in tight spaces and better understanding of her own size and force.
  • Improved coordination, precision and body control while running even full speed.
  • Reduced risk of cognitive decline at higher age! Coordination training is like a vitamin for the brain!
  • You will have a clear go-to plan that you can use for introducing any new movement challenge to your dog quickly, with minimal frustration.

"My youngest NW dog is a year and 3 months and has a very long body with loooong legs, and since we have been doing movement puzzles regularly I have noticed a big difference in her searches.

She is very confident in any environment and can really focus even while navigating her tricky body over obstacles, because we have already trained that ๐Ÿฅณ

She did this search yesterday where she was in odour from the start and followed it seamlessly over and under obstacles with confidence and focus.

This way of training is so brilliant and such a great way to help our dogs be prepared for what they may encounter! 

I am so glad I found this way of training and this wonderful community full of inspiration!๐Ÿ˜"


- Linette Olsen -

GET ACCESS TO THIS UNIQUE TRAINING APPROACH INSIDE 
MOVEMENT PUZZLES ACADEMY

Our unique step by step program that will show you exactly how to use fun dynamic coordination exercises for boosting your dog's CONFIDENCE and STRESS RESILIENCE.

So that your dog will feel EMPOWERED in new and challenging situations, LEARN new skills FASTER, be more EFFICIENT in work and sport.

And your cautious dog will feel more relaxed, eager to explore and try new things!

  • Detailed How To video instructions for more than 35 dynamic exercises + their variations using the same equipment in new ways! 
  • From zero to hero with our foundations module that will help you get started quickly with all the right training techniques. No previous skills needed and no fitness background needed!
  • Troubleshooting guide with the most common mistakes when getting started with Movement Puzzles and tips on how to adjust the setups for fewer mistakes.
  • 4 month access to our super supportive student community and INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT. Get your questions answered, get feedback on your own training videos. No video time limit + you can get support for multiple dogs.
  • Everything conveniently on one platform, access 24/7 from your laptop, tablet or phone! No switching between different platforms for accessing the training, community and support.
  • All the future additions, new exercises and materials to the program contents. 
  • Lifetime access to the materials and peer supported alumni community on Facebook.

Here's what you will find inside:

Foundations:
 The KEY to your success!

In this module you will master:

  • The foundation pattern for all Movement Puzzle exercises: 2 bowl game. This will give your dog the confidence and sense of "I know this game!" to approach any new Movement Puzzle exercise with enthusiasm!
  • Our fool-proof pattern for introducing new surfaces to your dog, so that in the future you can just swap out the target for a new, funny, moving or noisy surface and your dog will step on it with confidence!
  • The key concept exercises essential for more complex Movement Puzzles: moving over, between and under things. Made super easy and clear for both you and your dog, so you can teach them frustration free!
  • Combining 2 or more exercises into a sequence for longer Movement Puzzles.

Confidence Boosters!

In this module you will discover and master exercises focusing on different confidence challenges, like:

  • Moving on surfaces high from the ground
  • Turning on narrow surfaces like planks and elevated surfaces
  • Moving through noisy things
  • Moving through things touching the body
  • Moving over tilting/moving surfaces
  • Stepping over gaps close to the ground and on elevated surfaces.
  • Coming soon: going through a "labyrinth" of tight spaces and turning around in a tight, contained space

Oh, and by the way, these exercises sneakily improve body awareness and coordination too๐Ÿค“!

Coordination Boosters!

In this module you will discover coordination exercises and how to use the SAME EQUIPMENT for creating DIFFERENT body awareness and coordination challenges (that sneakily also boost confidence ๐Ÿ˜Ž):

  • 5 different ways you can use cavalettis/poles in your training to create new coordination challenges with as little as 2 poles
  • 7 different exercises you can create with platforms, unstable surfaces (optional) and 1-2 poles for new, bigger challenges
  • High precision exercises like stepping on "ladder rungs" and touching a single paw target while in motion.

Who is this program for?

๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿผโ€โ™‚๏ธ Guardians of sensitive, cautious or timid dogs who look new ways for building confidence and encouraging independent exploration

๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ Sport and working dog handlers who want to make sure their dogs are well prepared for moving with precision and awareness in challenging situations.

๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ Handlers and trainers who use R+ training and are looking to add new tools and enrichment activities to their training skillbox

๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ Puppy trainers and guardians looking for confidence exercises for new surfaces, moving over/ through funny stuff

๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ Dog guardians who are working through their dogs' behavior challenges and are looking for meaningful physical activities for their dogs.

Note: In case of problem behaviors, Movement Puzzles can only support your existing training program. Working on Movement Puzzles alone doesn't solve problem behaviors!

โŒ This course is NOT FOR someone looking for
- general conditioning workouts
- foundation +R training: this course relies on +R training concepts but won't be teaching the foundations of +R training
- quick fixes and hope that problems get solved just by signing up for a class and not actually doing the work

Hi! I am Mari Valgma

I am a Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT), passionate about helping dogs navigate new and funny situations with confidence and enthusiasm by teaching them how to use their bodies and feel comfortable with moving in all kinds of different situations.

Over the past 7 years I've worked with more than 2000 dog training enthusiasts and since 2020 I've been focusing on developing the concept of Movement Puzzles - exercises that helps dogs learn to balance, control their bodies and move with precision while actually running.

What started as a canine fitness training concept has now been shown by my students to also help dogs with confidence, focus, independent obstacle performance and even reactivity! It has become an integral part when preparing my own dogs for their own activities like search and rescue training and nosework.

I live in Estonia, Europe and share my home with 2 Australian Shepherds - Pipi and Bo - and a mixed breed rescue Mirru.

My training ideas and Movement Puzzles have been featured in Fenzi Dog Sports Academy (where I'm also a proud alumni!), Susan Garrett's Agility Nation and numerous international dog training summits.

New benefits of this super fun training concept pop out every single time I run this hugely popular Movement Puzzles program and I can't wait to see you inside!

Here's what our students are saying:

Hรฉlรจne Lawler

Fenzi Dog Sports Academy instructor, Founder of Shaping Chaos and Dog Sport Scholars

USBCHA herding Open handler & coach

"My dogs and I are absolutely loving Movement Puzzles, which have become my new go-to for building foundations."

This unique skills-building program is so powerful that I believe it has the potential to completely change how we train our dogs for work and sport. Not only that, it SHOULD change how we train for work and sport.

Mariโ€™s systematic program teaches both dog and handler the skills we need for performance excellence without danger of over-arousal (hallelujah!), all the while building confidence and developing excellence in communication.

Her step-by-step lessons are clear, easy to follow, and well organized. Her insights are paradigm shifting. Which, as a lover of rabbit holes, is my favourite part of working with Mari. But my dog is very grateful too! Particularly since the exercises allow her to tell me exactly where I need to improve, and how.

Pat Gornall

"Well, having joined MP just a week ago, I am gobsmacked/delighted at how this course is giving confidence to Tilly, my just 1 year old lurcher cross."

She is innately suspicious of randomly moving inanimate objects, plus many, many other things and activities which I would normally overcome by shaping. However, with shaping, she doesnโ€™t seem to carry forward any confidence gained and we always have to start over at each session.

In just ONE week, we have achieved a short puzzle with her walking over a platform, a piece of noisy wrapping paper, a flattened cardboard box and a wobble mat - all done with great enthusiasm and happiness ๐Ÿ˜

We started with FF and RF targeting, on and backwards off the platform as instructed, and sheโ€™s never looked back. Waiting for the ground to dry up so we can move outside with some poles.

Amazing! Thank you so much.

Pike Bremer

"It is an excellent and genuinely kind program for handlers and dogs alike."

The dogs and I love the Movement Puzzles and find them rather addictive! They are so much fun and we learn something new with every monthly challenge. This program provides just the right amount of theory, great explanations plus example videos for each exercise, doable challenge spacing as well as helpful and prompt feedback to our videos by the knowledgeable team members.

Movement puzzles have made me a more patient trainer and my dogs race up to the training area as soon as I grab the cones as they indicate happy play time for them.

It is an excellent and genuinely kind program for handlers and dogs alike.

I'd love to join, how much is it?

I often get asked for 1-on-1 sessions to help out with a couple of training challenges. Because of a chronic health condition, my time is super valuable to me, and I almost never have the option to offer individual consultations!

A single session with me would be 500 USD, 2 months of 1-on-1 support from me would be at least a 2000 USD investment.

Movement Puzzles Academy includes EVERYTHING I'd teach you in a 1-on-1 setting. You will basically have lifetime access to ME in your back pocket!

 PLUS, inside the Academy you will get 4 months of instructor support from our knowledgeable and dedicated coaches, including me. Average working spot price in an online course is around 175-200 USD/month. So 4 months of support could be 700-800 USD in an online course.

Movement Puzzles Academy is HALF OF THAT! Yes, your read it correctly. You will get lifetime access to the Movement Puzzles materials + 4 months of support from our instructors and me for just 347 USD!

JOIN MOVEMENT PUZZLES ACADEMY TODAY

SINGLE INVESTMENT OF ONLY $347

----------- OR -----------

4 INSTALMENTS OF $95

All prices in USD

For questions or help with enrolling send an email: support@themovingcanine.com

Risk free 30 day money back guarantee

I want you to be happy with this program.

I get it. Maybe you've been burnt before when joining online programs that promised big things and never delivered. 

That's exactly why I'm offering a 30 day money back guarantee. If this program isn't what you expected, if you don't find value in the content we provide, or for any reason whatsoever, simply email Kriste at our student support team within 30 days of joining the program for a full refund.

No Questions Asked!

PLUS! Get these BONUSES when you join NOW:

4 Monthly Challenges

Join our Monthly Challenges, that will help you get started with Movement Puzzles and teach all the foundation exercises, step by step.
Monthly Challenges focus on one exercise at a time, helping you fit short training sessions into busy daily schedule, progress in your training quickly with our detailed step by step instructions and FEEDBACK from myself and our highly knowledgeable and dedicated coaches. 

Value: $297 FREE

DIY Equipment Ideas

Get access to our Student Example Video Library, where you'll see lots of creative setup ideas with with things you already have at home! Like textile shopping bags, cardboard boxes, empty plastic bottles, broomsticks, chairs and even clever sofa placement for your exercise! 

Value: $39 FREE

Puppy & Senior Guidelines

Adjust these fun exercises for puppies, seniors and dogs with physical limitations with these dedicated guidelines!
Including the list of safe exercises and guidelines for reducing the physical challenge of the exercises.

Value: $27 FREE

Movement Puzzle Level 1 Certificate application

Master the foundation exercises and apply for Movement Puzzle Level 1 Certificate after 4 months of being in the Academy! Perfect for showcasing your and your dog's skills or using it professionally to show your qualifications! Available ONLY to our students!

Value: $45 FREE

Optimistic Puppy course

4 month access to a recorded webinar and 4 Monthly Challenges designed especially for our youngest members while being perfect for older ones too!
These fun games will make sure your puppy will find noisy things fun, things touching his body really cool and even use the power of scentwork to make sure your puppy grows up thinking that the world is a really fun place to be in!

Value: $297 FREE

Emma Lee

Lighten Up Dog Training

"When I first encountered Mari's Movement Puzzles for dog training, it was a game-changer."

As a behaviour consultant, I often dealt with dogs struggling with impulsive behaviours and poor decision-making, especially in dynamic situations like agility. Many programmes focused on calmness, which wasn't the primary concern for my clients. It was the dogs' ability to make decisions on the go and control their behaviour in various settings that needed attention.

Mari's Movement Puzzles addressed this issue brilliantly. I joined the course in March 2022 and quickly recommended it to my clients. The results were astonishing. Dogs, especially the highly sensitive and impulsive ones, started having their 'lightbulb moments.' Within weeks, we observed improvements in a wide range of behaviours, from abnormal repetitive behaviour through to high levels frustration and even more simple things like leash pulling.

What sets this programme apart is its thoughtfulness. Mari has anticipated every possible challenge and provides strategies for guardians to overcome them. The monthly challenges are exceptional and cater to a variety of dog backgrounds, including sensitive working-line dogs. This means I very rarely need to make individual adaptations or suggestions for my clients' dogs โ€“ and when Iโ€™ve needed to, itโ€™s simply been to say to re-visit Mariโ€™s guidance.

Itโ€™s also been useful for fitness and recovery as well as confidence building. For many of the dogs I work with, they seem much more comfortable navigating the world. Having predictable patterns has also helped those dogs who need a bridge into other environments to help them settle. So often, stillness is an impossible challenge. A few short puzzles in new spaces seems to remind the dogs I work with that they make the decisions about what their body does, not the world around them.

Having worked with dogs for over a decade and seeking continual development, I can confidently say that Movement Puzzles was a true lightbulb moment in my career. I very much look forward to seeing The Moving Canine as it develops. 

So, Let's Recap!

When you join Movement Puzzles Academy you get instant access to our unique step by step program that will show you exactly how to use fun dynamic coordination exercises for boosting your dog's CONFIDENCE and STRESS RESILIENCE. Lifetime access to materials + 4 months of instructor support. Value at least $700!


  • PLUS Our 4 foundation Monthly Challenges so you'll know exactly how to get started with Movement Puzzles + instructor feedback. Value $297
  • PLUS Movement Puzzle Level 1 Certificate application to help you stay motivated with your training. Value $45
  • PLUS Puppy and Senior Guidelines to help you adjust these fun exercise to any age and fitness level. Value $27
  • PLUS DIY Equipment Ideas in our Student Example Library, so you can create new fun setups with stuff you have at home. Value $39
  • PLUS 4 month access to Optimistic Puppy course - perfect for developing a more optimistic view of life! Value $297

That's a total value of  $1405. Yours ONLY for $347!

Simply click the button below! Your new supportive Movement Puzzles community and I will be waiting for you inside!

Bobbie Lyons

CCFT, KPA CFT, Program Director CSCC, KPA Faculty

"From my first exposure to movement puzzles I was super intrigued with the concept and now I use it often for so many different things.  "

I love it for puppies and old dogs. It is a great way to teach clicker mechanics to new students. It is a great way to teach proprioception to dogs and for dogs to learn and think at a distance from their handler.
I continually find more and more uses for movement puzzles. Thank you Mari for sharing this concept.  It will always be part of what I teach.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For learning the Movement Puzzles concept, you'll need:
  • 2 bowls, 2-3 cones 
  • 1-2 platforms/steps. Human step platforms and Cato boards are perfect. Books or wooden blocks covered with a yoga mat work well for smaller dogs
  • 2 cavaletti poles or broomsticks
  • Stool or a bench that you can use for crawling 
  • Big cardboard boxes for creating narrow spaces

    Here are other pieces of equipment that will become handy, depending on which exercises you choose to do with your dog. There are lots of DIY equipment ideas inside the program:

  • 1 balance disc/unstable surface. Balance discs with bases (Gymnic or TotoFit) or Propel Air Platform are the perfect. The disc/platform should not roll or slide under your dog. 
  • A cardboard box + empty plastic bottles or similar for a box of "funny stuff"
  • Plastic bottles on strings + something to hang them on (or similar for a "noisy curtain")
  • Old tires/wooden ladder or something similar to give your dog narrow surfaces to step on (like ladder rungs) 
  • Small thin target

Recommended area of 4x 6 meters/13x 20 feet, however you can also make it with half of that size. Most of the how to videos and examples inside the program are made in a space 2x 3 meters (6x9ft). Make sure the surface is non-slippery!

You get instructor support in our members community (videos are not limited) as frequently as you need. All you have to do is video your own sessions, post a video in our community and ask for feedback. You will have access to our support and instructor feedback for 4 months from joining the program.

These exercises rely heavily on eye-body coordination and doing them with a blind dog requires a lot of exercise adjustments. We  do have students doing these exercises with blind dogs, but our instructors do not have first hand experience working with blind dogs and unfortunately our support will be limited. We recommend joining this program with a blind dog ONLY if you are comfortable troubleshooting and adjusting exercises to your own dog.

You will keep lifetime access to Movement Puzzles program materials and peer supported Facebook community, and 4 month access to our foundation Monthly Challenges, members community, feedback and Level 1 Certificate application.

We offer 30 day money back guarantee, so you can get your money back if you contact us within 30 days of joining the program.

There's no fixed start date for this program. You will get full access to all the contents as soon as you join, so you can start working on the exercises and start getting results straight away!

Most of the confidence boosting exercises are perfect for puppies as young as 3 months. The body awareness and coordination exercises are better suited from 8 months and up. I'd personally recommend taking this course with a puppy, observe what your puppy is able to do easily and focus on these exercises. Inside the program we have guidelines for adjusting the exercises for puppies.

Starting from June 2024 Movement Puzzles membership is only available to our existing students and is now called Movement Puzzles Academy PLUS. It is not available to the public.

There is some overlap between these two programs, but there will be definitely new exercises for you in the Movement Puzzles program.

Before joining, contact us to see if Movement Puzzles is a good fit for you: support@themovingcanine.com

Posting videos is not mandatory ๐Ÿ™‚ You can post your videos for instructor feedback during the challenges, but there is no requirement to post your videos for the program to work and give you results. In fact, most students say the program instruction videos and guides are so clear and so easily understandable that they can easily train on their own, without posting training videos.

The program runs on a platform called Circle

Please contact us via email: support@themovingcanine.com

Wow! You made it all the way to the bottom of this page :) 

If you are still reading this, there is a reason.  

There is some part of you that knows this is what you've been looking for.

So why not jump in and test it out? It's risk free with our 30 day money back guarantee.

What do you have to lose?

Got a question? Email us at support@themovingcanine.com

We do not claim to solve any dog's problem behaviors with our training. If your dog is showing problem behaviors, you should consult with a canine behaviorist.

We make no guarantees or claims as to the success of any user or our programs. Each individual is unique and their abilities are unique to them. The aim is that we provide support and training to allow you to better understand your dog, how to improve confidence, body awareness and coordination.

All training provided will be general information and guidance and will not be bespoke advice. We are not responsible for any action or inaction which you take as a result of the information within our services.

We are not responsible for any loss of opportunity or any investments which you make. No content in our services should be construed as veterinary advice, whether mental or physical. If you believe that your dog requires veterinary attention you should seek assistance from a veterinary professional immediately.